Monday marked the official launch of the 2016-17 Community Fellow program, an initiative that funds a cohort of juniors and seniors to spend an academic year working part-time at a prominent regional non-profit organizations to address some of the area’s social, economic and cultural challenges. Over 30 people gathered in Sherwood House to celebrate the twelve selected Fellows. President Kathleen Murray opened the event and welcomed this year’s community partners and Fellows to share more about their amazing projects.
As part of this year-long program, Community Fellows will receive the opportunity to meet successful, high-level leaders in the Walla Walla valley and receive broad exposure to local organizations in addition to the one where they are working. What’s more, Community Fellows participate in bi-weekly workshops that focus on topics including leadership, mentoring, career development and other important professional growth considerations. They will host the other program participants at their organization and give a short presentation of their work and their organization’s role in the region. This program is supported in large part thanks to a grant from the Donald and Virginia Sherwood Internship Endowment at Whitman College.
The Fellows for 2016-17 are:
Mitch Cutter ’17, Erin Coffey ’17, Haley Case ’17, Groover Snell ’17, Erica Rodriguez ’17, Meg Rierson ’18, Margo Heffron ’17, Alina Nakano ’17, Peter Ramaley ’17, Soobin Dokko ’17, Sophie James ’18, and Dana Matsunami ’17.
Back row, left to right: Soobin, Alina, Dana, Peter. Middle row, left to right: Erin, Groover, Margo, Erica. Front row, left to right: Haley, Mitch, Sophie, Meg.
These twelve outstanding students will be based at the following non-profit organizations: Blue Mountain Land Trust, Catholic Charities, Children’s Resilience Initiative, Fort Walla Walla Museum, Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance, Planned Parenthood, Sustainable Living Center, Valley Residential Services, Walla Walla County Department of Community Health, Walla Walla Symphony, Walla Walla Valley Farm to School, and YWCA.
Victoria Wolff M.Ed., Internship Coordinator, responsible for program management and oversight.
What a wonderful opportunity!