June Chabayta
Undergrad: University of Arizona
While June has consistently volunteered with many organizations such as United Way and the Ronald McDonald House, one of her most meaningful volunteer experiences involved working with a Tucson, AZ social services nonprofit, Casa de los Niños. There, she worked with a team to provide research-based recommendations for improving recruitment and retention, with the goal of reducing turnover and improving services for children and families. The result? The organization was able to collect and utilize enough donations to build a new Family Center, including more space for children’s therapy and family services, parenting classes, and 24/7 children’s shelter.
Edmund Fahoury
Undergrad: Auburn University
Edmund has dedicated significant time to partnering with community leaders in his hometown of Roselle Park, NJ on a number of initiatives to benefit local residents, including free diabetic screenings and nutritional counseling for senior citizens. He also led grassroots efforts for the Clean Community program in Roselle Park, organizing groups of local volunteers to pick up trash and debris in public parks. His commitment to the project has helped establish it as the backbone of the community’s beautification efforts, which has extended to the creation of a community garden and increased opportunities for high school students to participate.
Adnan Jamal
Undergrad: Cornell University
During his time in college, Adnan raised awareness and funds to support the alleviation of urgent global health issues. He organized charity events and developed student volunteer opportunities to benefit programs including AID for AIDS and the GHESKIO Clinic, a research, treatment, and training institution that serves more than 600,000 HIV/AIDS patients annually. In addition to his attention towards global health, he also took time to serve his local community, helping empower underprivileged youth to succeed academically through math, writing and science clubs.
Enrico Pelicci
Undergrad: University of Scranton
Enrico found an opportunity to serve his community right in his own backyard. After countless hours of research and boots-on-the-ground labor, Enrico developed an 11,000 square foot cornfield for the purpose of donating harvested produce to a food pantry in his hometown of Scranton, PA. The first year, he harvested more than 2,000 pounds of corn. Since then, Enrico has grown and diversified his project to provide even more produce to benefit the people of his community, expanding beyond corn to grow and harvest hundreds of pounds of tomatoes, green beans, and lettuce for donation.
Amanda Rivera
Undergrad: Baylor University
After Hurricane Maria left a devastating impact on Puerto Rico in September 2017, Amanda assisted in bringing water and other necessities to people in difficult-to-access locations on the island, while also spreading the message to avoid drinking from polluted rivers. This experience solidified Amanda’s determination to become a resource for preventing the spread of disease through health education. Amanda also shared similar guidance with children in Waco, TX through a visit to a local orphanage, helping to teach children and caregivers about disease prevention.
Diana Rochez
Undergrad: Florida International University
One of Diana’s most impactful volunteer experiences involved multiple mission trips to the remote coastal community of Cusana, Honduras, bringing toys and supplies to underprivileged children. There, Diana came face to face with the challenges that the local residents face, including rough, unsafe roads that make it difficult for the community to receive these resources. In this way, Diana’s mission became all the more imperative and meaningful as she and her family members overcame obstacles to reach the community members—providing not only supplies and gifts, but also spending quality time with the children, developing relationships and becoming acquainted with their daily lives.
Mackenzie Savel
Undergrad: Boston College
Mackenzie helped plan and execute a Boston-area chapter of Camp Kesem, an organization that offers a free week of summer camp for kids whose parents, guardians, or family members have been affected by cancer. She organized the theme and schedule for the campers and facilitated activities to help give them a chance to be kids. Mackenzie also volunteered in multiple capacities with Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, including serving as a resource and a compassionate guide for patients navigating the hospital, and, as a part of the Stepping Strong Boston Marathon Team, raised funds to support The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation.
Hyrum Shumway
Undergrad: Brigham Young University
Hyrum has developed meaningful relationships and served as a role model for youth in his community in a variety of ways. He has mentored local fifth graders in their academic pursuits; served as a counselor at a camp for young men, leading them to develop their own self-esteem through service activities; and volunteered at a home for disabled individuals. In addition, he traveled to Seattle for two years of service in underprivileged communities, volunteering in food pantries, cleaning up parks, and working with local families.
Learn more about the Community Outreach scholarship and eligibility requirements on our Scholarships page.