These last six months of my life have been great, although wild. I am very grateful for the experiences I have had in just six months. As an MVYouth Workforce recipient, I have had the great opportunity of experiencing both the workforce and college. On Monday, June 10, the day after graduation, I started my electrical apprenticeship with local company Brissette Electric, Inc. So far, I have already had the opportunity to do a service, rough, finish, solar work, and the list goes on. In this short time, I have learned many aspects of the trade, such as how NOT to get shocked, some electrical codes, and just the day to day responsibilities of being an electrician. In September, I enrolled and started Electrical code classes with Cape Cod Electrical School. We have classes four days a week, where we study and learn the NFPA National Electric Code. This first semester has been very beneficial to my apprenticeship. Being able to apply what I learn to my job is very reassuring and has helped me to adjust to my new work environment. This semester I also started at Cape Cod Community College, where I am going to get an associate degree in Business. I started in September with a Human Communication course on campus and an on-island English course. The wildest part of these last six months has been managing my schedule. From picking courses that fit, to traveling to school, it has been a wild ride, yet I can proudly say my schedule is doing just fine. I am very grateful for this incredible opportunity that MVYouth has gifted me with. Thank you so much.
Sam Cranston - University of Vermont
My first semester at the University of Vermont has been the most challenging yet rewarding experience of my life so far. I entered school not knowing a single person out of the 11,000 students at UVM. As a kid who’s spent his entire life living on a small and sheltered island, where everyone knows everyone, this transition was a bit of a shock. Now, only a couple months later, I can look back on those first few weeks of school and laugh. I have found a really close group of friends, made the club baseball team, and settled into the college routine. I could not be happier with my new life at school, and I am loving every second of college. Academically, I am really proud of what I accomplished in my first semester at UVM. Classes such as Calculus and Biology covered many difficult topics, but with a lot of hard work and studying, I was able to achieve high grades in each. In a special research course for life science majors, I took an in depth look at how honey bees communicate with one another. I found this work fascinating, and ended up writing an eight page research paper on the topic, which received high praise from my professor. All these courses required a lot of work, but came relatively easy to me. On the other hand, Chemistry did not come easy whatsoever. I have never taken a more difficult and work intensive course. Countless hours were spent in tutoring sessions, studying in the library, and working with my peers. In the end, all this hard work did not lead to the grade I was hoping for, and I will have to work even harder next semester.
JP Alves - University of San Diego
Over the past four months, I have come to understand that moving across the country and attending the University of San Diego was not only my best decision but one that will continue to positively shape my life. In what feels like a very short amount of time, I have been afforded great privileges; I have made lasting memories, attended classes that peak my curiosity, and received exposure to dedicated and brilliant professors. In the past semester, I took six classes. Although I was apprehensive about this heavy course load as a first-semester freshman, I was assured by my family, friends, counselors, and professors that I would receive the support I needed as long I put in the hard work. That is something I have come to deeply appreciate. The school will always meet you “halfway”, if not all the way. I took a variety of different classes including calculus, microeconomics, and psychology. One of my favorite experiences was my three-hour psych lecture. Although three hours of any class might seem dreadful for some, the professor was able to present the information in intriguing and rich ways that made the content mean something to me. The small class sizes ensured that each student was able to ask questions and feel heard in seminars. USD also has a fantastic language department and I in no way hesitated to take advantage of this offering. The Italian course I took solidified all the knowledge of the language that I knew while teaching me so much more. Overall, my experience here has been unmatched. I am left with only admiration and gratitude for this opportunity I have been provided with. I truly hope to continue to make many more memories and challenge my thinking in new and thrilling ways.
Liam Weiland - Berklee College of Music
This past semester at Berklee College of Music has been the quickest and most productive semester yet. My studies have become much more intensive. I have finished all of my Core Music and Liberal Arts courses, save for one Arts History course. Now all of my classes directly relate to my declared major of Electronic Production and Design. I take courses focused in Digital Mixing, Musical/ Audio Synthesis, and Studio Technologies including the use and understanding of MIDI SPEC. I am currently planning out trips to both New York and Los Angeles to scope out potential areas to move post-graduation. There are a limited number of cities in the country with a presence in the music industry, and of those I am finding myself interested in LA. I am incredibly excited for a serious change of climate and scenery since I have grown up and spent my entire life in New England. I love my home and will always be incredibly grateful for the place I grew up, but I am excited to spend some time on the other side of the country. All of my courses in the coming semester look great, but the most highly anticipated for me is called Circuit Bending and Physical Computing. This class involves learning how to build your own custom analog synthesizer. We will do this using both traditional technology and unorthodox objects such as video game controllers. By the end of the course every student will have developed their own expressive MIDI and audio control system.
