Shortly after Commencement, eight graduates will head off to Cambodia, Southern Uganda and other foreign destinations where, for the next 11 months, they will get a first-hand look at the human side of poverty. The eight comprise the College’s first Minerva Fellows, a scholarship program designed to instill in new graduates an entrepreneurial approach to social problems and a lasting commitment to the poor.
The selected students come from Union’s seven Minerva Houses which serve students’ social and academic interests. All students, faculty and staff are assigned to a Minerva.
The Minerva Fellows will team up with a social organization and report to their assigned country in July. They return to Union next May, where they will live on campus for a month. During that time, they will participate in an ongoing course on social entrepreneurship, recount their experiences for other students and give presentations at Minerva Houses and classes.
The goal is to make the Minerva Fellows an integral part of the Union experience.
"We have incredibly talented students ready to assist extremely worthwhile organizations,” said Tom McEvoy, Associate Dean of Students and Director of Minerva Programs. He recently joined President Stephen C. Ainlay, Frank Messa, chair of the Board of Trustees and others at a sendoff for the students at the Lake George home of Michael ’59 and Jo-Ann Rapaport, major supporters of the program.
“Not only will they be helping others, they themselves will be transformed in the process. The thought of them returning to Union to share their experiences makes this a very special program.”
The eight seniors and where they are headed:
Rebecca Broadwin and Stephen Po-Chedley
Organization: Engeye
Location: Southern Uganda
Mission: To improve living conditions and reduce unnecessary suffering in rural Africa through education and compassionate health care. Implicit to every project is the understanding that it will ultimately be sustainable with little or no outside assistance, and that it will be accomplished free of the imposition of any foreign social, political or spiritual values.
Jonathan Hill and Robert Flick
Organization: The Global Child
Location: Phenom Phan, Cambodia
Mission: The Global Child is a non-profit, non-political, non-partisan organization founded to build and operate specialty schools and safe houses for gifted street children in developing, war-torn countries around the world. At The Global Child Schools, selected children – hungry for education, food, health care and a wholesome future – are nurtured and empowered to adopt a proactive humanitarian role within their communities.
Alex Butts and Emily Laing
Organization: Welfare Society for Destitute Children
Location: Mumbai, India
Mission: Home to a number of underprivileged children, the society has children who are orphans, living with family on the street, runaways, children of sex workers, children who are affected by HIV/AIDS. In the school and orphanage, the society has a responsibility to rehabilitate these children and take them off the streets by providing shelter, food, primary education and by introducing awareness programs in the community to help make the children self-dependent.
David Shulman
Organization: Partners in Health
Location: Southern Malawi
Mission: To provide medical care, access to clean water, education, nutrition and shelter.
Lara Levine
Organization: Journey Hope South Africa
Location: Capetown, South Africa
Mission: HIV/AIDS and education.