Madeleine Moore - University of Chicago

This year, I started a new job with a political fundraising firm called MissionWired as a Digital Associate. In this role, I run email and advertising programs for nonprofits such as the Brady Center, a gun violence prevention organization, and national Democratic political campaigns such as the reelection campaigns for Sen. Warnock and Sen. Cortez-Masto. I advise these clients on digital strategy and help them grow their donor base so they can continue their important work. After campaigning for Elizabeth Warren and Biden, I am excited to be in D.C. experiencing a new side of politics. I got a great little apartment and am enjoying discovering a new city (though I cannot wait to get back to Chicago!).

Given the ongoing pandemic, I am fortunate to primarily work remotely for a while. I have been able to spend the majority of the year on the Vineyard. I was fortunate to reconnect with old friends, teachers, and community members on the island I had not seen since high school. I volunteered with the MV Food Baskets program which gives groceries to hundreds of island families. I am reminded with each move away from the home how unique and supportive our island community is. We are so very lucky and I look forward to seeing everyone again come the summer.

Casey McAndrews - Hamilton College

It has been another eventful year for the books! Since my last update, I have continued to work as a medical assistant at an ophthalmology practice and still enjoy each day spent in the clinic working alongside many talented physicians. In the spring, I had the opportunity to get involved in clinical research organizing data for entry into a nationwide study analyzing the efficiency and effectiveness of a newer medical device that can be implanted during cataract surgery to slow the progression of glaucoma. Being able to work in healthcare, especially during the pandemic, has been an invaluable way to see how doctors care and advocate for the health of their patients, even in the most difficult of situations.

Over the past year, a large portion of my time was spent applying to medical schools. I am excited to say that after many essays and tests, I have officially been accepted into medical school and will be matriculating into the Class of 2026 next fall! I am still in the process of interviewing at different schools so my decision is not final as to where I will be going, but stay tuned. When I wasn’t busy working on applications, my free time was spent fostering a family of adorable newborn puppies, exploring new nature trails or kayaking along the bay, and virtually volunteering as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line, a global non-profit organization that provides free short-term mental health services for those in crisis via texting.

Although these past few years have been challenging for everyone, I am hopeful and excited about the things that are to come. Thank you again, MVYouth, for all that you have done to help me get this far in my journey of becoming a physician.

Olivia Jacobs - Hamilton College

Over a year and a half has passed since I first moved to Seattle, Washington in the middle of the pandemic, not knowing a single soul. That leap of faith proved valuable, as I now feel most at home with mountains and evergreen trees nearby, and that crisp, perpetually damp air all around. I just completed the first quarter of my second and final year in the Master of Social Work program at the University of Washington, where I am in the Administration and Policy Practice concentration. I’ve been hard at work preparing policy memos, drawing up logic models for anti-racist social services, and honing my organizational leadership skills. I am focusing much of my work on de-carcerating mental health care and advocating for voluntary, peer-led alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization. For my second-year internship, I am a project facilitator with the Northwest Behavioral Health Research Alliance, a newly formed group of service users, providers, and researchers who collaborate to conduct research and quickly put the results into practice in mental health settings. To combat the rigor of grad school, pandemic-induced isolation, and Seattle’s dark winter months, I try to fill my free time with laughter and connection, something creative (learning to knit) and exercise (boxing and rock climbing are my current favorites). I’m excited to graduate with my MSW this coming June, and I intend on staying in the Pacific Northwest as I enter the workforce. I feel so appreciative for the financial support MVYouth gave me during my undergrad career, as I would not have entered a graduate program had I finished my bachelor’s degree with significant student loans. As always, I am sending my support and affection to the resilient Vineyard community that raised me up.

Danielle Hopkins - Barnard University

This past year has been one filled with major life transitions for me personally. I am honored to say I graduated magna cum laude from Barnard with departmental honors for my senior thesis on the Penn Center on St. Helena’s island. Even though graduation was virtual, like my entire senior year, I was really happy I got to celebrate the accomplishment with my family at home. Especially with my grandmother who I was really proud to have at my graduation. In May, my grandmother passed away, and as many of you may know we had a very close and special relationship that was hard to have to see transition. The spring of 2021 was challenging for me and my family but knowing my grandmother had been able to see me through this chapter before her passing was truly a gift I am grateful to have gotten.

