Davies Program Coordinator: LauraOlivia O’Campo
Name: Paige Slaughter
Hometown: San Mateo, CA
Graduating Class: 2014
Major/Minor: Philosophy/Spanish; Values, Ethics and Social Action
Davies Site: Project O.N.E.; Meadville Market House
I wanted to become a Davies Leader to enhance my relationship with Meadville by becoming involved in the programs that are strengthening the community and become a part of their continued success. I knew I couldn’t graduate from Allegheny without spending a summer in Meadville, and my interest in community development made the Davies program a perfect match for me. Working with Project ONE, I hope to create a stronger connection between students and the summer’s Bounty community-supported agriculture program, so that local farmers maintain a reliable market for their produce, and senior citizens can continue receiving subsidized CSAs. I also hope to further develop the Back to Basics program so that these volunteer-based cooking classes can continue throughout the year. I am certainly expecting to grow as an individual and as a community member through my involvement in Project ONE, as just in my first few days as a Davies Leader I have gained a better understanding of community-supported agriculture as well as a deeper appreciation for the work community members are doing to ensure that healthy lifestyles are available to everyone. Healthy communities begin with healthy bodies, and Project ONE exemplifies the civic vitality that comes from sustainable farming practices and communal support, and because of the Davies program I am able to contribute to its continued success.
Name: Becca Gallup
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Graduating Class: 2015
Major Minor: Studio Art/Psychology
Davies Site: The Academy Theatre
I decided to join the Davies program because I have a firm belief that service is the foundation of learning about yourself and your community. This summer at the Academy Theatre, I hope to learn more about theater and mold my creative abilities around the performing arts. Currently, my time is devoted to the production Spamalot, but for the rest of the summer I will be assisting with a children’s theatre camp in July. I also will work closely with both the Managing and Creative directors. With the work I will be doing at the Academy Theatre, I hope to develop a further sense of professionalism as well as becoming more adaptable to challenges. The Academy Theatre is a historical building that has brought Meadville together for productions since 1885. As said in the mission statement, the Academy Theatre strives “to develop artistic appreciation and serve the cultural, social and educational needs of an expanding audience.” I believe that my work will not only represent the mission statement but I believe that it will help with the restoration of an artistic culture in Meadville.
Name: Alyssa King
Hometown: Saxonburg, PA
Graduating Class: 2016
Major/Minor: International Studies & French Double Major
Davies Site: United Way of Western Crawford County
I joined the Davis program because I was interested in learning more about Meadville. When I worked as a Martin Luther King mentor I was inspired to provide my service to the community. UWWCC is a great match for me because I am continuing to learn firsthand about the community and the people I serve. The Davis Program has given me the opportunity to become immersed in a type of service that I was unfamiliar—fundraising. As a member of the UWWCC staff, I continue to learn the importance of the organization’s role in Meadville. The proceeds from the events I fundraise are redistributed to our partners in the Crawford County area. My work with UWWCC has given me a new perspective on service that I would not have experienced without the Davis Program.
Name: Kevin Crooks
Hometown: Washington, PA
Graduating Class: 2015
Major/Minor: Biology/Global Health and VESA
Davies Site: Crawford County Heritage Foundation
Throughout the school year, it’s hard to have enough time to make a real impact in the Meadville community. I’m involved on campus mainly through athletics and student government, so over the summer I can commit more time to a service site, which is why the Davies program appealed to me. My site is financially based, so it is my goal to learn some more economical ways to make an impact in a community like Meadville. I’ve never worked in a business setting before, only pools, and so that part of the experience will help me to become more professional in a work environment. Overall, by working as a Davies leader for the summer, my hope is to have a connection with the Meadville community and promote civic unity in that community.
Name: Steven Thomas
Hometown: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Graduating Class: 2014
Major/Minor: English, Philosophy/Psychology
Davies Site: Crawford Country Historical Society
I was really looking for a summer job that would help me grow as a person and would contribute more than a paycheck to my summer experience. Instead of returning home to work, I wanted to do something that would really give back to the community, making more of a difference to the populace as a whole. I became enamored to this after working for the READ program in the fall. We’re trying to get an outline ready for the bicentennial book about the relationship of Allegheny and Meadville, so mostly just plenty of research and fact digging. Primarily research for the book. I hope to improve my organization, self-management, and research skills, and establish a stronger relationship with the Meadville community. Hopefully the document we’re working to produce will be an important historical milestone that will elaborate on the continuing relationship between Allegheny and Meadville. It will be a great little piece to help keep the two communities united as one as they move forward in their future together and be a pleasant reminder of the long and symbiotic history the two have shared.
Name: Alexander Neal
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA.
Graduating Class: 2015
Major/ Minor: Communication Arts/Economics
Davies Site: Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce
I decided to join the Davies Program to obtain a closer connection to the city of Meadville and to really see what makes the city tick. I really enjoy getting to know more people who strive for the same successes that the Davies Program takes initiative in beginning with students from Allegheny College. Some goals that I have for my site this summer are to better understand the role that the Meadville – Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce plays in the community as a whole. I also look forward to developing my professionalism within the inner-workings of an office environment and ensuring the success of Thunder in the City, the chamber’s main summer event. I will be helping plan Thunder in the City, as well as aiding in general office efforts as there has been some changes in the staffing at the Chamber. I expect to see growth in professionalism, and this excites me as it is one of my goals for this summer experience. While I like to believe my skills are proficient in this category, I would love to expand them to increase my confidence levels in this area. I believe that most of the Non-Profit Organization in Meadville serves as a contribution to the civic renewal and civic vitality of the greater Meadville community but I think that the Chamber of Commerce acts directly in the benefit the businesses in the area thus directly affecting the civic renewal of our city of Meadville.
Hometown: Edinboro, PA
Graduating Class: 2015
Major/Minor: Political Science/Psychology and Writing
Davies Site: Active Aging
I decided to join the Davies Program because I was interested in having an internship this summer where I could experience what working in a non-profit environment is like, since it’s an area I’m interested in after Allegheny. One thing that people caution you about when you mention an interest in non-profits is that the workplace can be hectic. And Active Aging is no exception, as it plans to fill the summer with activities and events like the Healthy Speakers Series, a picnic, and a Silver Sneakers program. I am helping to plan and coordinate all of these events and more at my Davies site. Through the Davies Program, Active Aging gets an extra hand to help them serve the senior population of Meadville and keep them engaged in the community through special events.