Change Maker of the Month

Change Makers are active participants in society accountable to and responsible for the common good. Their willingness to act and ability to lead transforms visions into reality. In doing so, they are able to negotiate diverse views and adapt behaviors to work with others as agents of positive and ethical change.

OLCE’s Change Maker of the Month:

1. Lives out our definition of what it means to be a Change Maker.
2. Has at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.
3. Is involved with at least one or more OLCE program (Leadership Challenge, Service Days, Catalyst, Civic Engagement Academy, etc.).

Know any student who would make a great candidate for Change Maker of the Month? Nominate them here!

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March 2023: Odalis Peralta Paulino

Why Odalis is a Change Maker

Odalis Peralta Paulino is a senior majoring in psychology, and minoring in entrepreneurship. She is incredibly dedicated to the UNCG community, and driven to bring change to the community at large! She is currently in the Bronze Experience in the Spartan Leadership Challenge, and has continued involvement with OLCE’s days of service – serving in Spartan Day of Service for two years, and our latest MLK Day of Service. As an active Spartan, Odalis is a proud member of Sisters With a Vision, and Girls Reaching Out, and holds a leadership role within S.O.C.A (Student of Caribbean Ancestry) as Community Service Chair and Fundraising Chair.

The traits of a change maker that Odalias displays are commitment, community, and controversy with courage. Her nominators say that her traits show up when through her passion for service and volunteering, “while also striving to make a positive impact on those around her and the community as a whole. Odalis’ outgoing personality allows her to network and make connections that transcend the constructed barriers that we all face as global citizens.”

When asked, “why is it important to be a changemaker?” Odalis said the following: “I believe it is important to be a change maker because it creates opportunities to make a difference in the community, and communities outside our own to increase positive change. Any small contribution is a closer step to seeing the change we want to see, whether through service, advocacy, leadership or innovation for social change.”

February 2023: Mulubrhan Kidanu

Why Mulubrhan is a Change Maker

Mulubrhan has made her mark on campus with founding Women2Women Self Defense Course, which she designed to help women protect themselves and create a sense of community. Her nominators (she had two!) described her as “honorable” “hard working” and “amazing at what she does”. She is also a very strong advocate for the promotion of African and African-American studies on UNCG’s campus. 

When asked why Mulubrhan believes being a change maker is important, she quotes, “It’s important to be a Changemaker because there is always room for it if we just observe and educate ourselves about the needs of others. Positive change leads to a better world even if it’s local. The key ingredient to being a Changemaker from my experience is to have unconditional love, passion and patience.”

November 2022: Jesea Littlejohn

Why Jesea is a Change Maker

Jesea is a Change Maker, because she believes in positive social change. From her involvement on campus, to serving in the local Greensboro community, she believes it’s important to contribute towards the growth of our communities. Her nominee and peers will say she is ambitious, driven, caring, and passionate about the work she does while embodying an example of a well-rounded student life. After graduating, she wants to create a long-lasting impact in the field of Computer Science, and represent her family proudly in everything she aspires to do. When asked why she thinks it’s important to be a Change Maker, she proudly stated, “I think it is important to be a Change Maker, because we are the future and the future is going to be the one calling the shots to change the world for the better.”

October 2022: Zaria Bop

Why Zaria is a Change Maker

Zaria is a changemaker because of the dedicated service she does for her community. Zaria holds many of the changemaker traits, but her nominee believes she upholds the trait of collaboration to the fullest extent. Through her work with OLCE specifically she has been able to lead groups of students through meaningful service and reflections. She is also heavily involved with other organizations on campus and always finds ways to enhance the UNCG community!

When asked why being a changemaker was important, Zaria quotes, “I think that it is important to be a change maker to be an example for others to do the same. Everyone is a small but important piece of making change in the community. Even if you think your impact is not making a difference, it is!”