I know last year I had intentions of moving to Philadelphia but I actually ended up moving to Houston, Texas in June. I am living with my aunt and uncle as I work as a client advocate at the Harris County Public Defenders office. I am working at the Public Defenders office through a national non-profit called Partners for Justice. Partners for Justice trains non-attorney Advocates to provide clients with case navigation and wraparound support while assisting public defenders in advocating for more favorable case outcomes. One of the co-founders of the program recently moved to Martha’s Vineyard and it has been great to connect with her through our shared love for the island community. Navigating my early 20’s during a global pandemic has had its fair share of challenges, but I also have grown and learned so much in these past few months since graduation. I will be in Texas until 2023 when (if all goes to plan) I will be attending law school. I am so grateful for the platform and opportunity MV Youth provided me throughout my 4 years of undergrad and beyond, and I am so excited to see what other young adults and island programs get the honor to be a part of the MVYouth family.

Lena Hanschka - Colby College

In January of 2021, I returned to campus at Colby College to begin my final semester of my senior year. Thankfully, the majority of my classes were held in-person and I was able to live on campus, participating in my normal extra-curricular activities and taking advantage of my final months of college. I continued my on campus jobs, working as a research assistant in the Colby Lab for Ice and Climate Research as well as assisting a global studies professor whose recent work has focused on homogenizing rhetoric that promotes nationalism in the US. I also worked for Colby’s sustainability department leading student outreach programs and at the school’s rock climbing wall. In May, I graduated, with a major in anthropology and a minor in environmental studies.

I came home to the Vineyard for the summer, returning to my job with the Trustees of Reservations on their Chappaquiddick properties. There, I worked as a member of their shorebird monitoring team, making daily observations of the nesting and breeding statuses of the protected birds that inhabit the Vineyard’s beaches during the summer months. Because these beaches are also greatly utilized by the public during in the summer, this job provided a unique opportunity to examine strategies for managing the relationship between beach goers and the wildlife that depend on these habitats for their survival and reproduction. I found my conversations with members of the public to be the most rewarding aspect of this job, with each encounter providing me insights on how to best explain and educate people about the importance of wildlife management and protection while also taking into account recreational public access to these beautiful properties.

I spent this fall traveling around both the U.S. and overseas to France, taking advantage of the time I had between jobs to think more deeply about what I wish to pursue next. I’m spending this winter in the Chamonix valley in the French alps, working as a private chef and building up my backcountry skiing and wilderness safety skills.

Sam Hargy - George Washington University

Hi everyone! This last year has been very exciting. I took a year off between undergrad and graduate school, so in March 2021 I set off to Arizona to hike the 800 mile Arizona Trail from Mexico to Utah! This was my first long distance hike and took me about 60 days to complete. I camped every night, got to hike rim to rim in the Grand Canyon in a snow storm, and learned to love living out of my backpack. It was an incredible experience and I met some amazing people!

In August I headed back to Washington, DC for graduate school at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies where I am pursuing a Master’s degree in international relations. I finished my first of four semesters at Johns Hopkins with a 3.92 GPA and a spot on the Dean’s List. My classes focused on Latin America, and included a seminar on drug policy in the region. It’s a two year program, so I’ll be in DC until at least May 2023, but hopefully I’ll stick around after and pursue a career here. GW finally held our delayed in-person graduation on the National Mall, and it was a great opportunity to see all of my friends from college after almost two years. After a long winter break, I’m back to class for next semester at the end of January, and I’m looking forward to more adventures!

Paulo Pereira Filho - University of Massachusetts, Amherst

This past May, I graduated Summa Cum Laude and had a modified in-person commencement ceremony. I spent the summer on the Vineyard working a couple of summer jobs and continued to assist my capstone professor in researching growth investment opportunities within the technology sector. Additionally, I continued to persistently apply for full-time positions to begin my career in Finance. In Fall 2021, I moved to New York City to start my full-time job as an Analyst in the Securitized Products Group (SPG) at Morgan Stanley, a multinational investment bank.

