Periclean Accomplishments Brochure

Periclean Scholars at Elon continue to serve and raise awareness about our projects. One of these new tools for awareness is an online newsletter. 

While I have blogged in detail about my experiences with the program, and all of the benefits it has offered to me and the global community, this newsletter distills this information into a 14-page pamphlet. If you are new to my blog, I highly encourage you to read it!

Click the image below to be directed to the Periclean accomplishments brochure.

Donor Acknowledgement - Paul Crowell

I offer my most sincere thanks to Paul Crowell, who, upon learning of my fundraising goal for Project Pericles through running the Marine Corps Marathon, did not blink in showing support.

Paul's donation humbles me because I do not yet know him personally. He is a Vice President at my dad's company. In supporting the efforts of a family member of one of his fellow staff, Paul has demonstrated to me his commitment beyond profit - he is undoubtedly concerned about the people he works with, and the planet he serves on.

Paul exemplifies the spirit of the Periclean program at Elon, in that he gives not only when he feels like it, but when he is called to do so. He knows that giving in this manner makes the most significant difference. By listening to his staff, he allows the Periclean program to listen to our partners and make meaningful contributions in this same spirit.

I was delighted when my dad told me that Paul's son, a high school senior, is considering Elon University as one of his top college choices. If the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I have no doubt that Paul's son will be a great fit in the Elon environment, because he would be actively involved in the campus community. In fact, I think that he would be a great Periclean, because of the manner in which he gives and by considering the family of his work family as not the "other" but as his own.

Paul, I look forward to the day that I get to meet you and thank you in person. Your contribution provides extra motivation to run well in support of Project Pericles.

Thank you, Paul.

Donor Acknowledgement - Courtney Latta

It is an honor to write in acknowledgement of Courtney Latta's contribution to my marathon journey. This is by no means her first contribution to the Periclean program. As a member of my cohort, Courtney remained fully involved and invested in our project's success - from conception through completion and to sustaining it today.

Courtney's contributions are balanced in the best way possible. She is full of adventure - always pushing us beyond our limits and energizing us with stories that make us laugh. Yet, she is also deeply spiritual and uses her values and her knowledge of her place in the world to both propel her further and keep her grounded.

During our undergraduate career, Courtney was fully immersed in the mission of Periclean Scholars. She was a constant source of ideas and inspiration for developing the project. She invited her father, a doctor and model global citizen who is connected to Haiti, to serve as a Periclean Scholar-in-Residence. She was the only student to travel to Zambia twice - both on the information gathering trip in May 2008 to Kaoma Village in the Western Province, and on the build in January 2009 to Kawama Village in the Copperbelt Province. She is featured in our video postcard, produced in summer 2008.

Courtney dedicated her life after Elon to service, as well; she served with the Children's Nutrition Program (CNP) in the village of Leogane, Haiti. Even after living through the earthquake, she put the interests of the organization and those she served above herself; she did not stop her work with CNP. She lived out her commitment to others, proving that, even though the time to give the most of yourself is when it is most difficult, it is then that it is the most necessary.

The Class of 2015 will be focusing on Haiti. Courtney's experience after Elon in Haiti will be an incredible resource for this class. Her involvement in the Periclean program, and her desire to see all projects succeed and be sustained, gives me confidence that the newest class will accomplish much. With her on our team, Pericleans have a fierce ally and advocate.

In Courtney I have a friend, a classmate, a role model, a supporter, and more. I am fortunate to have her in my life and humbled that she has contributed toward my goal.

To conclude, I will place under the cut a poem that Courtney sent to my class - a poem that I think exemplifies her nature beautifully.

Thank you, Courtney.

9 Mile Run - Saturday 9/24

This past Saturday, I returned to North Jersey and completed a long run that was exceptionally short, by my standards. That being said, this stepback week was needed, and this was no time to get restless. The week of 9/11-17 and 9/25-10/1 are both peak weeks for me - that is, 52 miles in one week and a 20 mile long run.

The 9 mile run started in Hawthorne and took us through downtown Glen Rock, up Maple Avenue, through downtown Ridgewood, into Midland Park, and back down Goffle Road to return to Hawthorne. The Hawthorne area was one that I became more familiar with over the weekend, as it is Jason's hometown. Even though it is only 10 minutes away from my hometown of Oakland, I only spent time there as a child at the movie theater and the Dunkin Donuts. Unfortunately, I stopped at neither during my run! However, I did pass the Dunkin Donuts, which brought back some great memories... both of when I used to be a kid, and of when I ate baked goods.