Galya Walt - Tufts University
This past semester has been a really great transition back to life at Tufts following a semester studying in Cape Town last spring. I started working on my senior honors thesis studying the perceptions and experiences of clinicians who petitioned for patients with substance use disorders to be committed to involuntary treatment as permitted by Massachusetts law. It has been a really valuable learning experience to go through the process of designing a study, getting approval and conducting interviews with participants. I will be continuing to work on this project in the spring and will present my findings a few weeks before graduation. I also spent my time interning in a research lab run by a Tufts professor, and I worked on a study interested in helping kidney-disease patients make informed decisions on whether or not to go on dialysis. I loved reading through the interview transcripts of both kidney-disease patients and nephrologists and seeing both of their perspectives on the trajectory of disease and when it is optimal to share challenging information such as prognosis. I was mostly working on data analysis for this project and I really enjoyed learning how qualitative research gets transformed from transcripts to specific findings. When I wasn’t studying I spent many weekends hiking in the White Mountains. I have been working on completing all 48 4,000 footers over the course of my time at Tufts and this semester I was able to get number 46! I am forever grateful to MVYouth for giving me a college experience that has allowed me to grow and challenged me in ways that gave me a clearer sense of who I am. It will be bittersweet to say goodbye to Tufts in May and I will cherish all of it for my last semester. Thank you MVYouth!
Kaela Vecchia-Zeitz - New York University
I study at NYU Silver School of Social Work which places students within the social work field to gain hands-on experience before graduating. I was placed in January 2019 at Sanctuary for Families, within the agency’s program Justice and Empowerment for Teens (JET) Initiative, which services young adult survivors of commercial sexual exploitation and/or sex trafficking. Before being placed at Sanctuary for Families, I was unaware about the prevalence and complexity of the commercial sex trade within the United States. Over the course of one year, I gained extensive knowledge about it through working directly with survivors, reading the related literature, and attending panel events. I am now a member of New Yorkers for the Equality Model (NY4EM) - a New York-based alliance of cross-sector organizations, sex trade survivors, and community members who advocate for the Equality Model. The Equality Model calls for the decriminalization of people bought/sold in the sex trade, while continuing to hold sex buyers and third-party profiteers accountable for the lifelong harm their actions cause. Within NY4EM I lead the Student Statewide Coalition which educates college campuses about the harms of the commercial sex trade, the Equality Model, and how to get involved in the movement. I never could have imagined how transformative my field placement would be. I am eager to continue doing clinical and policy work with survivors of the commercial sex trade, and I am currently applying to graduate school to get my Masters in Social Work. Thank you MVYouth, without your support I would not have attended NYU and would not have been exposed to this trying, fulfilling work.
Meghan Sawyer - Colgate University
I had an incredible 3rd semester at Colgate this year! Early in the semester I joined the sorority Delta Delta Delta (Tridelta), and it has been an amazing organization to be a part of. One of the reasons I joined Tridelta was because of their partnership with St. Jude Children’s Hospital. St. Jude provides treatment for children battling cancer at no cost to the family. They are a really great charity and one I was passionate about helping. We have done some fundraising campaigns this year to benefit St. Jude and we have raised over $45,000 dollars so far. I am also on the women’s club ultimate frisbee team, so I’ve spent a lot of time this fall at practice. We compete in tournaments a lot of weekends which has been super fun. Next semester I will be officially declaring my major in mathematical economics, and I will either minor or double major in biology as well. This semester I took microeconomics and linear algebra which were requirements for my major, and I also took a university required class called Legacies of the Ancient World. This wouldn’t be a class I would have normally signed up for, but it was actually interesting as we read and analyzed ancient texts from Plato, Homer, the Bible, the Quran, and many more. Next semester I will be taking Macroeconomics, a Probability course, a course about the middle east, and another biology class. I also recently found out that in the spring semester of 2021 I will be studying abroad in London as part of the Colgate economics study group. I had the best semester yet at Colgate and I would like to thank everyone at MVYouth for making it possible. I can’t express how much your support means to my family and I, and we are so grateful for everything.
