Sam Moody, of Ellington, 'paving the way' as one of Clark University's inaugural LEEP Project Pioneers

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Sam Moody, of Ellington, is a LEEP Project Pioneer at Clark University.

WORCESTER, MA (11/27/2012)(readMedia)-- Sam Moody, of Ellington, Conn., is one of 46 Clark University students selected to serve as a LEEP Project Pioneer - the first class of students conducting projects under LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice), Clark's model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences.

The LEEP Pioneers have been working closely with faculty mentors as well as Clark alumni and organizational partners on projects of shared interest or leading-edge research and analysis. The projects, some of which started this summer, and others which will commence during the 2012-2013 academic year, allow the students to creatively address actual problems and apply their knowledge in authentic workplace settings before they graduate. The LEEP Projects span the full breadth of academic studies, from arts/humanities to natural and social sciences.

Moody designed a collaborative project with Worcester Anti-Foreclosure Team, local ministries and the city of Worcester; the project's aim was to rehabilitate some of Worcester's 600 vacant properties through community ownership programs, or return them to their origonal owners by challenging illegal foreclosures under the state Attorney General's Office HomeCorps Program.

"Clark's LEEP Project Pioneers initiative is the inaugural run for an exciting new feature of our undergraduate curriculum. LEEP Projects provide opportunities for students to blend academic learning with professional development," said Colin Polsky, associate dean for undergraduate research and active pedagogy and associate professor of geography. "LEEP Projects not only allow Clark students to dive deep into a topic about which they are passionate, but also require students to learn how to communicate about the topic to multiple and diverse audiences."

Moody graduated summa cum laude with honors in International Development and Social Change (IDSC) in May. At Clark, he received the IDSC Department's Academic Achievement Award, as well as an International Studies Stream Research Grant, and a Gustaf Carlson Presidential Scholarship. He is a Dean's List student. From January to June 2011, he served as a development and research intern for the ProPetén Foundation, a conservation and development NGO in northern Guatemala where he assisted with a youth scholarship program, a community garden project, and created a website and a web communications strategy for the organization. Moody also researched online fundraising strategies and translated publications.

At Clark, Moody serves on the E-Board of the Student-Alumni Relations Committee (SARC), is a member of Clark's Swimming and Diving Team and of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most esteemed academic honor society in the United States. Moody served as a First-Year Orientation Peer Adviser as well as a member of the Senior Week Planning Committee. He was also the Student Council Representative to Clark's Board of Trustees for two years and worked for the Admissions Office as a Scarlet Key Ambassador.

Moody is currently pursuing his master's degree through Clark's Accelerated B.A./Master's Degree Program.

Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Clark's faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to contemporary challenges in the areas of psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University's motto: Challenge convention. Change our world. www.clarku.edu