Maddy Swoy ’15 (a political science major from San Diego, California) spent last summer working for Plant with Purpose. The organization works with rural farmers in 6 developing countries to reconcile poverty issues with sustainable farming practices. Maddy’s internship took place in San Diego, where she worked in marketing and outreach for Plant with Purpose. Her job involved fundraising, coordinating social media, and promoting the organization’s mission at events. Maddy first became interested in social entrepreneurship during her first year at the College, when she took a class in Global Social Entrepreneurship. Since then, she has been looking for opportunities like Plant with Purpose so that she could explore ethical business practices and figure out how to apply them in her future. Her I.S., which will investigate environmental degradation and human rights abuses, is based in part on her internship experience.
Maddy was able to work for Plant with Purpose with the help of an APEX Fellowship. The Fellowship covered the costs of transportation and professional clothing that were necessary to participate in her internship. Maddy recently received another APEX Fellowship for this summer, which will allow her to work for a program similar to Plant with Purpose. She will spend the summer working on domestic rural poverty and sustainability issues, applying the lessons she has picked up from classes at Wooster and experiential learning from last summer’s internship.
By Madeleine O’Neill ’16