September 2022: Muskan Khadka

Why Muskan is a Change Maker

Muskan displays a prominent passion for civic engagement and voter education. Her nominee described her as “adaptable”, “people-oriented and kind” and “always reliable”. She goes above and beyond in the field of political science through internships and her work as a democracy fellow, and continues to display dedication to her community through the work she does for her fellow students and UNCG community. When asked why Muskan believes being a change maker is important, she quotes, “I think being a changemaker is important because it creates meaningful experiences and interactions. My goal is to always have a positive impact on my community.”

April 2022: Teara Anderson

Why Teara is a Change Maker

Teara shows a clear passion for education in her already extensive involvement while in her first year. Her nominee described her as “highly enthusiastic” and “passionate about making an impact for her students”. She went above and beyond her service requirement while in the Bronze leadership challenge, and continues to display commitment to her community through service and her engagement with leadership week events and workshops.

When asked why Teara believes being a change maker is important, she quotes, “I think it’s important to be a change-maker because that means I can positively affect the next generation and members of that generation can affect more, meaning I can have a long-lasting impact on the world!”

March 2022: Maisha Waafa

Why Maisha is a Change Maker

Maisha shows passion and dedication to service and leadership at UNCG and the greater Greensboro community. Outside of being a junior Biology major, Maisha serves as a Chancellor Student Ambassador, and is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta. She is always looking to grow in new ways as a leader and has engaged in the Civic Engagement Academy, completed the Bronze Leadership Challenge and is currently undergoing the Silver Leadership Challenge. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering as part of the Spartan Spears, serving in the annual Spartan Service Day and MLK Day of Service as well as volunteering at her local American Red Cross center. When asked why she believes it’s important to be a Change Maker, this is what Maisha has to say: 

“I believe leadership has no certain age requirement. Anyone can become a leader as long as they have the potential and the mindset to improve. There is no such things in this world as perfect. It is all bound to trying again and again until we reach the goal. If we want to change something, we must start working for it without expecting others might do it for us. The amount of work we do toward the change does not matter as long as we give the efforts. Once we give the effort toward the change, everything falls into pieces at the end. And that is when we start to improve and develop skills as a leader, as a student, and as a human being.”

February 2022: Olivia-Michelle Goldsmith

Why Olivia-Michelle is a Change Maker

Olivia-Michelle is a first year majoring in psychology. She is an incredibly active and dedicated member of the UNCG community! She has completed the Bronze and Silver levels of the Leadership Challenge program and is a member of the Helping Hands Club and Alpha Delta Pi. As a first year student, Olivia-Michelle is creating quite a presence on campus very quickly! 

The traits of a change maker that Olivia-Michelle displays are commitment and community. Her work with the UNCG community displays her values for creating change through service, and following through with commitments show her dedication to positively impacting the local area. When asked why she thinks being a changemaker is important, she led with a quote from Deke Copenhaver; “If no one tries to change things, things simply are never going to change”. She also had this to add;

“Change making is a choice, a choice I made to be the change I want to see, and I hope to inspire others on my journey. The importance of change-making is to help/guide/inspire others and make them want to make a change. Making change is a positive step forward, even a small change is a step in the right direction.”

November 2021: David Nguyen

Why David is a Change Maker

David is a Junior majoring in Communication Studies who has been chosen as our Change Maker of the Month for his extraordinary leadership with his students. He is known for going above and beyond what he is expected to do and always putting his students first. He’s an exceptional leader demonstrating the 7 C’s of Leadership from the Social Change Model, in particular commitment and collaboration. He is very committed as an educator alongside his co-educator, and shows great passion for mentoring students.

Outside of the classroom, David also wears many hats including a member of the Spartan Orientation Staff, a participant in the Spartans in Dialogue Series, a student in the Civic Engagement Academy, among others. When asked why he thinks change makers are important, this is what he had to say: “I think it is important to be a change maker because through the things you create, you become a role model and thus inspire others to make a difference.”

