Good day ladies and gentlemen! I shall be today’s entertainment! Now if y’all were hoping for some of Jaimie’s wise words of wisdom, you’re in luck, because you’ll be getting mine, and they are better. Only kidding, Jaimie’s pretty sweet but if you are a fan of wild and crazy antics in blog form, then I hope you will welcome me to the Senior Blog with open arms. Yes, I might just be talking to myself now but the real fried chicken of this post lies in what I am about to share about two pretty super terrific Midd Grads who are kicking some major cupcake on the non-profit and education front. So, you should check out what they have done and what opportunities there may be in store for you lovely and delicious young people out there:

Career Profile: Piya Kashyap (07) & Remy Mansfield (06.5) from The Modern Story (www.themodernstory.com)

What They Did:

During senior year, Piya and Remy conceptualized, The Modern Story – a nonprofit education program that awards two annual Fellowships to teach digital storytelling workshops with students and educators from low-income, public schools in Hyderabad, India. Remy and Piya wrote the fundamentals of TMS’s curriculum by teaching pilot workshops at two government schools in the greater Hyderabad area. Working with local nonprofit organizations, they were able to identify schools, build community relationships, and lay the foundation for what has become The Modern Story organization. During their pilot semester, students of TMS learned critical thinking skills, group collaboration, and practiced social empowerment through using technology as a tool. After their pilot semester, Piya and Remy structured a fellowship program that would offer recent graduates the experience of working hands-on in international education and community development. TMS’s Fellowship program was launched in 2008 with Middlebury graduates Ioana Literat (08) and Sarah Calvert (08), and continues today.

How They Did It:

Drawing on their experiences at Middlebury, Piya and Remy leveraged their network to collaborate with a leading nonprofit in India to form partnerships with low-income, government schools. Through small grants and mostly donations from the public, TMS grew into a fully funded Fellowship program that annually supports two Fellows to lead the program each year.

Their Mission:

The Modern Story (TMS) is an educational program that introduces digital skills and storytelling practices to youth and educators around the world. Through a fellowship program in Andhra Pradesh, India, TMS positions highly innovative leaders in the classrooms of underserved youth. During a six-month semester, students learn to tell stories of personal, social, and environmental importance through the digital storytelling medium. Additionally, TMS partners with technological initiatives of leading nonprofits and global companies in India to provide training and workshops on the implementation of technology. TMS Fellows work with groups of local educators and their students to find meaningful and scalable ways of “digitizing” standard class curriculum.

Who Are Our Fellows:

TMS Fellows hail from a variety of top institutions, which in the past have included UPenn, Brown, American, Northwestern, NYU, and Middlebury. Fellows have a demonstrated background in teaching and multimedia production, and they have a strong interest in education, international development and technology. Fellows are self-starters, hard workers, and determined, passionate individuals who are looking for an intense and challenging experience. They also know how to “rough” it and live modestly! After completing TMS’s Fellowship, Fellows have predominantly gone on to a variety of graduate programs (Education, Law, Medicine, International Studies, New Media) and other professional fields.

Apply for TMS’s FELLOWSHIP! (www.themodernstory/fellowship)
TMS is now recruiting dynamic individuals from top four-year institutions with strong backgrounds in creative technology and leadership skills, as well as an interest in bridging the digital and educational divide. Fellows will work at government schools in the urban metropolis of Hyderabad in addition to structuring and running workshops with local community organizations based around India.

Concluding remarks from the Career Services Laboratory of Dreams:

So, you’re interested? Totally tubular, dude. Lucky for you, there is an opportunity on MOJO that you can apply for! The deadline is next week, March 15, so that means you have to get those cupcakes in gear and apply or else I am not Rick James. I never really was Rick James but I have been watching a lot of my friend Dave Chappelle’s show lately, so yeah. To apply, check out MOJO at www.middmojo.com or come on in to the Career Services for drop ins Mon-Fri 2-5PM. Boom.