Students awarded American Humanics scholarshipsJuly 2, 2010 KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University students Colleen Ames, Geena Holman and Deondra Magett were identified as future leaders in nonprofit work and philanthropy as scholarship recipients for the Next Generation Nonprofit Leaders Program. The WMU students and 48 others chosen nationwide will each receive $4,500 scholarships from American Humanics to cover expenses while completing an internship with a nonprofit organization. In addition to the scholarship, each NextGen Leader is paired with a nonprofit professional mentor during the internship period. They also will be recognized at the 2012 American Humanics Management/Leadership Institute in January in Orlando, Fla., an annual educational symposium. A political science major from Brighton, Mich., Ames will be conducting her internship with Michigan Citizen Action and will pursue a career in an organization that concentrates on direct service to and advocacy on behalf of the indigent. Holman, a human resource management major from Plymouth, Mich., will be conducting her internship with Kalamazoo Communities in School and plans to pursue a career in youth development. She is a WMU student ambassador, a job through which she often introduces the University to prospective students and represents WMU in the community. Magett, a social work major from South Haven, Mich., will be conducting her internship with Advocacy Services for Kids and will pursue a career in after-school programming. All three students are members of the American Humanics Student Association at WMU and were instrumental in granting $13,750 to five Kalamazoo nonprofit organizations this year through a nonprofit leadership class and funding from an anonymous donor, the School of Public Affairs and Administration and Campus Compact and Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund. Established in 1948, American Humanics is a national alliance of colleges, universities and nonprofits dedicated to preparing the next generation of nonprofit sector leaders. It is affiliated with 70 colleges and universities across the country and is designed to help a racially and ethnically diverse group of students with demonstrated leadership potential complete their American Humanics certification requirements, specifically a 300-hour internship with a nonprofit organization. The NextGen Leader awards are funded by a $5 million, five-year grant provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. By the end of the grant in 2012, American Humanics and the NextGen Program will have provided 1,000 students with stipends. For more information, contact Janice Maatman, School of Pubic Affairs and Administration, at janice.maatman@wmich.edu or (269) 387-8945. Media contact: Deanne Puca, (269) 387-8400, deanne.puca@wmich.edu WMU News |
