Participants 2009
Stephen Dweh-Chenneh
Internship: PD3, Mount Vernon, Kentucky
Stephen is a senior from Monrovia, Liberia, majoring in Technology and Industrial Arts. Stephen’s directed field experience was with PD3, a new product design and development organization that helps entrepreneurs design, develop, and distribute their new inventions. He worked with a new product called the Aspen, a wind turbine product designed to cater to the energy needs in rural areas. Stephen was able to receive valuable hands-on experience with the design and development team in working with the Aspen.
Roman Gladney
Internship: Hidden Wounds Ministries, Birmingham, Alabama
Roman is a junior from Fairfield, Alabama, majoring in Psychology. Roman’s directed field experience- as part of a team with Gilbert Washington and Donovan Harrison-Calicker (see below)- was with Hidden Wounds Ministries, a community-based, non-profit theatrical production company. He worked with a team of three in this project that focused on pre/post production efforts in launching a non-profit theatrical organization. Roman tailored his internship to fit his Psychology background by creating, conducting, and analyzing survey research to determine prevalent issues affecting inner-city communities.
Nathan Hall
Internship: Piedmont Biofuels, Pittsboro, North Carolina
Nathan Hall is a senior from Allen, Kentucky in Floyd County majoring in Sustainable Agriculture and Industrial Management. Nathan has a passion for learning the inner-workings of one of the nation’s best known commercial biodiesel plants: Piedmont Biofuels of Pittsboro, NC. Nathan served as both a laboratory technician and a design-build worker during the summer. He ran a multitude of ASTM tests on commercial fuel and feed stock samples, as well as assisted with cutting-edge R & D. He also assisted with the planning and construction of commercial biodiesel systems for clients throughout the southeast. Nathan increased his knowledge of one business model so as to be in a better position to bring his green, sustainable biofuel technology to the Appalachian coalfields, where viable alternatives are long overdue.
Donovan Harrison-Calicker
Internship: Hidden Wounds Ministries, Birmingham, Alabama
Donovan is a senior from Chattanooga, Tennessee, majoring in Speech Communication
Jesus Jacobo
Internship: Dalton State College/Coalition of Latino Leaders, Dalton, Georgia
Jesus, graduated from Berea College in May, is from Chatsworth, Georgia and majored in Industrial Technology Management. Jesus’s directed field experience was split working collaborative with Dr. Monte Salyer of Dalton State College and the Coalition of Latino Leaders. This directed field experience was part of a team effort with Lorena Luna (see below). His interest in Hispanic community development assisted in his active direct field experience. Jesus was responsible in the efforts of creating entrepreneurial developmental sessions for 49 Latino high school students in Dalton, Georgia, and taught them aspects of leadership and entrepreneurship.
Yelena Kobaliya
Internship: United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, Washington, D.C.
Yelena is a senior from Abadan, Turkmenistan, majoring in Political Science. Yelena’s directed field experience was with the United States Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (SCRI). She worked as a the student liaison for the USCRI in working with research contributors and other civil society agents in pursuing campaigns against refugee warehousing and advocating with strategic constituents in grassroots campaigns to seek refugee protection. She also observed and reported on congressional, governmental, and non-governmental meetings and sessions.
Xiliang Lin
Internship: Economics Department at the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Xiliang is a junior from the Junzi Village, China, majoring in Mathematics and Economics. Xiliang’s directed field experience worked with research focusing on the impact of early childhood intervention programs on disadvantaged children. He did extensive research with the Perry Preschool Program alongside Professor James Heckman, a 2000 Nobel Laureate, and Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. Xiliang’s research contributed to the revision of early childhood social policy.
Lorena Luna
Internship: Dalton State College/Coalition of Latino Leaders, Dalton, Georgia
Lorena is a senior from La Paz, Mexico, double majoring in International Studies and Speech Communication.
Brittany Chanel Meadows
Internship: Hyden City of Commerce, Hyden, Kentucky
Brittany is a junior from Chattanooga, Tennessee, majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting. Brittany’s directed field experience consisted of a partnership with the Hyden City Chamber of Commerce and Hyden Citizen Bank where she had the opportunity to expand the city’s tourist programs. Chanel worked with multiple community partners in determine strategic methods to increase Hyden’s tourism destinations. Brittany’s endeavor permitted her to return to Leslie County and deepen the Hyden community’s relationship creating a second year legacy that now connects Berea College and Hyden for future collaborative efforts.
Christine Morris
Internship: APA Summer Science Fellowship of George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia
Christine is a senior from Fort Thomas, Kentucky, majoring in Psychology. Christine’s directed field experience was worked with for eight weeks with Dr. Eden King, associate professor in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. She focused on conducting qualitative research in the prospective community about prejudice reduction. Christine, upon returning this summer, worked for four weeks with the diversity training program in support of Tashia Bradley, director of Berea College’s Black Cultural Center, to develop effective diversity campaigns.
Gilbert Washington
Internship: Hidden Wounds Ministries, Birmingham, Alabama
Gilbert is a senior from Kansas City, Missouri, majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing
Anda Weaver
Internship: A Bowl of Good, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Anda is a senior from Bethany, West Virginia, majoring in Peace and Social Justice with a concentration in Political Science. Anda’s directed field experience was with a newly gounded restaurant, “A Bowl of Good,” specializing in healthy, organic food and practices. She worked on the day-to-day operations with the enterprise. In addition, she established an effective composting system for the business, conducted market research, closely collaborated with other local food organizations and the farmer’s market.
Amelia Wilson
Internship: Christian Shelter for the Homeless, Laurel County, Kentucky
Amelia is a junior from Greenup, Kentucky, majoring in Education with a concentration in English. Amelia’s directed field experience was constructed to pursue her passion in helping the homeless in Eastern and Central Kentucky. Her role with the Christian Shelter for the Homeless focused on creating more opportunities for outreach within the homeless population, as well as, attempts to develop a sustainable funding model to assist in the organization’s daily operations.
Hong Ren Zhang Durandal
Internship: Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, Berea, Kentucky
Hong is a junior from Cochabamba, Bolivia, majoring in Economics. Hong’s directed field experience this summer was with MACED in developing opportunities for an emerging clean energy initiative. In this internship, he witnessed growth on the technical and governmental level for both residential and commercial businesses. Hong was also responsible for conducting energy efficient projects and audits for Berea, Hindman Settlement School in Hindman, the City of Hyden, and Renfro Valley city hall.
