giving news
Empowered to Act on a
Global Stage
In 2000 Chancellor Emeritus David Johnson established the David C. Johnson Award for International Service Learning to help deserving students participate in meaningful volunteer opportunities in developing countries around the world. Last year three students received the award; their goals and discoveries serve as testaments to the spirit and significance of the scholarship.
Amanda House ’13
Michael Peters ’14
Marci Sanchez ’14
Destination: Shiwakucha, Ecuador
Destination: Shanghai, China
Destination: Nanyuki, Kenya
Project goals: Working with residents
Project goals: Putting a stop to child sexual assault and promoting female autonomy in a culturally sensitive way
Project goals: Teaching English to Kichwa children in the Amazon Rainforest
“I had to change the ways I lived; by doing this I changed my views on life, and I look at the life I grew up with as a luxury. I have also become an activist for the rainforest...With my experience in Ecuador, I am able to help my students now from a more global perspective.”
of an assisted living home, instructing migrant children, and volunteering at The Renewal Center for Shanghai’s homeless population
“These experiences each gave me a unique view of different sides of life in Shanghai that I might not have seen otherwise. Interacting with everyday people in different settings from the classroom gave me a different perspective on life in China, and I hope to use that when I go back.”
“I worked as an advocate for [girls’] basic human rights and needs, and in many instances, had to change my worldview quite a bit. With my experience in Kenya I am impassioned to go forward and apply my degree in anthropology to activism and human-rights development.”
Editor’s Note: Based on the accomplishments of the 2013 recipients, one can only expect great things from those who accepted the award late this spring. Congratulations, Grace Lindblad ’15, Morris; Ellery Wealot ’15, Dodge Center; and Jordan Wente ’15, Dodge Center. Summer/Fall 2014 Profile
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