October 2021: Holden Garrison

Major: International and Global Studies-Concentration in Global Affairs and Development, Spanish and Entrepreneurship Minors
Year: Senior
Involvement:

• Honors College Ambassador
• Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society Member
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Member

Why Holden is a Change Maker:

Holden is an incredibly active and dedicated member of the Lloyd International Honors College and UNCG community. He has completed the Bronze and Silver levels of the Leadership Challenge program and is currently working to complete a community project to earn his Gold medallion. Last year he became a NASPA Certified Peer Educator which enhanced his strengths in educating and organizing his peers. He currently serves as a Peer Academic Leader for a First-Year Experience course in which he advocates and mentors first-year students, and as a Student Reflection Leader, where he supports quality service-learning in a designated course. 

The traits of a change maker Holden displays the most are commitment and common purpose. He is dependable and consistent and demonstrates the ability to break down bigger goals into tasks and processes. In his service-learning role, Holden teaches others and engages in dialogue about service and service experiences. His ability to facilitate and effectively listen contributes to the common purpose of the class.

September 2021: Destiny King

Major: Music Education major, Arts Administration minor
Year: Junior
Involvement:

• Catalyst Leader in the Office of Leadership & Civic Engagement
• University Band Librarian in the School of Music
• VP of Membership for Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI)
• Site Leader for Spartan Service Day (Fall 2021)
• Bronze (Fall 2019) and Silver Leadership Challenge (Spring 2021) Participant
• Member of the Wind Ensemble in the School of Music (Fall 2021)
• Spartans in Dialogue (Fall 2019) Participant

Why Destiny is a Change Maker:

Destiny is currently a Catalyst Leader and was a Spartan Service Day 2021 Site Leader, and SECU Public Fellow Intern serving with SHIELD Mentor Program. Destiny has been thoughtful and creative when building day-long service programs through Catalyst. During her internship with SHIELD this summer, Destiny developed and implemented a photography and videography day camp for youth to learn more about their skills while gaining leadership skills in teamwork and project planning. As a site leader for Spartan Service Day, Destiny was highly supportive and encouraging for volunteers as they worked at their site. She was phenomenal at making others feel comfortable and a part of the UNCG community. Her organization and facilitation skills are on point! She thinks through possibilities and always thinks ahead about the experience students will receive and the learning they will have. She is energetic and engaging when leading groups and is a great role model to those around her.

April 2021: Joshua Burns

Major: History and Secondary Education

Year: Junior

Involvement: Josh is involved with the following:

• UNCG Guarantee Scholar and Cohort Captain
• UNCG Teaching Fellows
• UNCG McNair Program Scholar and Student Ambassador
• Gold Leadership Challenge Participant with SHIELD Mentoring
• NASPA Certfied Peer Educator (CPE)

Why Joshua is a Change Maker

Joshua is currently a Gold student, working with SHIELD Mentoring.  He is using his major of education to help craft curriculum to keep students virtually engaged.  He also represented UNCG at the UNC System Conference and learned about sustained dialogue and how to create change on campus.  Post the conference, Joshua met with some attendees who are now crafting a plan to bring back what they learned to UNCG.  Joshua is also a CPE student and went through training in NASPA on how to be a peer facilitator and will continue his work with OLCE next year.  He is also in UNCG Guarantee and serves as a Cohort Captain in the Guarantee program.  He continues to try new things, seeking ways to grow in his leadership and learn new skills.

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March 2021: Christelle Barakat

Major: M.A. in  Peace and Conflict Studies with a concentration in International Peace Development

Year: Graduate Student

Involvement: Christelle is a member of and volunteers for the following:

• • Circle K Global Leadership Program
  • ACE
  • C.O.N.F.L.I.C.T. Alliance
  • GSA
  • Center for New North Carolinians
    • International Ambassadors

Why Christelle is a Change Maker

Christelle creates positive change through community engagement. She practices this leadership competency by leading volunteers for the UNCG MLK Day of Service and promoting access and integration for local immigrants and refugees through the Center for New North Carolinians.

