Alumni
Michael Feldman
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Throughout high school, Michael's community service focused on educating other teens on issues from dating violence to eating disorders and drunk driving. As a freshman, Michael was selected to be a member of TeenAge Communication Theater (TACT), a teen run, volunteer theater troupe sponsored by Planned Parenthood of North Texas. For four years, Michael performed throughout the city of Dallas at schools, juvenile detention centers, homes for teen mothers, and conventions. During his junior and senior years he was one of TACT's project assistants, responsible for moderating, planning, and facilitating the education portion of TACT performances. In 2008, Michael was elected to serve a one year term as a national co-chair of Planned Parenthood's Youth Leadership Council. Leading a committee of 20 teens from across the country, Michael helped implement "Teens in Action," a nationwide online grassroots movement to encourage teenagers to be tested for sexually transmitted infections.
In addition to his work with Planned Parenthood, Michael combined his knowledge in peer education with two of his friend's interest in business to fight a new deadly drug being sold throughout Dallas called "Cheese." He co-founded a t-shirt company, Big Time Tees, with a motto, "Funny Tees, Serious Problems." Big Time Tees sold over 500 "Don't Use Cheeze" t-shirts, donating portions of their profits to the Phoenix House, a drug rehab center for teens. Also, as an unpaid summer intern at the Dallas Jewish Historical Society, Michael updated the organization's membership database.
Michael is extremely thankful for the opportunity to attend Vanderbilt as an Ingram Scholar. He looks forward to working with and learning from the other Ingram Scholars so that he may effectively serve his communities in the future.