More specifically, within SPG, I work with asset-backed securities, credit default swaps, and collateralized loan obligations, which are a few of the verticals involved when doing deals with clients. Since joining Morgan Stanley, I have been busy nonstop. The work is immensely complex, and I genuinely learn something new every day. Over the next few months, I will be studying for several exams to obtain the required FINRA licenses for all new Analysts. I look forward to obtaining these licenses as they will allow me to take on even more responsibility at work. I am very thankful and fortunate to have this opportunity at such a reputable firm — I know it will help me in the future as I continue to advance my professional career.

It is truly amazing to see how much MVYouth has grown over the years. It makes me smile every time I see a new initiative, ongoing grant, and a new class of MVYouth recipients, as I know firsthand how much of a difference it makes. I am eternally grateful for MVYouth, all of its donors, and I am very much appreciative of all the support these past several years. Thank you, MVYouth!

Lee Faraca - Cal Poly

For better or for worse, it seems like this past year has flown by. It’s been about a year and a half since I started working for Lee + Ro in Walnut Creek, CA. We are a small, but growing, water/wastewater engineering consultant firm. I work as a civil project engineer, helping design, coordinating, and managing the design submissions and construction support. Most of my projects are within the wastewater field and are mainly electrically focused, such as generators, motor control centers, switchgears, and power improvements for wastewater treatment plants. I passed my NCEES Civil Engineering PE Exam last spring and hope to be a fully licensed civil engineer in the state of California by May 2022. Outside of work I have continued to volunteer with Engineers Without Borders (EWB). I am still a part of the San Francisco Professional Chapter and have been working on a project in Weledi, Ethiopia. Unfortunately, part of the community has been destroyed by the TPLF in the Tigray War. Once the conflict starts to de-escalate, we can continue our work, which will likely be rebuilding a clinic and possibly a school. In my free time I like to explore, whether it is walking around San Francisco, hiking in Tahoe, or camping in Big Sur, I feel like I need to take advantage of the bay weekend trip potential. A big thank you to MVYouth for all past, ongoing, and future efforts for the betterment of the island community.

Nicolas Andre - Holy Cross College

This past semester on Mount Saint James was incredible. While the pandemic's challenges are still ever-present, it was a true blessing to be back in the classroom and on the soccer field again, which provided a semblance of normalcy.

Having taken a leave of absence last year, I was extremely excited to head back to campus for in-person classes and my first soccer season since 2019. However, accompanying this excitement were some nerves as well. I was slightly worried that the academic rigor might come as a shock, especially while traveling and playing two games a week. However, this fear proved unfounded, and reacquainting myself with the college lifestyle was much like riding a bike. By the end of the second week of classes, it felt as though I had never left at all. The community I have been fortunate to be a part of at Holy Cross made the transition back smoother than I ever could've hoped. I was challenged by my courses and by my peers, teammates, and coaches daily, providing the opportunity for personal growth across the board. Whether in the classroom, on the field, in the weight room, or during the countless hours spent in the dining hall with my friends, I enjoyed every minute of my time this semester. I am excited to return to Holy Cross at the end of the month and see what more is in store.

As always, none of these experiences would be possible without the generosity of MVYouth. I honestly can't begin to thank you enough for all you've done for me, as well as the rest of the scholarship recipients and the island community as a whole.

Chris Aring - Olin College

This past year has been one of many changes for me. In September, I moved to California and started work as a Program Coordinator for Ginkgo Bioworks. The move, the new job, and the new experiences have led me to think more deeply about what I find fulfilling.

Working at Ginkgo has been amazing for me. I manage day-to-day courier network operations for pooled SARS-CoV-2 testing to protect the health of students, educators, and families nationwide. Being able to make a direct positive impact on others has filled me with new excitement and drive. I continue my work at Ginkgo to improve logistics operations.

My focus has shifted a bit in the last few months. I will be attending a pre-med post-baccalaureate program this summer or fall to fulfill the basic science requirements needed to attend medical school. My goal is to apply my background and experience to positively impact individuals' health and well-being. I am fortunate to have gained many useful skills through my engineering education. I want to use this knowledge to advance innovations in healthcare long-term.

I want to thank my community, friends, family, and the generosity of MVYouth for supporting me through my undergraduate studies at Olin College. I continue to use the experience gained at college to push my life and career forward.