Nayson Peres - UMASS
This past year has been good. I have had some challenging classes but I have also enjoyed many of them. Some of the most interesting courses have been on evolutionary biology, organic chemistry and medical ethics. Although varying greatly in subject matter, these classes all intrigued me by expanding my prior knowledge in a comprehensive way. The particular professors were also quite engaging. I especially liked building and dissecting philosophical arguments related to medical ethics. This class and a public health course I took this past fall both discussed past and contemporary health issues; both provided a contrast to the basics of biology and chemistry that I have studied in the past semesters. I have been able to apply what I have learned to develop opinions with greater understanding of the issues. Back at the Vineyard, I worked during the summer and did some volunteering for my community. This year I got the chance to travel to Florida and Colorado. Both were welcome respites from the cold weather in Massachusetts. In conclusion, I would like to thank MVYouth and it’s donors. MVYouth’s support is greatly appreciated.
Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This past semester at UMass, Amherst got off to a quick start and was fast-paced through its entirety. At the beginning of the semester, I had to fill out a credit-overload form so I could enroll in 8 courses (21 credits) consisting of subjects such as Finance, Real Estate, Biochemistry, and Physics. Also, I switched my major from Business Management to Finance and remained on a Pre-Medical track. I established that a major in Finance encompassed more of my interests than Business Management since I want to pursue a career that combines my passion for financial markets, current events, and how current events can influence investment strategies within the financial markets. UMass continues to present new opportunities for me to stay involved on and off-campus. When I don’t have classes, I’m either at the library being productive or attending various club meetings. I’m still participating in many clubs, including the UMass Pre-Medical Society and Isenberg Real Estate Association. This semester, I joined the Isenberg Finance Society and the Isenberg Investment Club. Through the Investment Club, I was a finalist in a stock pitch competition where I pitched an investment strategy on a company's stock to a panel of judges from the finance-related Funds at Isenberg—I placed in the top 5. On top of coursework and extracurriculars, I’ll begin volunteering at BayState Hospital in Springfield this coming semester for me to increase my exposure in the medical field. Most recently, I've been applying to numerous summer internship positions in Massachusetts and New York that would allow me to gain first-hand experience and expand my knowledge of finance/financial markets. I continue to grow and keep learning new things every day. I'm forever grateful for the opportunity MVYouth has given to me and extremely thankful for all the generosity and support!
Charles Parkhurst - UCLA
It blows my mind to say that I’ve made it through my college years and am now a graduate, working in San Francisco. However, I couldn’t be more happy and grateful to be in the position that I’m in today. After making it through a scary period of time before heading into my final school year, I set my sights on making the most of my good fortune, working throughout the year on job applications and interviews. I’m extremely happy to say that I’ve ended up in a tremendous situation, taking a job for Walmart eCommerce this past spring. Working as a Category Specialist, I’ve been given the chance to manage a multi-million dollar business, being put in charge of selling wheels and rims on Walmart.com. Having aspects of finance, marketing, management, and more, this entrepreneurial job has given me the chance to garner experience in a diverse array of areas. Not only is my role an excellent learning experience, but it’s one that I genuinely enjoy. Working with a group of recent college graduates like myself, the office environment is fun and engaging, and one that I look forward to each day. I’m unbelievably excited for where my career will take me in the future, and I couldn’t be more happy with the start that it’s already gotten off to. It’s quite an objective statement to say that without MVYouth’s support I would not be in the wonderful situation I’m in today. Thank you so much for giving me the greatest opportunity of my entire life. I truly hope one day to be able to have such an impact on another kid’s future!
