Phillips scholars undertake service project

Project with disabled youth in Wells one of several undertaken by college students as Phillips Scholars

ST. PAUL, Oct. 5, 2006 — College of St. Scholastica senior Stacy Rauenhorst spent the summer immersed in how she could help a program in Wells promote social interaction for teens with disabilities. That is just one example of the work undertaken by a group of private college students with the support of the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation.

Many students want to take on service projects that marry their interests with what they are studying in school. The foundation ensures that work is possible for these six students, who have been named Phillips Scholars and receive $14,000 in combined scholarship and stipend awards over a two-year period.

"Through these projects, these students not only deepen their commitment to community through service but also grow as leaders and future change agents," said David B. Laird, Jr., president of the Minnesota Private College Fund. "These students are testing the results of their educational experiences in ways that enhance the world around them."

Each Phillips Scholar commits to creating a self-directed, leadership-oriented projected that is implemented during the summer before the student’s senior year. Student projects exemplify new thinking about community needs and are selected based on their innovation and potential for creating long-term solutions to community challenges.

This summer’s projects helped a variety of communities across the state:

Sarah Bacon helped at Centro Cultural, Fargo-Moorhead, with her program “Jovenes Fuertas,” or “Strong Youth,” providing free summer and after-school programming to Latino children, including encouragement for them to stay in school. She is a senior at Concordia College, Moorhead. 

Emily Hedin worked at Open Arms of Minnesota, Minneapolis, with a program delivering meals to people affected by HIV/AIDS and expanding services to the African-born community. She is a senior at Macalester College, St. Paul.

Tenzin Yangzom worked in partnership with the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota, St. Paul, to create a strong and positive Tibetan identity among the younger generations.  She is a senior at Hamline University, St. Paul.

Ma Lee Vang created “Project Read” to help improve literacy for below-average third graders attending Frost Lake Magnet School in St. Paul.  She is a senior at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter.

Sheila Vang worked with students at the Hmong American Partnership, St. Paul to chronicle their life stories by creating video documentaries. She is a senior at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul.

The students’ summer projects directly help an array of people who are receiving services, but the students themselves reap meaningful benefits. “Community service has been a priority for me for many years now,” said Ma Lee Vang, one of the Phillips Scholars. “I will continue to serve the community, although after my Phillips project I do have a vested interest in young children and literacy. I also plan to take some education courses to find if my vocation lies in a teaching career.”

BACKGROUND
Since 1994, the Jay and Rose Phillips Foundation has awarded Phillips Scholarships to six students attending any of 16 private colleges and universities in Minnesota. These awards encourage and enable the continuation of Jay and Rose Phillips’ commitments to helping people become self-sufficient. The Minnesota Private College Fund administers the scholarships.

The Minnesota Private College Fund partners with foundations and businesses to raise money for student scholarships and general operating support on behalf of our member private colleges and universities.

• Media contact: John Manning, director of marketing and communications, (651)293-6805, jmanning@mnprivatecolleges.org
• All press releases