News Release

Class of 2006 Public Service Scholars are honored at reception;
program produced more than 49,000 service hours in calendar 2005

CHAPEL HILL - The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Carolina Center for Public Service honored this year's graduating class of Public Service Scholars at a reception Thursday (April 20) evening.

Family and friends of the 41 scholars who are projected to graduate in May, along with university officials and the community representatives for whom the scholars have worked, attended. Dr. Lynn Blanchard, director of the Carolina Center for Public Service, and Dr. Robert Shelton, executive vice chancellor and provost, spoke at the event.

Enrollment in the Public Service Scholars Program has grown significantly since it began in January 2003, from 52 students to the current 742. The program provides a framework for service, connects students who care about similar issues with one another and guides participants through training that can make their service more effective.

During the 2005 calendar year, Public Service Scholars completed more than 49,000 hours of service. Although the program requires 300 hours of community service, this year's graduates have completed 16,483 hours to date, an average of more than 400 hours per student. Public Service Scholars also are required to complete two service-learning courses and attend skills-training workshops while maintaining a high academic standard.

Graduating scholars will wear Carolina blue and white cords at commencement on May 14 to represent their designation as a Public Service Scholar and will receive an official designation of their public service achievement on their academic transcripts.

Participants have worked in a wide array of efforts and agencies.

"Not only do these students hail from communities throughout North Carolina and around the country, they have worked to make a difference all over the state, the nation and the world," Blanchard said. "From Ahoskie to Zaire, they have represented what is best about Carolina. We have no doubt that they leave Chapel Hill dedicated to continuing that tradition."

Members of the projected 2006 graduating class of Public Service Scholars are listed below, alphabetically by hometown. More information on the public service that each scholar performed and post-graduation plans is available at www.unc.edu/cps/:

North Carolina

Boone:
Stacy Moretz, a nutrition major.

Cary:
Courtney Enlow, an economics and public policy double major.
Kevin Henderson, a chemistry major.
Naman Shah, an environmental health science major.

Chapel Hill:
Josh Glasser, a political science and public policy double major.
Janaka Lagoo, an economics and anthropology double major.

Charlotte:
Katherine Hunt, a journalism and mass communication and Spanish double major.
Kamal Menghrajani, a biology major.
Shannon Ryan O'Shaughnessy, a journalism and mass communication major.

Clemmons:
Joanna Long, an exercise and sport science major.

Concord:
Carrie Gibbons, a biology major.

Durham:
David Edwards, an epidemiology student.

Efland:
Stephanie Poole, a business administration major.

Fayetteville:
Nicholas Minter, a public policy and geography double major.

Greensboro:
Emily Cupito, a public policy analysis and economics double major.

Hendersonville:
Jason Scott Warner, an international studies major.

Kings Mountain:
Kimberly Robertson, a biology and religious studies major.

Raleigh:
Sumeet Banker, a biology major.
Allison Carr, an environmental science major.
Matthew Miglarese, a public policy analysis and political science double major.
Christina Paniccia, a biology and Spanish double major.
Jessica Potter, a journalism and mass communication and Spanish double major.

St. Pauls:
Erin Jane White, an exercise and sport science major.

Spruce Pine:
Christopher Horvat, a chemistry major.

Wade:
Elizabeth Ann McLaurin, a nursing major.

Winston-Salem:
Jennifer Burkey, a communication studies and linguistics double major.
Jeremy Ray, a history major.

Other states:

Arizona:
Megan Holly of Tempe, an art history and American history double major.

Arkansas:
Amy Lambert of North Little Rock, a biology major.

California:
Julia Foster Shalen of Mill Valley, a psychology major.

Florida:
Ian Benjamin Goldfarb of Miami, a philosophy and history double major.
Alexandra Montealegre of Miami, a political science and history double major.

Georgia:
Tracey Allison Steele of Marietta, a business administration major

Kentucky:
Rezwan Ahmed of Flatwoods, a biology and psychology double major.

Massachusetts:
Matthew Saldaña of Lexington, a Latin American studies major.

Michigan:
Jessica Clemens of Rochester Hills, a child development and family studies double major.

Ohio:
Jonathan Saas of Oxford, a philosophy and psychology double major.

South Carolina:
Shanna Jefferson of Allendale, a public policy major.
Meera Shah of Rock Hill, a biology major.

Tennessee:
Mark Laabs of Memphis, an interdisciplinary studies and international studies double major.
Abigail Michaud of Nashville, a business major.

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Carolina Center for Public Service contact: Eileen Hannan, (919) 843-7568 or hannan@email.unc.edu
News Services contact: Deb Saine, (919) 962-8415 or deborah_saine@unc.edu