Christelle increases her Intercultural Knowledge and that of the students she supports as an International Ambassador and a member of the C.O.N.F.L.I.C.T. Alliance. As a Global Leadership Program facilitator, she helps build the leadership skills of international students.

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February 2021: Maitlyn Calhoun

Why Maitlyn is a Change Maker

Maitlyn shows two of our major leadership competencies in the way she leads on campus: self awareness and relationship development. She is starting to recognize her power and potential in the way she connects with and works with others to ignite positive change. In previous semesters she has coordinated efforts around service with her FYE class as a PAL, learning that it can take just one person to inspire many. We are so excited to see what she does with OLCE and across campus during her journey as a leader here at UNCG.

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November 2020: Jocelyn Marencik

Major: Computer Science,  New Media and Design minor

Year: Sophomore

Involvement: Jocelyn is the founder and Initiative Manager of Got Tec, a community initiative which donates and funds needed technology equipment to underserved and underfunded schools. Also, she is the Founder and Initiative Manager of Top of the Rawk Awards. She’s completed her Bronze and Silver leadership challenges for our office and is currently working on the Gold leadership challenge. She is also a member of ACE, the SPEAR club, as well as a founder of UNCG’s Circle K International!

Why Jocelyn is a Change Maker

She has a strong commitment to several of our core leadership competencies: Community Engagement, Intercultural Competence, and Creative Visioning. Jocelyn started her own non-profit, Got Tec, which helps underfunded/served K-12 schools get access to the latest technology to use in their classrooms. For Gold, she is partnering with her non-profit and American Reading Company to continue to offer resources to schools around NC and VA. Jocelyn saw a need in her community and found a way to address it. It’s incredibly inspiring to see such a young person making a huge impact already. She stays committed to her academics while participating in co-curricular programs and running her own non-profit; pretty impressive!

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September 2020: Cameron Farrar

Major: Sociology and Political Science 

Year: Junior

Involvement: Cameron is a Residential Advisor, Democracy Fellow, and Student Coordinator of Peer Education (SCOPE). 

 

Why Cameron is a Change Maker

Cameron has lived out our definition of Change Maker by being an active student leader both in the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement and on campus as an RA. He has spent this year as a Democracy Fellow for our office, teaching students and classes about voting while helping to get our campus ready for the November Election. UNCG is a better place with Cameron’s active leadership! 

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November 2019: Belle Downing

Major: Recreation and Parks Management with a Concentration in Therapeutic Recreation and a minor in Psychology

Year: Junior

Involvement: Belle is a Peer Leadship Educator for OLCE, works for OARS, works as a Spartan Guide for Undergraduate Admissions, and works as the Information Desk Manager in the EUC. She is also an active Chancellor’s Ambassador and on the TEDxUNCGreensboro committee. She is also currently doing the Gold Leadership Challenge.

Why Belle is a Change Maker

Belle lives out the definition of Change Maker daily, demonstrating all of our core competencies. She recognizes that real leadership is a process and is continually looking for ways to expand her personal growth. She facilitates a “Be the Change” workshop series for two different residential colleges in an effort to help them recognize their potential as individuals, their strength as a group, and their community responsibility to be the change we need to see in the world. Further, Belle started what she calls “The Better Humans Project” where she asks students to record their answers to the question: How can someone be a better human? She has been compiling and recording the advice, sayings, and ideas students have shared and is planning to share them with our campus.

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October 2019: Killion Webster

Major: Nutrition and Dietetics

Year: Senior

Involvement: Killion is actively involved in the Gold Leadership Challenge, where she is partnered with A Simple Gesture. She is also an officer in the Food Recovery Network, with the role of secretary. She also volunteers with Recipe for Success through the Anthropology department.

Why Killion is a Change Maker

Killion has lived out our definition of Change Maker by demonstrating skills in both task management and community engagement. According to her community partner, Julia Osborne at A Simple Gesture, Killion jumped into her project and never looked back. She is incredibly organized and is very committed to raising awareness around food insecurity. She has great energy, passion, and exemplifies what is means to be a Gold student.