Meghan Sonia - Anna Maria College

This past semester has been another adventure in itself. This semester, as a junior at Anna Maria College, began to have a more normal feeling. It started in August when I came back early for my field hockey preseason. There was an exciting ‘energy’ among campus that lacked the past year. Our field hockey season was challenging, but we reminded ourselves how lucky we are to be back on the field. I also was lucky enough to get back on the ice for our ice hockey season. Despite the covid setbacks last year, our hockey team came out more forceful this season. We are on track for setting a historic record season in wins.

I had a phenomenal first semester of my junior year within the classroom. This was my first semester with only nursing classes, in addition, my first clinical experience. I took pharmacology where I learned about 250 medications that I will see in my career. I also took a health assessment class which involved learning about our hands-on inspection of each patient we encounter. Lastly, I took a fundamentals class that incorporated my first clinical. In the classroom, we learned about procedures that nurses could perform in the hospital. My clinical was truly my best experience. I was given one patient to take care of once a week and I learned so much from this. I worked alongside nurses to administer this patient’s medications, perform daily care, and learn how to interact with different types of patients. Next semester I will get more clinical opportunities to strengthen my technical and interpersonal skills. As Covid and our lives are ever-changing, I am excited to see what is in store for me. I am beyond grateful to MVYouth for giving me this opportunity to have these experiences. Thank you so much.

Max Smith - Cape Cod Community College

I don’t think anyone can really put into words what a crazy year it has been for everyone during this unique time. As most in the country, what I considered my daily norm has changed quite a bit. I have recently taken a break from school to try and get myself into a steady routine. With this break I have found myself transitioning my life down south to Tampa, FL where I am going to get a job and try and figure out what my next step is going to be. Although a big move and life change like this can be nerve-racking, I find myself more excited than anything else. There are so many questions I still need the answers to as far as my distant future and what I want to do moving forward but for now I’m happy navigating the world on my own and the adventures that will come with that. I hope to soon get back into the aviation world, this time as a hopefully soon-to-be pilot. My love for the aviation world will always be with me through everything, even if I step aside from it for now it will always be with me in my heart. Something that has also been with me through these crazy times has been the support from the wonderful folks of MVYouth and for that I continue to be and will always be forever grateful. Having this support during this past year or so has been life changing. Even in the most difficult of times knowing there are people out there supporting whatever I choose to do makes everything that was once difficult seem much easier. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you all for the support as I navigate the next stage of my life.

Evelyn Medeiros - Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science University

This past year has been one of immense change as well as growth for me. As I finished up my last semester of nursing school, I started working as a COVID-19 vaccinator as a way to get more involved with my community and help others stay safe. Through this, I was fortunate enough to talk to so many different individuals and hear countless stories of how COVID has impacted them, some inspiring and some heartbreaking. It certainly changed the way I view this pandemic and how it affects those around us.

Then in May, after adjusting to many online classes and limited in-person clinical hours, I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in Nursing and began studying for the national licensure exam. During this time, I also continued to work, vaccinating members of my Boston community, as well as people from all over the world. After many long hours of studying and lots of caffeine, I passed my exam and became a registered nurse in July, just before my 21st birthday. From there, I came back to the island to spend some time with my loved ones and work for my family business before starting my first nursing job at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. I am currently working on a medical surgical floor, which has a mix of patients ranging in age from 18 to 105, presenting with illnesses of all kinds. It certainly has not been easy to start during a time with challenges such as understaffing and a lack of available hospital beds. However, I have been surrounded by some incredibly smart and caring nurses and co-workers that have taught me more than I ever could have imagined. I am so thankful for those around me that have done so much to get me where I am today and continue to support me while I do what I love.

Emma Searle - Boston College

This semester I have been so fortunate to have been afforded the opportunity to study abroad in Italy. Beginning in early September, I spent three weeks in Florence with ten other Boston College undergraduate students before moving to Parma where we spent the remaining portion of the semester. While in Florence, we took an immersive art history class that brought us to a different site each day. The Uffizi Gallery, Michelangelo’s David, and a host of churches were only some among the breadth of historically and artistically-rich landmarks covered over the duration of the course. Once in Parma, we assumed a more typical four-class course load in which I was able to take both communication and philosophy courses to continue working toward the completion of my majors’ requirements.

