Spencer Wallach ’15 (left) and Alana Scheckler, Village Clerk, think green as they work on the Village’s climate action plan.

As municipalities seek to reduce cost and increase operational efficiency, the assessment of carbon footprint is a useful approach.  The cost reductions achieved by increasing energy efficiency can be used to reach sustainability and green operations goals, as well.  Spencer Wallach ’15 is assisting the Village and Town of Hamilton in the development of their climate action plans.  He works closely with Village Mayor Margaret Miller, Village Administrator Sean Graham, and Town of Hamilton Board member Peter Darby. Read more

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Kristi Carey ’15 works directly for the Upstate Institute compiling and assessing data on Madison County.

Businesses, local governments, not-for-profits and other organizations all benefit from reliable, up-to-date information about the areas they serve.  Here in upstate New York, the Community Indicators Project, also known as CNY Vitals, assembles and makes available data about a number of key sectors, including health and human services, education, and economic conditions.  Kristi Carey ’15 has taken on the task of assembling current data sets for Madison County, and assessing changes by comparing with previous years.  The goal of the project is to produce a finished website, and a written report that will be used by policymakers, and others, to address the most pressing issues of concern in the area. Read more

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From left to right, Mary Stronach, Manager of Outreach Programs, Eddy Sihavong ’14, and Cornelia Brown, Executive Director, work together in a bustling environment at MAMI.

Eddy Sihavong’s ’14 work with the Multicultural Association of Medical Interpreters (MAMI) this summer holds a particular personal significance.  Growing up, he often assisted his mother with translation, unaware of organizations like MAMI that strive to ensure limited-English-proficient speakers have equal access to skilled language and cultural aid.  In the first month of his fellowship, Eddy is already realizing the importance of professionally trained interpreters so that an exact “word for word” conversation can take place between the customer and client.  He is currently reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, which emphasizes the necessity of trained interpreters in the fields of medicine and law by recounting the story of a Hmong family’s relationship with a hospital in California.  Eddy’s projects this summer will primarily focus on strengthening MAMI’s marketing to ensure all community members are aware of their right to a trained interpreter. Read more

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Austin and Pastor Todd Slabaugh, Principal of New Life Christian School, enjoy working together.

As an Educational Studies major who has engaged in multiple community service projects through his home church in Orlando, FL, Austin Dier ’14 is in just the right place working at New Life Christian School (NLCS) this summer.  New Life Christian School began operating as a school in 1983.  Its mission is to ensure a Christ centered environment for integrating faith with learning through critical thinking, the development of interpersonal skills, community outreach, athletics, and the arts.  NLCS also serves parents by guiding children toward a life of responsive Christian discipleship.  The school currently enrolls about 80 pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade students.

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Bruce Moseley, Associate Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations, gives an overview of nonprofit organizations at a Friday field school session.

Greetings!  The Upstate Institute’s summer field school has begun with one of our largest groups of students yet.  This summer, 24 students will work with organizations ranging from the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (MVRCR) and Pathfinder Village to the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties and Opportunities for Chenango.  Fellows will complete projects such as a local needs assessment, a marketing analysis of local food demand, an assessment of the impact of grants allocation within various CNY counties, and compilation of research on summer programs for children on the autism spectrum.  Nearly all of the fellows have begun with their community partners as of today and most have been settled in for at least two weeks.

Our first profile is on Austin Dier ’14, who is working with New Life Christian School (NLCS) on a number of projects focused on fostering their growth and development in the coming years.

Thank you for your interest and support.  Please contact us at kgarner@colgate.edu or bselleck@colgate.edu with any inquiries and continue checking back regularly for profiles on all of the fellows!

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