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September 2019: Jamie Cannady

Major: Dance Studies Major, Minor in Interdisciplinary Art and Social Change

Year: Senior

Involvement: Jamie is actively involved in the UNCG Guarantee program, has completed the Bronze Leadership Challenge and is currently working towards Silver while being a Bronze Leadership Challenge facilitator in the Dance Department.

Why Jamie is a Change Maker

Jamie has lived out our definition of Change Maker by being an active student leader both in the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement and around campus. This year she thought outside of the box and took the initiative to get her fellow dance majors involved in the Bronze Leadership Challenge by bringing it directly to them. She is determined to leave UNCG a better place than she found it and is an inspiration to those around her.

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March 2019: Lex Lee

Major: Social Work Major / Psychology Minor

Year: Junior

Involvement: Peer Academic Leader (PAL) Captain, Peer Leadership Educator (PLE), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship Emcee, and UNCG College of Visual and Performing Arts Dean’s Office Receptionist

Why Lex is a Change Maker

Lex lives out our definition of citizen leadership by constantly looking for ways to help others, whether it be with an assignment or through the struggles of life. Throughout her various on and off campus roles, she is always advocating for diversity and its importance. Her experience with diverse populations and cultures has opened her eyes to the differences between various groups, and how, as a community, we all can appreciate our differences to reach a common goal.

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February 2019: Akecicia Steward & Calyssa Ponder

Major: Akecicia– Media Studies Major/ Theatre, African American Diaspora Studies Minors; Calyssa– Psychology/Sociology

Year: Akecicia– Senior; Calyssa– Junior

Involvement: Akecicia– Catalyst, Vietnamese Student Association, Advocacy for Access, Residence and Housing Association, SID Ambassador, SpartanLink, G.L.O.W dance team and Gold Leadership Challenge – Reading Connections; Calyssa– Catalyst, NBS/NBS Gospel Choir, Peer Academic Leader, TeamQuest, Blair Wisco PTSD Lab, Girls Reaching Out

Why Akecicia & Calyssa are Change Makers

Akecicia and Calyssa are February’s Citizen Leaders of the Month because, together, they strive to be a catalyst for change. These students serve as OLCE’s Catalyst Leaders for the office’s new Catalyst program. Together, these students live out their values by serving community partners, leading with integrity, and working toward making the difference they hope to see in their communities.

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January 2019: Oluwatamilore (Tammy) Ogunkale

Major: Computer Science, Pre-Med

Year: Junior

Involvements: Gold Leadership Challenge- Big Brother Big Sister of the Central Piedmont, African Student Union, & Articulate Poetry Club

Why Oluwatamilore is a Change Maker

Oluwatamilore is January’s Citizen Leader of the month because she involves herself in numerous volunteer opportunities in the community. She believes in leadership through service, so she tries to give back to the community as much as she can. By going through all three levels of the Leadership Challenge, she says she has been able to grow her leadership skills, which in turn makes her a better citizen leader. By being informed, she is able to answer questions that people have regarding civic duties, or she refers them to the Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement. Additionally, she is always open to work with anyone to achieve a common goal.

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October 2019: Savanna Thomas

Major: Community and Therapeutic Recreation

Minor: American Sign Language

Year: Junior

Involvements: Director/Founder of Camp Kesem, Past Student Reflection Leader for Honors Colloquium, Undergraduate Assistant for Community Engagement, Honors student , & Out of School Time Coordinator for the city of Greensboro

Why Savanna is a Change Maker

Savanna is October’s Citizen Leader of the month because of her dedication to serving her community. Through Camp Kesem, she is able to work with a team of individuals who address needs in the Greensboro community by spending several hours each week supporting children through and beyond their parent/guardian’s experience with cancer.

Through our Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement, she assisted with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of service trips, and days of service. Currently, she serves as the Out of School Time Coordinator for the city of Greensboro, which has allowed her to create effective change in the greater community by serving Greensboro’s youth on a broader scale.