Somewhat serendipitously, our classes were only held on Mondays through Thursdays, which allowed us to embark on a great number of weekend trips throughout Italy as well as to a few other European countries. Though I couldn’t pick a favorite among these excursions, I particularly enjoyed the trips we took to sea-side towns as well as our penultimate weekend spent in France. Perhaps the highlight of my time abroad, however, was the cooking class taught by a local chef and Parma native who so graciously welcomed us into her home each week. Every Wednesday we gathered as a group to cook traditional Emilian meals over which we would share innumerable laughs and foster invaluable friendships.

Though my return home has been bittersweet, the prevailing feeling I am left with has been that of gratitude for such a remarkable experience. I can not overstate how thankful I am to MVYouth for your continued support and for allowing me to pursue this tremendous opportunity.

Meghan Sawyer - Colgate University

I can’t believe my time at Colgate University is now coming to an end. The past three and a half years I’ve spent here have been so wonderful and I can’t express how much I appreciate MVYouth’s support towards my college education. This semester I experienced a much greater return to normalcy compared to last semester's COVID precautions. All my classes were in person and campus was much more lively. One of my favorite classes this semester was one called Natural Resource Economics. I loved learning about economic techniques used to inform environmental policies. This course explored real life problems as we developed mathematical models to solve for optimal ways to allocate and distribute resources. Some examples of problems we discussed include proper water allocation, combating air pollution, oil extraction, and fishery management. I also really enjoyed an astronomy class I took this semester. This class met in the visualization lab, which is a room meant for large-scale visualization. It has a large dome ceiling that projects images of outer space for our viewing and learning. It was an exciting environment to be in, and it altered my perspective of the universe and even our own lives here on Earth. Outside of academics, I’ve been busy participating in a fundraising campaign with my sorority for St. Jude Children's Hospital, and I was also a captain of our club ultimate frisbee team. I’ve been traveling some weekends to places like Saratoga Springs and Ithaca for tournaments. I’ve really enjoyed leading a team because I get to see the improvement of new and current players that I’ve coached first hand. Thank you MVYouth for everything.

Jo Orr - Wagner College

After taking a gap year last year because of the way the pandemic was affecting my performance-based classes, I decided to wait to return to Wagner College until the fall of 2022. I needed to work on myself and I didn’t want to go back to college until I felt 100% myself. While I’m still on the Vineyard, I’ve been renting my own place—enjoying my independence—and working full time as a nanny to two children, which has been educational and entertaining in a world of less and less social contact.

While I miss being a full-time performer, I still have online voice lessons and rehearse, and I have been expanding my musical theatre repertoire. I’ve also been making new friends in the theatre industry online, and have been commissioned by several of them to create artwork. I am continuing writing my musical, and am also working on set design for Les Miserables at MVRHS, this year’s musical. While we don’t quite know how Covid will affect the performance, it has been great to be back working with the team. I’m looking forward to going back to Wagner, but in the meantime I have been teaching myself aerial arts at home, including Lyra and silks.

Louise McDonald - New York University

In the fall of my junior year, I started the semester with the return of normalcy: classes were back at full capacity and most classes were held in person. Even though NYU had a strict mask mandate and testing policy due to the ongoing pandemic, as a full-time student, I aim to encounter new challenges, involving myself in activities from club athletics to academic leadership. I actively enjoy volunteering in my outside community through the “Champions are Readers” organization and opportunities through my sorority, Pi Beta Phi Rho, which has allowed me to engage with students and teachers in the local NYC community. Through my activities inside and outside of academics, I strive to be a leader in making a difference in my community while making new friends and lifelong memories.

When I am not in the classroom, the field, or roaming around the city participating in extracurricular activities, I am working. After my summer internship, I was offered a position as the Executive Assistant to The Chairman and CEO of The Luxury Marketing Council. Every day I participate in the organizational and operational management of internal team projects and communicate daily with C-Suite Executives to help build partnerships in leading luxury brands. With this opportunity through NYU, I have acquired skills in virtual platforms including Zoom, Mailchimp, Oomoji, G-Suite, HubSpot, Handshake, Dropbox, Authorize.net, Square, and Youtube. Working while in school has allowed me to develop my goals and refine my skillset alongside supportive mentors and inspiring leaders. This summer, I am looking forward to applying and participating in a collaborative internship environment of like-minded strategic thinkers ready to innovate.