Heading through familiar downtowns, I kept my eyes peeled for familiar sites. One of those was the Country Pancake House in Ridgewood. I recalled how the good cross country runners in high school would run from the high school to this restaurant and devour the massive pancakes as a post-run treat. I might not have been good enough to do that then, but I certainly would be now!

As in my previous North Jersey run, I learned once again that we runners are spoiled in Northern Virginia. The sidewalks were nonexistent in many places. When the roads transitioned from one town to another, the sidewalk would abruptly end on one side of the road and resume on the other side. In spite of this, I never felt like I was in danger. The streets were devoid of traffic on that Saturday morning.

Of all of the places where we could have planned long runs in North Jersey, this run took me through the same intersection in Midland Park (Goffle/Godwin) that I ran while on my 17 mile run. Whenever I go home, I always say that things change - but I cannot say that this is true about this intersection, since I was just there a month and a half ago.

One of the perks of a shorter long run was that I attempted different fueling than normal. I traded my Powerade for some Gatorade, and I ingested a mountain berry flavored Clif Shot Block for fuel. I did not drink as much liquid as normal, so I cannot tell if the Gatorade swap was fruitful. However, the experiment with the shot block did turn out well; it gave me a slight energy boost, which, during the marathon, could prove crucial. I think I will continue to experiment with these in my final weeks of training.

I valued the sightseeing in this run and the opportunity to soak in and enjoy the experience on a shorter long run. Training is now kicking into as high of a gear as it can get, as this is the peak week for my training. Today, I did 7 in the morning and 6 at night, for a total of 13. I will log 20 miles (minimum - perhaps 21 or 22) on Saturday. My body has done it once before, and doing it again will reassure me that I am ready for this marathon.

Back to Blogging

Friends, family, and fans:

I apologize for the lack of posts in the past few days. I was out of town on a fantastic long weekend adventure. In the next couple of days, I am excited to catch up and write about Saturday's run, Periclean inspiration, and my friend, Courtney, who will receive a glowing donor acknowledgement.

These entries will be written and posted starting tomorrow. For now, it is bedtime. Hope everyone had a great weekend, and I hope you enjoy my entries this week.

Donor Acknowledgement - Amanda Nieman

This acknowledgement is in honor of Amanda Nieman, who has shown to me how dedicated she is to the Periclean mission by going beyond the call of duty at work and through service.

As a Foundation Fellow at The Redwoods Group, Amanda was eligible to participate in the 2009 Zambia Periclean experience. She was selected, and during the experience it was easy to see why. Like fellow Redwoods employee Dan, Amanda showed she was adaptable to change, eager to work with college students and Zambians, and dedicated to the Periclean ideals. Amanda’s easygoing, open-minded nature earned her the trust and respect of all she encountered. She took her responsibility seriously and openly shared her heart and talents with team members and future homeowners.

Amanda's dedication to Periclean service continued last September, when she worked with Periclean Scholars for the Schools of Chiapas in Chiapas, Mexico. This project is the focal point of the Classes of 2008 and 2013 and is a model of Periclean sustainability. It is only fitting that Amanda, an individual who is dedicated to a life of service, would continue to support Periclean work at a site that epitomizes long-term Periclean sustainability.

Because of the model global citizen that Amanda has shown herself to be, I am honored to accept her contribution toward my personal goal of raising funds for the PSAA through marathon training. Amanda, your support means so much more because it comes from a person with your dedication to the Periclean ideals.

Thank you, Amanda.

Training for Trusteeship PSAA Participants: Lampert '11 and Lee '11

Kudos and congrats to Jesse Lee and Natalie Lampert, members of the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association and part of the Sri Lanka cohort, for participating in the 4th annual Training for Trusteeship Program in Sri Lanka.

The program, sponsored by the Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education & Research, encourages young activists to "do what they can as individuals and future leaders to change their countries for the better by working across the cultural, religious, disciplinary and institutional divide in serving their communities".

I am honored to be raising funds for the program that helped to nurture their passions and talents, that helped them to grow from students curious about faraway lands to ambassadors of global change and environmental sustainability. Their plans to continue volunteering in Sri Lanka, even after graduating from Elon and participating in this forum, have convinced me that their connection to Sri Lankan communities is deeply rooted, one that will not wither after graduation. Their enthusiasm for active, informed global citizenship will continue to impact others in countless positive ways.

Click below to read the E-net article by Eric Townsend.