Edelen was awarded both BA and BS degrees on Saturday with majors in environmental studies, chemistry, and biology. She was also called to the podium to accept the Marina Christensen Justice Award, presented to the graduating senior who best exemplifies Augsburg’s motto, “Education for Service,” and has demonstrated a dedication to community involvement. The award honors 1965 graduate Marina Christensen Justice, who lived in Chicago and reached out to serve disadvantaged people and communities.

An Honors Program graduate, Edelen was a Sabo Scholar in civic engagement and a Peace Prize Forum Peace Scholar. Throughout her four years, she challenged herself to find opportunities that would provide her knowledge across disciplines and hands-on learning. She seeks a career that combines application of science to public policy decisions that will improve the lives of people in countries lacking services, equal access to resources, and just policies.

Edelen decided against a medical career as she discovered how treating disease can ameliorate its symptoms but doesn’t remove the underlying structural causes. As an intern in both rural India and Uganda, she saw how lack of access to clean water extenuates the effects of disease and poverty. This led to internships with the White House Task Force on Climate Change and Energy Policy and with local environmental groups to learn how to translate and bring science to community issues, and how to build common interest to create change in public policy.

For almost three years as a Sundquist Scholar and with national grants, Edelen carried out research in atmospheric chemistry with Professor David Hanson, investigating the oxidation mechanism and atmospheric interactions of isoprene, a volatile, organic compound. She presented the research in the student session at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting and is awaiting a decision on publication.

For the next year, Edelen’s Fulbright will take her to Oslo, Norway, continuing research that she began last summer as a Peace Prize Forum Peace Scholar at the Oslo Peace Research Institute. She’ll study the relationship between lack of access to water and armed conflict in the world.

Edelen received word last week that she has also been awarded a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship for the following year, 2012-13. The scholarship covers all expenses for one year of graduate study.

She does not yet know at which of the five institutions she selected—in England, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, and Egypt—she will be placed. All five programs study environmental management and policy, some focusing specifically on water resources. Her first choice is Oxford University’s Master of Science in Water Science, Policy, and Management.

The post Katie Edelen: Triple majors, triple major awards appeared first on News and Media.

The Newman Civic Fellow Award recognizes students on college campuses who are doing civic engagement work and trying to better their community through service.

Bergren has been involved with the Bonner program for the last three years, working with organizations including Project Footsteps and the Redeemer Center for Life.

As a sophomore, Bergren and two other Bonner Leaders spearheaded an initiative to gather information on people and organizations that could share their assets or resources with young people. “The idea was that no young person should be left behind with all the resources we have,” Bergren says.

She met with people in neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis. “I learned that everyone has something to offer, whether it’s guitar lessons or food or transportation.”

This project guided Bergren in her second Bonner placement with Redeemer Center for Life in the Harrison neighborhood of North Minneapolis. She did asset mapping, talking with people about the assets they viewed as valuable in their community. Her report included economic development on Glenwood Avenue, positive youth hangouts and gathering spots, and childhood or educational services. “I think we helped to dispel some of the misconceptions about neighborhoods and show people that there was value in their neighborhood,” she says.

For the last semester, Bergren has been working at Hope Community on Franklin Avenue as the program coordinator for a Saturday morning tutoring and mentoring program called Learning in Communities.

This summer she will return to the Harrison neighborhood to create and implement a youth leadership program. The plan is to gather 15-20 young people and meet with them weekly to help them gain leadership skills.

“We want to do that in unconventional ways,” Bergren says, “like through going to theatre or creating theatre.” She hopes that she can help young people find ways to change or fix issues using events that have happened in their neighborhood that have perpetuated the cycle of oppression or reinforced stereotypes.

“We want to make a program that they can really invest in and by the end be empowered to find a leadership role in their neighborhood or create some kind of social change project,” she adds.

Bergren will have to leave the Harrison project for a short time in June in order to travel to Norway and participate in the Nobel Peace Scholar program. In addition to her involvement as a Bonner Leader and a Peace Scholar, Bergren is also a Sabo Scholar, a volunteer at Cedar Cultural Center, and a student in the Augsburg Honors program.

The post Claire Bergren named Newman Civic Fellow appeared first on News and Media.

Adam came to the U.S. from Kenya as a refugee in 2004. At the age of 16, he was hired to work as a janitor at a youth drop-in center. “Close to half of the youth had compromised housing,” he says. “Many were African Americans, GLBT, and living below the poverty line.” In a short time, Adam found himself taking on more and more responsibility, helping youth find more permanent housing.

Then he was asked to serve on the center’s board of directors and assist with an effort to pass Minnesota Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. He testified in front of Minnesota Legislature’s Health & Human Services committee, and the act was passed that session. It was the first legislation in Minnesota dedicated to supporting homeless youth.

This past spring, Adam was awarded a Point Foundation scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduates who are interested in influencing public policy. Adam is one of 25 recipients selected from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants. He is the only awardee attending college in Minnesota.

Adam will work with a mentor to develop a community service project. He says he is interested in creating a project that will combine his passions for education, access to housing, and helping youth who have been marginalized because of their gender or sexuality.

“The Point Foundation is interested in helping people who have potential to do great things,” Adam says. “I am glad they see that potential in me and that I have the opportunity to do this project.”

At Augsburg, Adam is in the TRIO/SSS program and is a McNair scholar, a Sabo scholar, and a North Star STEM scholar. He also received a Soul Essence community leadership award for his work with the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act.

As a Sabo Scholar, Adam is working on a project with Sabo Professor Garry Hesser. Their work will culminate in an Oct. 15 panel discussion at Augsburg focused on how recent healthcare legislation will affect the public.

Adam says that his educational and volunteer experiences have taught him that getting involved is sometimes simply a matter of asking. “I asked about the Sabo program, and the next thing I knew I was meeting Martin Sabo. I never thought I could meet with people who have legislative power or that I could get help from people who could make my public policy dreams come true.”

Adam is planning to go to graduate school for statistics or economics. He wants to use quantitative tools to help inform policy making at both the federal and state level.

Sabo Center Public Policy Symposium

Healthcare reform: What will it mean for you and the nation?

Friday, Oct. 15, 2010

4:30 p.m.

Foss Center, Augsburg College

Panelists include:

Donna Zimmerman, Sr. Vice President of Government and Community Relations HealthPartners

Dr. Sanne Magnan, Commissioner Minnesota Dept of Health

Dr. Bruce Amundson, President of Community Health Innovations Inc. and Assistant Professor, University of Washington School of Medicine.

Moderated by Martin Sabo.

The post An Auggie to watch Kay Adam receives Point Foundation Scholarship appeared first on News and Media.