Evelyn Medeiros - MA College of Pharmacy and Health Services
These past summer and fall semesters have been challenging, as well as rewarding. While I knew that the price of getting my degree in three years was taking summer classes, I must admit that I was a little worried about how difficult it would be to keep up with the accelerated pace of the short summer terms. However, I am happy to say that after those grueling weeks I have more confidence in my ability to manage my time and prioritize when necessary, as well as having built stronger friendships with those that helped me through it. After a short break, it was back to school for my fall semester where I finished up the last of my prerequisite courses, allowing me to start official nursing classes in the spring. During my fall semester I really enjoyed many of my courses, such as medical microbiology. It may have given me a horrible fear of superbugs, but nevertheless, it was fascinating to learn what is going on in this world at the microscopic level. However, I was not completely torn up about finishing all of my classes. I am proud to say that my Math for Nurses course was officially the last math class I will have to take in my undergraduate career and it feels amazing. I am very much looking forward to next semester, as I will begin my nursing courses and clinical experiences at incredible hospitals in and around Boston. Although, this means that I am halfway done with my degree, which is bittersweet. I am eager to get out into the world and start my career, but I have also loved my college experience so far and don’t want it to end.
Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College
It is incredibly bittersweet to think that I am wrapping up my four years here at Hamilton. Last spring, I spent four months studying in Madrid on the Hamilton in Spain program. The program had a language pledge, so I was only allowed to speak Spanish for the entirety of my time there. I traveled all over Spain and different parts of Europe, had authentic Spanish cuisine cooked by my incredible host mother every day, and even took a flamenco dance class. I was so lucky to become integrated in the Spanish culture, and I hope to be able to return in the future. Back at Hamilton this year, I’ve been working on my senior thesis projects. The first is for my biology major, where I am looking at the negative effects of inbreeding on immunity-related gene diversity in the American crow. I’m super excited about this, since I am going to be using a relatively new DNA-sequencing technique with the help of the Cornell University Biotechnology Resource Center and biology labs. The second is for my major in Hispanic studies, where I will be studying gender in Latin America. After graduation, I am hoping to find experiences that will help me determine if I want to pursue a career in either medicine or biology research (or maybe even the two together). These past four years have introduced me to so many new ideas and opportunities. I cannot express my gratitude enough to those involved in MVYouth, you have all helped to make my time here so invaluable. Thank you!
Shannon Levesque - Massachusetts Maritime Academy
To start I would like to thank MVYouth for your contribution which has made my journey at Massachusetts Maritime Academy possible. This semester was a lot more eye opening for me and what I want to do with my future. This summer I worked with the Oak Bluffs Police Department hand-in-hand with the full time officers and decided to focus my studies on the law enforcement side of my major in Emergency Management. I was able to take a class called Consequence Management and learn all about response and recovery in a highly tense situation. Along with that on February 1st, 2020 I will be flying down to Eustis, FL with other Emergency Management Majors to work this Habitat Humanity again. This year we are focusing more on the cosmetics of Habitat built homes in areas where crime tends to be higher. In recent years other classes have done this and it actually helped drop the crime rates in their community. Last year I unfortunately broke my ankle and had to be sent home, so I am beyond excited to travel with new people, create new connections and help families that need a little extra assistance. As a sophomore at Maritime you gain a lot more privileges than in freshman year. This semester, we were allowed to decorate our rooms that way we wanted and live more like a college student would at any other school. We still have to attend Morning Formation where we salute the flag and make sure everyone is accounted for, as well as an inspection of our uniform on Wednesday nights. As you move farther into your journey at Maritime you gain privileges that make life more laid back but still regimented. I have also created the best friendships this semester which is more like gaining family members. We all push each other to do our best and stay on track. Once again I would like to thank MVYouth for giving my the opportunity to attend such an amazing college.
Marlla Lemos - UMASS, Boston
This fall semester classmates became close friends, and an internship became a job. Adulthood crept in more than ever and with it came anxiety but also excitement. Although this semester was by far the most difficult, the light at the end of the tunnel for me was the three elective classes that stand in the way of me and my diploma. This semester I had the privilege to work with an amazing professor named Ester Shapiro on a project close to my heart. This project then allowed me and my classmates to start an initiative program called the Special Immigrant Awareness Initiative. The goal of our project was to help immigrant children become aware of their rights. With the main goal to showcase possible paths to citizenship some children are eligible for but they may not be aware of for many different factors. Our hard work and passion for this project granted us the opportunity to present our work at the undergraduate research conference held at UMASS Amherst.Words can not describe how ecstatic I am for the upcoming semester. Thanks to all the support from MVYouth, in May I will be the first in my entire family to obtain a higher education diploma. I am forever grateful for this opportunity. Thank you so much.
