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Kristin Fladseth ‘09
Carismaperu
Huancayo, Peru
Kristin’s Fellowship will take place in Huancayo, Peru, where she will work in a local clinic to provide direct medical services to patients. Using her proficiency in Spanish after studying on the LSA, and her background in medical science, Kristin will assist with vaccination programs for local children, help with patient check-ins, and assist the on-site physician and nurses to provide emergency services and patient care to community members. Kristin wrote, “I am particularly interested in working abroad in the future as a physician with such programs as Doctors without Boarders. Also, Huancayo is a rural area in which I feel that I can establish stronger connections with the local community.” Kristin looks forward to working alongside local medical professionals in a locally run program that provides vital services. Her Fellowship in Huancayo may have a strong impact on her career direction, as she looks ahead at medical school.
 Alaina Smith ‘09
Sistema Municipal DIF Puebla
Puebla, México
C.R.O.S.S. Fellowship Recipient
This summer, Alaina will be returning to Puebla to work in La Casa del Sol orphanage. While on the Dartmouth LSA, she became familiar with the orphanage and with its faith-based mission to provide a living space and education to children in need. Through this Fellowship, Alaina hopes to realize that, “it is possible to live your religion and that one does not need to separate their religious life from their academic or extra-curricular life. I hope, of course, to most immediately provide support and assistance to the staff and children at the orphanage.” The orphanage is run by several full-time staff, but also requires the help of local volunteers to support the more than one-hundred children that reside there. Alaina’s knowledge of Spanish, as well as her humility, patience, and experience with children will allow her to make the most of her Fellowship in Mexico, while acting as a positive role-model and caretaker.
Ben Beisswenger ‘09
The Selamta Children’s Home
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
This summer, Ben will be working at the Selamta Children’s Home in Addis Ababa as a Tucker Fellow. He brings extensive experience with children in a residential setting, where his energy and enthusiasm are contagious. Ben also has experience in construction that he will put to use, writing, “I will also help to establish the next two homes for Selamta by locating appropriate small houses in the area that are available. I will manage the small-scale renovations, painting, cleaning and furnishing to make them livable homes.” Ben looks forward to being immersed in local culture in Addis Ababa, and to dedicating himself to improving the conditions of the homes and being a positive and energetic influence on everyday life for the children.
 J. Watson Sallay ‘08
Major: B.E. in Engineering
Engineering World Health
Dodoma, Tanzania
Kevin I. Sullivan ‘54 Tucker Fellowship Recipient
When Watson arrives on-site in Tanzania, he will be trained in the repair and installation of the medical equipment that are utilized by clinics and hospitals in the region. Given his background in engineering, including digital electronics, product design, machine design, and systems engineering, Watson will quickly gain proficiency in everyday repair. He will also be trained in basic Swahili. He will then be deployed to a specific hospital where he will work as a site engineer for equipment repair. “In some cases, a device may need my immediate attention in order for a patient to be treated. The work I do through EWH will also have a long-term benefit as well. Training the staff in proper orientation and maintenance of the equipment means that they will be able to continue using it long after I have left. Additionally, I plan to come back with ideas for projects and products that could be started at Thayer school.” Watson looks forward to using his skills for the direct benefit of the patients and hospital staff, and he believes the Fellowship may impact his career path as a professional engineer after he earns his B.E. next year.
Kathleen Moriarty ‘09
Centro de Estudios e Información de la Mujer Multiétnica (CEIMM)
Siuna, Nicaragua
Kathleen will be returning to Siuna, Nicaragua this summer to work with a local NGO on women and children’s rights issues, including addressing domestic violence and the exploitation of women. While working in Nicaragua on the CCESP trip over winter break, the Nicaraguan organization approached Kathleen about this full-time position. “CEIMM is a multi-campus center that is consistently cited as an excellent example of service-learning and using university resources to directly affect the lives of women and their communities in eastern Nicaragua. I am going to be open to learning from the women I am participating in workshops with, and I am going to use my experience to try to craft our culturally sensitive-education outreach.” Kathleen hopes that by working alongside community members with a local NGO that is highly familiar with the region, she will be a valuable part of assessing local needs, and facilitating education and health workshops in conjunction with local leaders. This Fellowship is unique in a number of regards. With Kathleen’s complete fluency in Spanish, and the Nicaraguan NGO’s history of providing vital, direct services to communities after assessing their needs, her Fellowship will be an asset to the indigenous and marginalized communities in Siuna.
 Reggie Schickel ‘09
Amani Africa Organization,
Kigali, Rwanda
Reggie’s Fellowship will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, where he will be a full-time basketball coach and mentor for local students. Reggie writes, “This NGO’s primary interest is bridging ethnic gaps between the Tutsi’s and Hutu’s through various sports activities. I have seen basketball act as a strong uniting agent amongst many of the inner-city children I have coached, and I hope to bring those same experiences to the children in Rwanda.” Reggie has much experience in running camps and coaching basketball for younger children, and is aware of potential challenges and looks forward to overcoming them. He will also be trying to find a sponsorship and collect used shoes to supply his team, many of whom are accustomed to playing barefoot. “Outside of teaching basketball, I will be involved in creating more extra-curricular activities to help keep the children off the streets. Many of these activities will involve daily discussions with the children on promoting peace and reconciliation.” Reggie will bring a dedication to organized sports and a sensitivity to working with children to his Fellowship this summer.
