Shelby Margolin, of Danville, 'paving the way' as one of Clark University's inaugural LEEP Project Pioneers

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Shelby Margolin is a LEEP Project Pioneer at Clark University

WORCESTER, MA (01/24/2013)(readMedia)-- Shelby A. Margolin, of Danville, Calif., 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.

Margolin analyzed educational materials created by Facing History and Ourselves, and created a lesson plan for the organization focused on the stages of the final solution. Facing History also facilitated Margolin's individual research surrounding how the Holocaust can be used not only to teach about morals and values, but also as a way to develop critical thinking skills by complicating binaries such as "good and evil" and "right and wrong."

Margolin won the 2012 Hervey Ross Oratorical Contest this fall; she delivered a speech about her LEEP Project with Facing History and Ourselves. Visit Clark Voices to watch the video.

"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."

Margolin is a member of the Class of 2013 at Clark; she majors in International Development and Social Change with a concentration in Holocaust and genocide studies. On campus she is involved with the Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and has helped with the alumni and parent partnership is the Admissions Office. She is a Making A Difference Scholar, a resident advisor and a housing complex manager. She is also the recipient of a Dolan Award and a summer stipend from the Holocaust and Genocide Studies program. In her spare time, Margolin volunteers in the Worcester community in the St. Peter's Mentoring Program, as well as at Jeremiah's Inn, the Main South Community Development Center and at the Donna Kay Nursing Home.

Margolin is the daughter of Zack and Robin Margolin of Dublin. She is a 2009 graduate of Amador Valley High School in Pleasanton.

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