Siobhan Kelley, of Williston, 'paving the way' as one of Clark University's inaugural LEEP Project Pioneers

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Siobhan Kelley is a LEEP Project Pioneer at Clark University

WORCESTER, MA (01/14/2013)(readMedia)-- Siobhan E. Kelley, of Williston, 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.

This summer, Kelley worked as a community engagement intern at Partners in Health, collaborating on the creation of the Community Organizing Initiative. She currently works as the New England regional organizer, overseeing the advocacy, education and fundraising actions of communities across New England.

"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."

Kelley graduated summa cum laude from Clark in May, majoring in International Development and Social Change (IDSC) and political science. She is currently pursuing her master's degree tuition-free through Clark's Accelerated B.A./Master's Degree Program. She is interested in global health and the intersection of gender and conflict, and is currently researching dominant narratives in advocacy campaigns surrounding the DRC. Kelley is passionate about organizing for social change. She spent a semester abroad in Namibia and researched refugee resettlement in her hometown. On campus, Kelley is president of ONE Campus Challenge and of STAND. She is also a member of the Gryphon and Pleiades and Fiat Lux honor societies. She is a Presidential Scholar and the recipient of Theodore Von Laue Undergraduate Prize in International Development.

Kelley is a 2008 graduate of Champlain Valley Union High School; she is the daughter of Peter and Cathy Kelley of Williston.

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