Valparaiso University Students Receive Local, National Fellowships

The Institute for Leadership and Service at Valparaiso University has selected 17 Valpo students and recent alumni for Calling and Purpose in Society (CAPS) Fellowships during summer 2018.

Recipients are selected from a competitive pool of applicants and will complete internships with organizations dedicated to service and leadership for eight to 10 weeks during the summer. The CAPS Fellows Program helps Valpo students develop their sense of Calling and Purpose in Society through intensive experiential-learning opportunities accompanied by significant reflection.

The 2018 CAPS Fellows are:

  • Alicia Alcaraz ’19, a psychology and global service student, and Emily Owens ’18, a psychology, global service and humanities graduate who was in Christ College — The Honors College, will serve in refugee and immigrant community services at Heartland Alliance in Chicago. Alicia will focus on case management while Emily works in youth and family services.
  • Rachel Brandenburg ’19, a geography, urban studies and Spanish student, will work on the Calumet National Heritage Area Partnership at the Field Museum in Chicago.
  • Annika Brown ’20, an international relations and French student, will serve at Growing Home, Chicago’s leading expert in farm-based training for people with employment barriers.
  • Callum Casey ’18, a social work, Spanish and psychology graduate, will work at Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago.
  • Felicia Escandon ’19, a secondary education and English student, will work at ArtMix, a nonprofit art school for individuals with disabilities in Indianapolis.
  • Abigail Fate ’19, a psychology, Spanish and human biology student, and Grace Jackson ’19, a civil engineering and French student, will serve at Water to Thrive in Austin, Texas.
  • Tanner Gesell ’19, a mechanical engineering and music student in Christ College — The Honors College, will serve at Companion Community Development Alternatives in Indianapolis.
  • Jesse Hershberger ’20, an English and political science student, will work at Venn Strategies in Washington, D.C.
  • Perry Lerit ’20, a digital media and French student, will serve at the American Red Cross in Indianapolis.
  • Emily Neuharth ’20, a creative writing and graphic design student, will work at the Harrison Center for the Arts in Indianapolis.
  • Eseosa Okunday ’20, a social work and political science student, and Willow Walsh ’19, an English, environmental studies, creative writing and German student, will work at Ingenuity Inc., an arts education advocacy organization in Chicago.
  • Aaron Pevitz ’19, a psychology and social work student, will serve at Indiana Humanities in Indianapolis.
  • Caroline Pratt ’19, an international relations, economics and communications student, will work at the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) in Washington, D.C.
  • Bethany Riethmeier ’19, a criminology and political science student, will serve at Concordia Place, a childcare agency in Chicago.
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