News 2014: UMass Dartmouth Endeavors Showcase How to Change the World

News 2014: UMass Dartmouth Endeavors Showcase How to Change the World
UMass Dartmouth Endeavors Showcase How to Change the World

Endeavor Scholars Showcase Academic & Civic Leadership

UMass Dartmouth Endeavor Scholars presented at the "Endeavor to Change the World" event, Thursday, April 24, 2014, at UMass Dartmouth's Woodland Commons. Endeavor Scholarships are awarded each year to students based on academic achievement, leadership experience, and dedication to community service. The evening will include presentations by Endeavor Leadership Scholars and portfolio reviews showcasing how UMass Dartmouth Endeavors are changing the world. 

Global Presentations featured were: 

Nura Walters, Illustration/Animation major 
Serving at the European Baha'i House of Worship 

Aubrie Brault, English 
Learning About & Working with the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head 

Kiley Alpaugh, Psychology 
Animal & World Awareness 

Roshani Baidwak, Nursing 
Think Globally, Act Locally 

Samantha Smith, Biology 
Immersive Global Health: My Week in Ghana 

The Class of 2014 Endeavor Scholars also presented their portfolios by way of poster presentations throughout the event. The portfolios on review included students: 

Jacqueline Bousquet, Nursing 
Change Agent Project: Participatory Action Research at Our Sisters' School 

Paula Cruz, Nursing 
Change Agent Project: The Development of the Endeavor Leadership Scholars Program 

Sydney Callan, Accounting 
Change Agent Project: Endeavors Adopt a Habitat 

Give-Lord Francisque, Economics 
Change Agent Project: Partners in Development 

Kerrin Hanna, Accounting 
Change Agent Project: Endeavors Adopt a Habitat 

Julie Hoyt, Biology 
Change Agent Project: Workers' Education Program Conversation Partner 

Anna-Rae LeClaire, Nursing 
Change Agent Project: Creating a Culture of Support for Survivors 

Ashley Nunez, Philosophy 
Change Agent Project: Holistic Learning Approach for Sustainability Education 

Dionisios Hologitas, Biology 
Change Agent Project: Reinventing the Remembrance Tree 

Julian Jiminian, Bioengineering 
Change Agent Project: Partnerships for Change and College Knowledge 

Marissa Mattei, Nursing 
Change Agent Project: Hope for Hospice 

Emily Reinauer, Illustration 
Change Agent Project: Building a Local Foundation for Haitian Relief 

Jessica Rice, Philosophy 
Change Agent Project: Volunteer Program at New Bedford High School 

Kristen Shaban, Nursing 
Change Agent Project: Cultural Competence - It's Not Just for Professionals 

Sowmya Takkellapati, Biology 
Change Agent Project: You Can Save a Life on Campus 

Allison Romero, Illustration 
Change Agent Project: Building a Local Foundation for Haitian Relief 

Amanda W. Stubbs, Chemistry 
Change Agent Project: MCAS Tutoring for Local High School Students 

Victoria Wood, Sociology 
Change Agent Project: Empowering a New Generation of Leaders: A Social Justice 
Approach to Teaching Civics 

In 2010, UMass Dartmouth received an anonymous gift to establish the Endeavor Scholars program. Focused on expanding educational opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities, the Endeavor Scholarship rewards academic merit and leadership capability and provides recipients with a full-cost scholarship for eight semesters.  As part of this program, awardees must fully engage in academic, as well as co-curricular activities, and reside in a living/learning environment on-campus with other Endeavor Scholars.   

In addition to rigorous academic programming, the Endeavor Scholars spend many hours in leadership training/classes and community service.  Each student has a capstone project, in which they design and implement a program, event, or research project related to their passion for community service.  The awardees represent a broad socio-economic range and academic interest. Mentorship and collaboration are critical underpinnings of this program's success. 

The program relies on partnerships at the local, regional, statewide, national, and international level to support students' efforts to be change agents. The Endeavor Scholar Program's partners include Our Sister's School, Artworks, Raw Haiti, Buttonwood Park Zoo, local K-12 schools, Boys & Girl Club, Ocean Explorium, YWCA SouthCoast, Big Brother/Big Sister, and Partners in Development.