Current Scholars
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Alex Bogdon
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Alex has had a passion for community involvement and public service since he was a young child and is honored to further these passions with the help of the Ingram Family and Ingram Scholarship Program. Alex has a fascination with government and the opportunity it provides to serve people everyday. Inspired by both his parents, and the encouragement and support from those who mentored him at Orlando City Hall, Alex believes that effective and efficient government can not only improve a community, but inspire and empower its citizens to do great things.
In the summer of his sophomore year, Alex served the City of Orlando as a volunteer intern with the City's Economic Development Department. Alex logged over 240 hours of service for the City that summer. While at City Hall, he wrote for the city newsletter and website, interviewing business owners and reporting on city events. He also photographed and catalogued historical homes and properties for the Historic Preservation Board. Observing city council members make policy and meet the public, he learned about the leadership and responsibility necessary to be an effective public servant.
Alex's experience at Orlando City Hall fueled his desire to work in government and inspired him to create a youth civics education program to teach and inspire middle and high school students from disadvantaged communities. During his senior year he conceptualized, organized and implemented the program "Give Kids the Key - Orlando," bringing 37 middle and high school students to City Hall to learn about the roles of the mayor, council members, Economic Development Department, and Families, Parks and Recreation Department. During the one-day event, students participated in engaging, hands-on activities including mock-city council meetings, designing a city park, touring the mayors office, participating in a community service brainstorm session, and touring Orlando's Fire Station One. In a final wrap up session, Alex encouraged students to become involved in service with the City, and become leaders in their own neighborhoods. Alex is excited about making this an annual event at Orlando City Hall and the opportunity to bring the program to Nashville and other cities across the nation to empower and inspire students to become future leaders in their communities.
Living on a small lake for his entire life, Alex is also passionate about environmental conservation and awareness. In the beginning of eighth grade, he became involved with Florida Lakewatch, a volunteer program in conjunction with the University of Florida, in which participants collect lake water samples to analyze and monitor the health of Florida's abundant freshwater lakes. Alex conducted these tests once a month throughout four years of high school. His continued environmental work inspired him to conduct a study on the impact of vehicles idling in fast food drive-thrus for a science fair project in biology class. In the analysis he incorporated research on idling by Professor Michael P. Vandenbergh, Vanderbilt’s Director of Environmental Law. Alex later had an editorial published in The Orlando Sentinel and was asked to speak at an Earth Day Symposium in Orlando on this topic. He looks forward to getting involved with service that supports environmental causes in Nashville. He is also excited about the opportunities Vanderbilt will offer to get involved and learn more about the intersection of his two passions, government and the environment.
In the summer of 2012 Alex is serving as a volunteer intern for the Orlando Mayor's Chief of Staff, Frank Billingsley.
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