Students presented the results of the results of their 2017 Service/Research Projects at the Scholars Program Year-End event, sharing their work with community partners, professors, and peers.
The University Scholars Program and Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships Service/Research Projects are student-directed group projects that are carried out in close collaboration with community partners. These projects have developed out of the interests of interdisciplinary teams of students who conduct research into challenges and problems facing communities, as well as how to make their service as beneficial as possible—and then implement and share best practices with others. See below to learn more about these great projects.
Members: Thurston Brevett, Diego Delgado, John Howard, Kurt Jaisle, Alex Kavourias, Brett Krutiansky, Jenna Lue, Kevin Luo, Chloe Scudder, Catarina Smith, and Kim Terrizzi
Community Partner: Boston Public Library—Grove Hall Branch
This project aims to inspire and motivate primarily underprivileged 3rd-8th grade students in the Boston area to further explore and pursue the STEM fields. They seek to provide a high quality introductory robotics education program, free of charge, to Boston-area students at the Grove Hall site of the Boston Public Library.
The DREAM Program
Members: Derick Anderson, Berta Bartoli, Christopher Lin, Amina Ly, and Kyle Roeloffs
Community Partner: The DREAM Program
The DREAM Program pairs college students with grade-school children in an effort to empower and encourage them to achieve their dreams and goals. This project works directly with mentors and administration to improve student relationships and implement changes across multiple sites.
HuskyTech
Members: Cristian Dragomir, Benjamin Fickes, and Matthew Lamontagne
Community Partner: Vibrant Boston
HuskyTech is composed of students passionate about web accessibility. The group works to deliver web resources to community partners.
The Playground Project: INDIGO
Members: Durward Benham, Hannah Bergam, Maria Bermudez Pizano, Laura Blumenfeld, Alex Castillo, Charles Chierico, Elise Dovletoglou, Hayden Henderson, Mariya Lupandina, Monisha Reginald, Grace Schulz, and Max Sminkey
Community Partner: Boston Parks and Recreation Department
The Playground Project: INDIGO strives to increase the number and quality of inclusive playgrounds in Boston by working with the Parks and Recreation Department as well as various community organizations to ensure that accessibility is a key component of playground designs. The team works to inspire a commitment towards making Boston a city which is home to truly inclusive play spaces that meet the needs of its diverse community.
Project FIT
Members: Tavia Allen, Cindy Wu, Agota Sakalauskaite, Alastair Abrahan, Youmna Mahmood, Jodi Robertson, and Danielle Murad
Community Partners: Susan Bailis Assisted Living and Little Brothers- Friends of the Elderly, Boston Chapter
This group is dedicated to the well-being of senior citizens in the Boston area. Their curriculum seeks to promote physical activity and a wider range of mobility for participants. They look to strengthen participants' bodies and promote a healthier lifestyle, while incorporating a social component. More than just an exercise program, the group wants to promote the entire well-being of participants through physical, social and emotional interactions.
ITAP: The Information Technology Apprenticeship Program
Members: Nikin Tharan and Andy Xu
ITAP focuses on connecting the young people of local, under-served communities within tech hub regions, such as Silicon Valley and Boston, with training and education through a formal apprenticeship program that enables them to be prepared to gain employment in this important sector of the global economy.
Roxbury Rocks!
Members: Lauren Baumert, Lucas Calero, Paulina Dominguez, Raya Foster, Kyana Ifill, Lynnsey Martin, Jacob Potts, Niklas Pousette-Harger, and Vivian Zhang
Community Partners: United South End Settlements and Roxbury Youth Orchestra
This project aims to introduce children from all backgrounds to music and dance education; the group believes that exposure to the arts should not be a privilege, but a right! Roxbury Rocks! combines case studies and direct service to design curricula for young students in the neighborhoods surrounding Northeastern's campus.
The Science Squad
Members: Tyler Gogal, Kelli Lynch, Tori Matta, Eddy Mina, Rachel Mumma, Congtin Nguyen, Ana Paz, Kritika Singh, and Carl Uchytil
Community Partner: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
The Science Squad is focused on getting young students excited about science. The group volunteers in the science department at John D. O'Bryant School of Math and Science. They also volunteer with science fairs around the city and teach experimentation classes at Northeastern's NEPTUN program.
The Southern Poverty Law Center at Northeastern
Members: Ololade Akingbade, Gabriel Morris, Jasmine Wu, Matthew Cueto, and Noa Dalzell
Community Partner: St. Stephen’s Youth Programs
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American non-profit legal advocacy group and civil rights memorial center specialized in civil rights litigation, monitoring of national hate groups, and Teaching Tolerance. SPLC at Northeastern brings civil rights and social justice education to youth groups and schools through Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance curriculum, an anti-bias and common core standard program enriched in writing and inquiry around central social justice texts and multimedia.
STEMventures
Members: Kristen Brown, Kabir Dugal, Alicia Kim, Jessie Sigler, and Kiara Taquechel
Community Partner: The Curley K-8 School, Jamaica Plain
This project aims to get kids excited about STEM through after school Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics educational sessions at the Curley K-8 School in Jamaica Plain. STEMventures is partnered with Northeastern’s Center for STEM Education, which provides them with their connection to the Curley School and serves as a valuable resource.
Vism
Members: Mindi Chen, Brandon Chung, Joseph Griego, and Deborah Vasquez
Vism strives to foster a sustainable culture of service and social responsibility in university students through skill-based volunteerism. Vism connects university students with nonprofits that need their help. Through skill-based volunteering projects, students gain opportunities to develop their professional skills and talents through real world application while nonprofits gain access to high-achieving talent and increase their capacity for social impact.