Emily Hewson - Bridgewater State University

The atmosphere here at Bridgewater State University (BSU) is one of acceptance and encouragement. I’ve begun to put down roots here. I've even run into a few island people! Seeing people from home has made a big difference in acclimating to this new university. After being seven hours and 45 minutes away from home at my last school in Vermont, it’s nice to feel close to home.

The BSU music program has an amazing faculty who are always willing to support anyone in need. Success in this program is inherently tied to how much effort you are willing to put in. Every professor I have worked with thus far has expanded my passion and respect for music. Inspired by my vocal instructor at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Mrs. Abigail Chandler, I’ve decided to study opera. Opera is an incredibly powerful form of performance that requires an immense amount of physical training and skill. I’m utilizing my instrument and talents like never before. There is nothing I would rather do than study operatic performance. My courses, such as music theory and piano, have challenged me in the best ways. My studies are continuing to push me towards having a broader understanding of what it means to be a musician.

I have always had difficulties with writing. Even now, writing this essay I am having trouble meeting the word minimum. At BSU I know if I reach out, I will be granted the help that I need. I’m very lucky to have been able to attend college again after my sabbatical. Last fall was just the beginning of my successful college career at Bridgewater. This past fall semester has been an amazing learning experience. I can’t wait to go back in the spring.

Andres Garcia - Cornell University

Going back to a fully in-person campus was amazing because I was finally back to the same Cornell University from two years ago, before the pandemic. I was able to attend lectures with all of my friends and classmates present, spend more time on campus, attend office hours in person and actually converse with my TA’s without technical issues from zoom. Although the workload was a bit overwhelming at first, I quickly found my rhythm and was able to manage my time wisely. I felt that being able to physically attend my classes and having one on one conversations with professors helped me learn the material in a more in-depth way than before and it helped me think about my future. I realized that I want to learn more about computer science and hope to find an internship that can combine mechanical engineering with computer science. I plan on focusing more of my time next semester on networking in order to build connections so that I can find such a job or even do research at Cornell or another university over the summer.

I was able to reconnect with so many people whom I lost touch with over the pandemic. I spent most of my time at my fraternity house, everyone wanted to pick up where we left off last semester and have the best possible time. We organized many social events and even attended a Patriots/Bills game as a house. I loved having something that could distract me from school when I felt overwhelmed and it was something that I missed last year. Despite the Covid outbreak that happened the last two weeks, having the first three months feel normal proved that we can handle this pandemic and I can’t wait to go back in the spring.

Sam Cranston - University of Vermont

This past year has been an eventful one for me as we transition back to somewhat normal life. As a junior, I moved off campus into a large house with 8 other roommates! There definitely was an adjustment period, but I will say that my cooking skills have improved dramatically. While I sometimes miss the simplicity of dorm life, it is nice to be truly independent and I have embraced the responsibility of living on my own.

Academically, I decided to use this fall semester to focus on fulfilling my requirements for UVM’s college of arts and sciences. This meant I would be taking courses outside of the typical biology and chemistry classes I have grown accustomed to. I figured this would be a good way to transition from COVID college back to normal school. My high grades in psychology, philosophy of science and field zoology prove that I made the right decision.

With a less demanding course load, I was able to secure a research position studying avian malaria recently discovered in New England's common loon populations. In 2016, a loon was found dead from an apparent malaria infection. This was the first documented case of avian malaria in loons. Numerous other bird species have experienced significant population declines due to avian malaria, making this discovery very concerning. My lab instructor, Ellen Martinson, has been researching the spread of avian malaria using blood samples from loons across the northern United States. I focused on the mosquito species that transmit the disease, determining what malaria parasite lineages were present in New England’s mosquitoes through PCR and gel electrophoresis. In the process, I discovered a lineage of avian malaria parasites that had yet to be seen in New England mosquitoes. I also took part in a loon necropsy, where my lab members and I performed post-mortem inspections on multiple loon specimens to determine how they died. In the loon I necropsied, we observed significant swelling in the heart and liver. This led us to the conclusion that the juvenile loon had in fact died from a malaria infection.