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FALL 2012 | St. Lawrence University Magazine
One of them is
Kathleen Perkins Col-
son ’79
(
KSP spring ’78). Colson is
founder of the BOMA Project, a Ver-
mont-based organization that supports
poverty alleviation through an innovative
micro-finance and business development
program in northern Kenya. Accept-
ing the University’s 2010 Sol Feinstone
Award for Humanitarian Service, Colson
said “KSP-ers (are) having a tremendous
impact on the continent – from law to
technology to wildlife conservation to
water projects and livestock and com-
munity development. Our influence and
understanding of the continent, gleaned
from a semester of immersion and chal-
lenge, is profound.”
Colson has also created ways for other
Laurentians to exercise their altruistic
interests in Africa. BOMA Fellows con-
tribute to her program, and one of them,
Sarah Ellis '04
(
KSP fall '02), was re-
cently hired as BOMA’s director of new
program development and evaluation in
Kenya. And among BOMA interns in
the U.S. have been
Lyndsay Bisaccio '09
(
KSP Summerterm '08),
Haley Feickert
’11
(
KSP summer ’09),
Carly Pearson
’12
(
KSP spring ’11),
Steve Kiplagat ’12
,
Stanzi McGlynn ’10
(
KSP spring '09)
and
Bond Longley ’12
(
KSP fall '10).
Colson is emblematic of St. Lawrence
KSP alumni whose continued involve-
ment in Africa is contributing to positive
change and improving understanding of
the continent. Evident in their work are
a spirit of cooperation and collaboration,
and palpable enthusiasm for Africa.
Educational
Development
The KSP introduces students to some
of the most critical issues in African de-
velopment and presents an opportunity
to understand how these challenges are
being addressed. Post-KSP, alumni have
become involved with programs and
projects connected to various causes, es-
pecially in educational development:
•
Chris Bunting ’93
(
KSP fall ’91) and
Chachu Ganya ’96
,
a member of the
Kenyan Parliament, co-founded the
Northern Kenya Fund (NKF), which
since its inception in 2004 has sup-
ported more than 400 high-achieving
students in attending secondary school
and college. Also involved with NKF is
Deb Kmon Davidson ’94
(
KSP spring
’93),
who sits on its board of directors.
•
Class of 1998 alumni Joost de Laat
(
KSP spring ’97) and
Caroline Ar-
chambault
(
KSP fall ’96) founded
Africa SOMA in 2005. The education-
focused nonprofit grew out of the work
the couple continued in Kenya follow-
ing their KSP experiences.
•
Kelsey Redpath ’11
(
Kenya Summer-
term ’09) returned to Kenya last fall
as an intern with Education for All
Children (EFAC), working with EFAC
scholars in the Rift Valley. Through
EFAC, Kelsey’s family sponsors a girl to
attend secondary school, a connection
that was the pathway for her return to
Africa.
Public health
Public health is a hot development topic
and a field that many St. Lawrence stu-
dents and KSP alumni are keen on. KSP
independent study placements in public
health and other medically-geared orga-
nizations are also popular. One who's
been inspired in this field is St. Lawrence
Trustee
Amanda Pearson ’92
(
KSP fall
’90),
who recently completed her master’s
degree in public health at George Wash-
ington University. Others have found di-
rection from KSP Co-Director Wairimu
Ndirangu’s community-based summer
course in Kenya, Healthcare Delivery in
a Developing Country:
•
As part of her recently completed grad-
uate studies in public health,
Katrina
Franz ’06
(
KSP spring ’05) interned
in Tanzania with Africa Bridge, a non-
profit that supports orphans and vul-
nerable children.
•
Kristen Cahill ’96
(
KSP fall ’94) is
the medical director of the faith-based
humanitarian organization EQUIP
Liberia. Prior to moving to Liberia in
“
Our influence and understand-
ing of the continent, gleaned
from a semester of immersion
and challenge, is profound.”
-
Kathleen Perkins Colson ’79,
The BOMA Project
Patrick
McLaughlin ’05
measures a new
transect in preparation for
conducting a primate survey
among the calderas of Bioko
Island, Equatorial Guinea.