Olivia Jacobs - Hamilton College
My final fall semester at Hamilton was a whirlwind of classes, campus activism, and post-grad planning. I took five courses and buckled down for my most rigorous and academically fulfilling semester yet. My courses included Feminist Research Methodologies, Black Feminist Thought, Queer Literature, Sociology of the Family, and an independent study titled “Exploring Restorative Justice for Sexual Harm on College Campuses.” The independent study, which will evolve into my senior thesis in Women’s and Gender Studies next semester, continuously inspired me as I dove deep into restorative justice theory and practice, received funding to attend two trainings on the topic, and interviewed practitioners all over the country. At the end of the semester, I submitted a 40-page document outlining my findings and felt energized by all I had learned. When I wasn’t head down in my books, I served as co-president of Survivors Making Activism and Radical Transformation (SMART), a grassroots student organization combatting rape culture on campus. In October, my SMART co-leaders and I installed a surprise art display on a major campus walkway depicting the number of reported rapes at Hamilton the prior year. Through SMART, I also used my new understandings of restorative justice to facilitate a community-building circle with a campus fraternity on the topic of toxic masculinity. In between my classes and on-campus involvement, I somehow managed to find time to apply to four graduate programs for macro-level social work with a plan to begin next fall, should I be admitted (fingers crossed!). I could not have received this transformative education at Hamilton College for the last four years without the significant financial support of MVYouth. Thank you for seeing my potential and putting me on the path to pursue a fulfilling career in social service.
Danielle Hopkins - Barnard College
During this past semester at Barnard College, I have continued to explore my passion for History as well as exploring new interests outside of the classroom. I became the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the CU Women of Color Pre-Law Society. We have done a lot of important work as a club including activism projects regarding mass incarceration in New York City and the country. I now have a lot more clarity on my desires post-graduation which includes attending law school. I also took a GIS course this semester to fulfill my thinking technologically and digitally requirement. In the course, we used ArcGIS which is computer software for map-making. We did tutorials every week for homework and had weekly labs in which we mapped out different phenomenons and parts of the city. I participated in a Kings Crown Shakespeare's Troupe's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.I played Titania and really enjoyed my experience even though I found sleeping on stage for three scenes much harder than I thought it would be. I also work as a Speaking Fellow, I helped to mentor my peers and discussion and presentation skills once a week. I also was a Community Assistant in the Barnard Student Life. Lastly, I worked in the Admissions Office where I have worked since my first year, giving tours and taking phone calls at the front desk. This past semester has been pretty amazing. However, I am even more excited for next semester when I will continue working on my Spanish minor as I study abroad in Seville, Spain. I am so grateful for the generosity and support I have received from MVYouth. With this support, I am able to take my studies across the globe to continue to grow as a student and an individual. I am so appreciative of everything you do for the island community.
Emily Hewson - Bennington College
The beginning of my sophomore year was exciting with a sense of the possibilities yet to be realized. As much as I love my home on MV, I was ecstatic to reunite with my friends. All my trepidations evaporated. I looked forward to my audition for advanced voice. This class only accepts four students that apply. After my audition I was granted the opportunity to work one on one with my instructors in a class that usually has two or three students. This individualized attention and care offered by the unbelievably knowledgeable Bennington staff is what made a difference. I was gladly challenged by the level of difficulty involved in the Italian opera and 1920s French pop songs I was assigned. I cultivated relationships with both students and staff that have opened my eyes to new possibilities. Later this past semester I engaged in what’s called the plan process, starting to solidify the next few years of my college career. The plan process allows students to submit a free form idea for a course of study to a small group of relevant teachers instead of a traditional major system. In addition to meeting with their advisors, each student explains in an essay how they want to pursue their interests as well as how they will contribute to the institution. Unfortunately my struggles with epilepsy have persisted, to the extent that I felt it was necessary and unavoidable for me to pause and re-calibrate my next steps. During my plan meeting, I explained to my advisers that it is difficult to continue the courses I have set out for myself while having tonic clonic seizures almost daily. My time at Bennington is too valuable for me not to be at my best. Through self care and medication I will get my condition under control within my hiatus. I’m looking forward to rejoining the classmates and staff for the second half of my sophomore year in February 2021. With my deepest gratitude, please wish me luck.
