Working on a Masters in Geographic Information Science at the University of Minnesota, Claire Porter '00 and a partner set out on a unique expedition which involves trekking on foot from the Mexican border through California to Anchorage, Alaska.  They plan to complete the trek in 14 months of hiking, taking a break during the coldest months of 2008 and 2009.  The trip is designed to educate people through web postings about the ecology and history of the regions through which they travel.

Rachelle Fryd '04 will make a trip to the 235th American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting and Exposition.  She and her co-researcher were invited to present her senior research project on developing a cancer drug, NAMI-A.  As one of the few undergraduates invited, she will be presenting cutting edge information into the world of Inorganic Chemistry.  

Jonathan Allan '03 serves as a Program Manager at the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.  He works in conjunction with professors and fellow staff to facilitate programs, conferences, and competitions for GSB students interested in start-up businesses, private equity and venture capital.  He'd like to develop an on-line interactive polling map application that could be used to collect demographic data on what people (and particularly the youth) feel about social issues and could, in turn, encourage civic and global engagement. 

Caitlin Coomes '01 will be embarking on a course of graduate study that combines conflict resolution and environmental conservation.  As part of that, she will complete a field internship with the Human-Wildlife Conflict Collaboration in November 2008 through June 2009.  HWCC's goal is to incorporate conflict management into conservation.  Caitlin will work with field staff in Asia or Africa, documenting conflicts and identifying human rights violations.

Claire Halloran '03 works as a volunteer English teacher through the Puerto Rico Center for Social Concerns (PRCSC).  A service program established 20 years ago by the alumni of the University of Notre Dame, the PRCSC offers an enriching experience to graduates while contributing to the enhancement of specific communities on the island.  Claire assists with English and science classes at a Salesian private school in the town of Orocovis, teaching Kindergarten through 3rd grade and two conversational English classes to 6th and 8th grade.

Claire wants to create a Youth Leadership Program to address the pressing problems facing this community, most notably high unemployment and poverty, a weak education system, and physical and emotion health concerns.

Tim Koerner '03 is looking for support for an alumni/current student service partnership to create a program where recent graduates of MPA would lead willing participants of the Junior and Senior classes at MPA on work trips over MPA's two week spring break for Habitat for Humanity.

But from this lovely bouquet, one had to be chosen to receive the modest $500 alumni program grant - from funds raised by hard-working alumni selling refreshments during our Homecoming each fall.  Not that the choice was an easy one.  Our dedicated team of alumni grant reviewers included Chris Parrish '95, Vance Ryan '08, Megan Bridges '97, and Rebecca Ruprecht-Barrett '00.  They worked hard to refine the process and identify alumni applications that actively furthered the mission of the school in the greater community.  Their selection for this year's alumni grant award is...

...Elaine Bransford '97 who is currently the lead teacher in the English department at Health Opportunities High School in the South Bronx.  She teaches three sections of American Literature (11th grade) and one section of 9th grade, a special course designed for students who are two or more grade levels behind in reading.  There she founded a literary magazine and runs an after-school book club.  She wants to support a curriculum for a literacy course, developed after four years of teaching the course and based on teaching techniques which she says she was lucky enough to experience on a daily basis at MPA. 

Congratulations to Elaine!