Valparaiso University Students and Alumni Receive Local, National Fellowships

The Institute for Leadership and Service at Valparaiso University has selected 22 Valpo students and recent alumni for Calling and Purpose in Society (CAPS) Fellowships during summer 2019.

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 2019 CAPS Fellows are:

  • Juan Arellano ’20, a math and computer science major, and Claire Utzinger ’20, a studio art major, will intern at Ingenuity, an arts education advocacy organization in Chicago.
  • Haley Brewer ’20, an English major with minors in communications and professional writing, will serve at Concordia Place, a Chicago-based organization that provides economically inclusive early childhood, youth, teen leadership, adult enrichment and senior wellness programs.
  • Alyssa Brewer ’20, a French, international economics and cultural affairs and global service major; Zachary Felty ’20, an international relations major with a minor in criminology; and Maria Kubalewski ’19, a secondary education and biology graduate, will work with Kheprw Institute, a social enterprise organization in Indianapolis.
  • Veronica Campbell ’21, a creative writing major with minors in Spanish and music, will work with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, a nonprofit social service organization of the three Illinois synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
  • Jade Curless ’20, a sociology major with a criminology and humanities focus, will serve at Venn Strategies, a full-service government affairs and public affairs firm in Washington, D.C.
  • Maddie Fry ’20, a theology, Spanish and global service major, will serve at Erie Neighborhood House, a social services nonprofit in Chicago.
  • Daniel Herschel ’19, a computer science, data science, and mathematics graduate, will spend the summer at InterNews, a media organization in Washington, D.C.
  • Braxton Jenkins ’21, a mechanical engineering major, will be an engineering intern at Companion Community Development Alternatives, a nonprofit community development organization in Indianapolis.
  • Madison Magiera ’19, who received her degree in English and a minor in criminology, and Ayenose Oleghe ’20, an accounting and mathematics major, will serve at Water to Thrive, a faith-based nonprofit organization in Austin, Texas.
  • Meg Main ’19, a health and lifespan studies major with a theology minor, will spend the summer at ArtMix Indy, which transforms the lives of people with disabilities through the creation of art.
  • Ben Montgomery ’20, a theology, humanities and Hebrew major, will serve at the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants, a group of community-based organizations of people from diverse faiths, in Chicago.
  • Madison Morehead ’20, a social work major with a psychology minor, will serve at IREX in Washington, D.C. IREX works with partners in more than 100 countries focused on empowering youth, cultivating leaders, strengthening institutions and extending access to quality education and information.
  • Emily Nelson ’20, a psychology major with minors in Japanese studies and humanities will work with Lutheran Services in America, a nationwide network of Lutheran health and social services organizations, in Washington, D.C.
  • Michele Poindexter ’19 received her degree in global service and a minor in environmental science and will work as the community engagement intern at Growing Home, an organization in Chicago dedicated to the use of organic agriculture as a vehicle for job training, employment, and community development.
  • Ty Snarr ’20, a public health major, and Hilary Van Oss ’19, a political science and global service graduate, will intern with Heartland Alliance’s Refugee and Immigrant Community Services program, which assists newly arrived refugees, in Chicago.
  • Alyssa Trinko ’20, a history and French major, will serve at the Harrison Center, an organization in Indianapolis that fosters awareness, appreciation and community for art and culture.
  • Rachel Winkler ’21, a global service major with a minor in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), will serve at School on Wheels in Indianapolis. School on Wheels’ mission is to provide one-on-one tutoring and educational advocacy for school-aged children impacted by homelessness.
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