Samantha Hargy - George Washington University
Only one semester left until graduation and it is sure to be an exciting one! I spent last Spring at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Quito, Ecuador where I took all of my classes in Spanish and explored all that Ecuador has to offer. I hiked four active volcanoes, spent time living with an indigenous Quechua family, and had an amazing week in the Galápagos Islands snorkeling with sharks and seals! This fall I returned back to D.C. for my first semester back at the George Washington University since Fall 2017. The transition was difficult at first as I readjusted to taking classes in english and caught up with friends I hadn’t seen in almost two years. I took an interesting classes, including Human Rights Successes where we studied successful human rights campaigns both big and small, and read 12 different books throughout the course of the semester. The end of my travels was bittersweet, but returning to D.C. has been refreshing for my final year. As a senior, it seems everyone is interested in my plans following graduation. For now I am focusing on the semester ahead, for which I only need two more classes before my degree requirements are met. Most of my time will be spent at my full-time internship with the Organization of American States in the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission. I will be working with the Institutional Strengthening Unit to review and revise drug policies for different Latin American countries. It is a Spanish speaking position and I look forward to using my Spanish skills in a professional setting. This is an amazing opportunity to work for the largest international Latin American organization in the world, and I am excited to begin this position in early January! Thank you so much to MVYouth and all of the Donors for their support during these four years! These opportunities are only possible because of your help!
Lena Hanschka - Colby College
In 2019 I had the opportunity to travel to several different countries for specialized study. I spent January in Paris, France, for a small-group language intensive course. During the week, I studied French, and outside of class I was able to explore the city, visiting museums and practicing my French conversational skills. I returned to the Colby College campus in Maine for spring semester, dividing my studies between anthropology and geology. I became more interested in Earth’s climate and how its changes are recorded in geologic history. This led to a summer research position with Dr. Bess Koffman, an assistant professor of geology at Colby College. I spent three weeks in June on the Kahiltna Glacier in Denali National Park, Alaska, doing field research and preparing to collect ice and snow samples from the saddle of Mount Hunter. Then I returned to Colby to work in Dr. Koffman’s geo-chemistry lab. We analyzed the isotopic “fingerprint” of the glacial samples to determine the origins of dust stored within the snow to track how winds have changed over the past several thousand years and how this corresponds to other changes in Earth’s climate. In August I traveled to Dakar, Senegal, for a four-month program focused on language and culture. My host family immersed me in the Senegalese way of life, speaking French and Wolof, with communal meals and family events. I traveled to rural regions of the country and The Gambia, analyzing neocolonialism and processes of development confronting many African countries. I also visited the African Aquatics Conservation Fund, a nonprofit research, conservation and education organization. The semester in general greatly increased my interest in sustainable international development, especially the vulnerability of certain populations in relation to climate change.
Lee Faraca - Cal Poly
Last year I enrolled in California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s Civil Engineering Master’s program. I wanted to continue my education to gain research experience and to learn more about my specific concentration within civil engineering. My concentration is water resources, with a specialty in groundwater recharge through stormwater capture and low impact development.I’m hoping to graduate this summer, contingent upon a successful thesis defense. My thesis is to create a model of the stormwater that contributes to Lopez Lake Reservoir in Arroyo Grande, C.A. This model can be used as a predictive tool for modeling different scenarios to help manage reservoir levels.School has been busy as always. I’ve found that I work better with pressure than without. I’d rather have too much to do than too little. I’m sitting for my water resources Principles and Practice of Engineering licensing exam this April. This will get me one step closer to being a practicing engineer. Besides that, I’ve been continuing my work with Engineers Without Borders (EWB), designing a water distribution system for a community in Nicaragua. My hope is to travel to Nicaragua this summer and help finishing the project, and closing out the design phase.My goal is to gain enough experience and open a design firm in conjunction with two engineering friends. We would like to focus the company around energy auditing, sustainable design systems, and low impact development. It’s an idea we came up sitting around in a brewery. However, the more we think about it, the more promise it has. Water and energy are going to be two of the most regulated resources in California. Our company will be tailored around the conservation of both for commercial and residential use.