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Class of 2012
College of Arts and Sciences
Hometown: Armonk, NY
In high school, Ethan was very involved in community aid projects focused in Nicaragua. He has completed 6 service trips to Nicaragua since February of his Freshman year, including leading his own trip of 14 students and parents from his hometown to the village of Guanacastillo this past summer. His trips run through the organization, Bridges to Community, and work in impoverished rural villages building houses to help supply very needy families with a safe and dignified place to live. Ethan has directly helped with the construction of 19 houses, as well as played a minor role in the construction of another 7 houses. Ethan has fundraised over $40,000, to aid in the construction of these houses, supply the funds for the construction of a potable water well in a neighboring village, build latrines, purchase stoves, sponsor a classroom textbook set, and pay for a teacher’s yearly salary. But the majority of his fundraising has gone to support the construction of a community center and paved roads in the village which he worked his first 3 trips: Las Enramades. The community center completely transformed the village and houses the village’s female sewing co-operative as well as other groups on Bridges trips.
Ethan, also helped to start a Darfur awareness group at his high school after attending a Darfur related seminar hosted by Don Cheadle. In addition he has helped organize a Christmas toy drive the past 4 years to his local Children’s Village, delivering toys to orphaned or troubled youth. At his temple, Ethan served as the social action president on the youth board, helping organize various service projects and discussions.
Ethan is honored and thrilled to be an Ingram Scholar, and hopes to be able to incorporate his interest in medicine in his future service endeavors. As a result of a life threatening case of pneumonia that required his hospitalization for 22 days in November of 2007, and a corrective surgery, Ethan has realized the drastic need for international healthcare and hopes to continue on to medical school after his undergraduate study at Vanderbilt. |
