Chris Fletcher, Phillips Family Foundation Scholar
Macalester College '05
International Studies
The Phillips Scholarship Program supports potential leaders with outstanding academic credentials who intend to dedicate a portion of their lives to community service. Phillips Scholarships support the development and implementation of a self-designed service project to address unmet needs in Minnesota communities.
At an early age, Chris Fletcher demonstrated a passion for community service. However, it was during the time he spent abroad the year following his high school graduation that he discovered his true calling. In 2001, Chris traveled to India and Nepal where he spent time tutoring Tibetan refugees in English. Upon his return, he enrolled at Macalester College and quickly became involved with the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota, where he was able to continue working as a tutor. It was through this work that he recognized a need among the local Tibetan community for a better understanding of basic computer skills.
With the support of the Phillips Scholarship, Chris created and taught a basic computer skills class for Tibetan elders who reside in the Twin Cities. By providing a better understanding of computers to his students, he opened a doorway to quick communication and self-sufficiency for individuals who would most likely not have otherwise had the opportunity.
The program he developed with his Phillips scholarship, in addition to his years of community service both at Macalester College and abroad, was influential in his recently awarded Watson Fellowship—one of 50 awarded to graduating seniors throughout the U.S. With the support of the Watson Fellowship, he now travels the world visiting Tibetan communities and studying the dynamic of how Tibetans cope with adapting to their new host countries while maintaining their cultural heritage.
Check out Chris' Blog