Catianne Ngante ‘11
Cameroon Association for the Protection and Education of the Child
Yaounde, Cameroon
This summer, Catianne will be working as a Tucker Fellow in Cameroon, where she will undertake projects in HIV/AIDS and health awareness for local children, in addition to other projects in education and health. Catianne has strong ties to the nation of Cameroon, as her grandfather was the prime minister, so she is excited to work full-time in support of communities in Yaounde. Catianne explains, “The experience of forming a relationship with the Cameroonian community that I will be assigned to help will force me to learn more about their culture and also my culture. In the process, I hope to be able to efficiently counsel, participate in community mobilization meetings, distribute health care, and gain a better understanding of Africa as a united entity.” Catianne is open and articulate in discussing her views on service, and she will be an asset to the program in Yaounde. Catianne hopes to bring tangible, direct services to communities in need, and also hopes to explore her own relationship with the nation as a whole.
 Zoe Dmitrovsky ‘09
The Selamta Children’s Home
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Class of 1952 Tucker Fellowship Recipient
Zoe’s Fellowship will take place in the Selamta Children’s Home, which is run by a local organization in the Upper Valley. Zoe has traveled on the Marshall Island Teaching Internship, in addition to serving as a Project Leader for Project Preservation in Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania. She has developed her leadership and teaching skills in these service experiences, and will able to apply those skills while working with children and developing children’s homes in Addis Ababa. “I look forward to integrating myself into this positive community and learning from both children and mothers of their experiences. By contributing to the community through physical labor and through the exchange and sharing of ideas, I will continue to maintain a connection with Selamta after I return to the States, thus enhancing the ties to this community in the Upper Valley.”
Elizabeth Chang ‘09
Rejoice Charity
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Elizabeth’s Fellowship will take place in Chiang Mai in Northwest Thailand. Rejoice provides medical services to individuals that are infected with, or affected by HIV/AIDS. They also provide services to other members of the community in need. Elizabeth will be an asset to their program during the Fellowship—she is a nationally certified EMT and first-aid instructor, with additional certifications in Geriatric and Pediatric Emergency Medical Services. She will be able to provide medical training to local leaders and volunteers, in addition to providing services to patients directly. “Administering medical care to the truly needy is a principle that I want to live by and have constantly on my mind as I continue my education in medicine and public health.” Elizabeth will bring specific skills, as well as a positive and compassionate outlook, to her Fellowship in Chiang Mai.
 Marielle Battistoni ‘11
Niger National Museum (Operation Crossroads)
Niamey, Niger
Marielle will be working at the Niger National Museum in Niamey during her Tucker Fellowship. The Museum serves as a Nigerien cultural center for historical artifacts, wildlife, and art, and Marielle will be working with children from the resident orphanage in educational and recreational settings. Marielle is proficient in the national language of French, and has extensive experience working with children, including as a teacher and counselor in a zoo and fine arts setting. She is looking forward to the atmosphere of creativity in exploring the cultural heritage of Niger alongside the children, and sharing her love for art and wildlife with them. She is working with Operation Crossroads, which President Kennedy once called the progenitor (i.e. model or precursor) of the Peace Corps. Marielle wrote, “I look forward to learning from the community that I become a part of, and to understanding the diverse and complex cultures and ways of life that are different than my own.” Marielle will bring a positive and creative perspective to the children’s everyday lives, and looks forward to the sense of mutual exploration.
Paola Murcia ‘11
Major: Economics
The Ali Shungu Foundation
Otavalo, Ecuador
“Nestled in mountain valleys and on the volcanic hillsides of the Ecuadorian Andes Mountains are small cities, villages, and cultures that represent some of the successes and challenges common to developing communities in South America. The small city of Otavalo is a mix of Latino and indigenous cultures, with modern city streets and a view of Imbabura volcano. Overcrowded, understaffed, and under-resourced schools mean that students do not get the attention that would help them succeed beyond sixth grade education. In addition, although many people live healthy lives, when healthcare is needed, discrimination and a lack of resources mean that illnesses, such as the locally common stomach ulcers and stomach cancers, go untreated.” This summer, Paola will be living and working in Otavalo, where she will teach summer school units in math and reading between 9 am and 3 pm. She will also work with the local clinic on community outreach seminars specifically in water and food-borne disease, including proper food storage which has been an underlying cause of stomach ulcers and cancer. Her complete fluency in Spanish and familiarity with the local communities will allow her to meet direct community needs in education and health.
 Tafaoul Abdelmagid ‘11
The Sudanese Red Crescent Society
Khartoum, Sudan
Tafaoul will be completing her Tucker Fellowship in several communities outside the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The Sudanese Red Crescent Society was formed by Muslim ministers to provide universal services, analogous to the American Red Cross. Both are part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Tafaoul will be working in hospitals and clinics to provide direct patient services, including HIV/AIDS prevention and support programs. She is fluent in Arabic, and has experience in a medical setting both in the U.S. and her home country of Sudan. Tafaoul said, “I do not intend to engage in this serve simply as an act of compassion, but rather as a duty that I must pay to my country.” Her dedication to service is further informed by her Islamic beliefs and upbringing. Discussing changes that have occurred over the last few years, she wrote, “I learned to live by active intent rather than by passive acceptance, and to assert my will rather than conform.” Tafaoul’s Fellowship will be informed by her faith, and will be strengthened by her skill set and experience in a medical setting.
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