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1701 North State Street Jackson, MS 39210-0001 (800)352-1050 (601)974-1000
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1C1C Fellows and their primary projects Bolton Kirchner - Wellness: Connect Millsaps to Midtown - work in developing community gardens, community kitchen (Meals-on-Wheels) program, playworks program, and UNACARE health clinic; serve as liaison between Midtown and Millsaps athletics; and digital storytelling initiative. Josh Whitam - Economic Development: Host financial literacy courses at Millsaps College with Midtown Partners - develop a youth-focused financial literacy program; support the connection of the Else School of Business to Midtown initiatives and needs; help connect Millsaps College to the Midtown Prosperity Center; research and develop grant proposals. |
Three recent Millsaps graduates have returned to campus to make a difference in the local community - focusing on the neighboring Midtown area.
Laura Cost, of Memphis, Tenn.; Bolton Kirchner of Little Rock, Ark.; and Josh Whitam, of Mason, Ohio are 1 Campus 1 Community Fellows for the 2011-12 academic year. They will provide support for academic service-learning projects, the Wellspring Community Service Living-Learning Program and the 1C1C Student Leadership Team. In addition, each fellow has a special programmatic focus developed to fit their own personal strenghts and interests.
"I am excited about the new crop of fellows and look forward to new levels of 1C1C effectiveness in the coming year," said Dr. Darby Ray, professor of religious studies and director for the 1C1C Center for Engaged Learning and Living.
The fellows began their work in mid-June and have already made significant contributions to both the Millsaps campus and the Midtown community, a low-income neighborhood near the College.
"I was always drawn to the commitments of 1C1C to establish and maintain a relationship with the Midtown neighborhood that goes beyond one-sided service to a mutually beneficial liaison sustained through altruistic and philanthropic endeavors," said Laura Cost on why she wanted to spend her first year out of college as a 1C1C fellow.
"This job allows me to fully devote my time and energy to the endeavors about which I was most passionate during my time at Millsaps, but were always, of course, second to my academic focuses. I know this job will also push me to grow and develop knowledge and skills directly applicable to my future education and work," Cost said.
Cost, who graduated with a major in religious studies and minors in English and Faith & Work, has been accepted and deferred admission to Boston University's School of Theology. There, she plans to work towards a Masters of Divinity on the community and global engagement track with a concentration in religion and conflict transformation.
As a 1C1C fellow, Cost is serving as project coordinator for educational initiatives. This role involves working with Brown Elementary School in the Midtown neighborhood to oversee the 100% Adopt-A-Class initiative begun last year by Millsaps College. She is also working with Phoebe Pearigen, wife of Millsaps president Dr. Rob Pearigen, on a new dance program for the elementary students. Other projects include a college awareness and ambition program for middle and high school students and the Reading is Fundamental Program which provides books to elementary students.
Kirchner graduated from Millsaps this year with a self designed major in environmental studies and a minor in Faith & Work. As a student he was involved with Millsaps' community service initiatives.
"I enjoy getting to connect students with a wide variety of programs and showing them how these community engagement projects are a piece of their learning and can complement the knowledge they are working with and learning in the classroom," Kirchner said.
Kirchner will focus on a variety of projects throughout the year concentrating on environmental and wellness. He'll work with the Midtown Community Garden, the Midtown Community Kitchen and a health clinic in Midtown through the UMMC School of Nursing. He hopes to improve the playground at Brown Elementary and to create another garden at the school.
1C1C fellow Josh Whitam is using his bachelor of science in economics as he works with staff members at Midtown Partners to develop a financial literacy curriculum for youth and a business incubator in Midtown.
Whitam, a native of Vicksburg but spent a majority of his childhood in Ohio, expects the year to be full of meaningful, rewarding and new experiences.
"I've learned to do a lot more things for myself that I didn't have to worry about as a student. Grocery shopping on a budget has been fun, but every now and then I miss the Caf'," Whitam said.
Formed in 2006, Millsaps' 1C1C program mobilizes the College's community service energies on behalf of the Midtown and public school communities. 1C1C positions are made possible by the generous support of the AmeriCorps VISTA program, the Walker Foundation and the College. The program was awarded the Governor's Award for Partners in Education and was instrumental in the College's recent recognition by the Princeton Review as one of the nation's top 20 colleges for positive town-gown relations.
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