Hello faculty and staff colleagues.
I am praying that everyone in our community is doing OK in the midst of the current pandemic.
This email is about our Champlain College Social Impact Scholars, who continue to remain engaged and are–yes! the audacity!–looking to the future (the 2020-21 academic year) with a fundraising campaign.
https://justgiving.com/campaign/Champlain-SIS
Despite being away from campus, the Social Impact Scholars continue to find ways to collaborate and make a positive difference, Our upcoming Speak Out event (to be presented virtually in mid April) will focus on raising awareness of issues related to the spread of the novel coronavirus, which is having such a devastating impact on the world. Current topics for SI Scholar presentations include:
- racism and COVID-19
- COVID-19 and the spectre of corporate greed
- the use of language during the crisis
- the role of games as an escape and a connection at this time
- personal liberties versus the health of the whole community
As COVID-19 continues to spread and international travel becomes more and more challenging, we recognize that our planned service learning trips for the 2020-21 AY may seem like “impossible dreams.” While the health, safety and security of the SI scholars and of all students is our highest priority right now, we also choose to hope and look forward. We will therefore continue to plan and raise funds for our service trips for November 2020 and March 2021. Should these trips need to be postponed, rest assured that all funds will be used for service trips in the future. We hope you will contribute.
https://justgiving.com/campaign/Champlain-SIS
As Lead Faculty for the Social Impact Scholar Program I encourage people to support these amazing young people if you can. During this time of crisis, the idea of international travel in the future might seem surreal–but this crisis is also showing us the truth that we are all global citizens, all of us in it together. An international service experience for our future best and brightest will be more important than ever!
Our goal is to raise $11,000 by June 5, 2020. Even a small donation would help us reach our goal. We plan to use the money to help fund travel expenses and opportunities while abroad, You can make a donation on our crowdfunding campaign page by clicking here. Feel free (encouraged, even!) to share our campaign on Facebook and Twitter or what-have-you.
Thank you! Keep well!
–Eric
Eric Ronis, Ph.D., M.F.A. (he/him/his)Lead Faculty, Social Impact Scholars
Assistant Dean for CCM Academics
C402A (CCM Building 4th floor)
Champlain College
Burlington, VT 05402802-651-5889