Heartland Whole Health Institute and Alice Walton School of Medicine
Bentonville, Arkansas
Scholars
Anna Casto ’27, Silas Durham ’27, Laura Martin ’27, Anand Medlery ’27, Sophia Moloo ’27
Hosts
Deven Daehn and Ken Hopper
Heartland Whole Health Institute strives to broaden access to healthcare in the Heartland by catalyzing new delivery models, using whole health principles, that can be replicated to disrupt the national healthcare system. The scholar team considered ways to use art and aesthetics to promote healthy eating, nutrition, and positive dietary behavior change.
*San Diego Housing Commission
San Diego, California
Scholars
Steven Alonso-Echegaray ’26, Ty Besses ’27, Gala Hermer ’27, Catherine Tiddy ’27
Host
Jon Rios
The San Diego Housing Commission is a model public housing agency, creating innovative programs that provide housing opportunities for individuals and families with low income or experiencing homelessness in the City of San Diego. This team worked to improve the current community garden in one of SDHC’s low-income housing complexes.
*The Justice Journey Alliance
Chicago, Illinois
Scholars
Kamryn Burton ’27, Cayden Hammonds ’27, Christina Huang ’26, Kira Isenhart ’27, Will Walker ’27
Host
Rev. Cheryl Cornelius
The Justice Journey Alliance, Leadership Foundation of Chicago (JJALFOC) seeks to offer opportunities for people of all races to come together to address race relations and social injustices. Morehead-Cain Scholars helped JJALFOC explore ways to promote youth engagement and involvement in racial/social justice movements.
The Future of Belonging for Youth in Calgary
Alberta, Canada
Scholars
Jamison Drayton ’27, Mira Gowda ’27, Letrell Grady ’27, Maria Muiruri ’27, Isaac Watkins ’27
Hosts
Jason Cameron and Heather Galbraith
The City of Calgary is facing a massive dilemma: Young people, particularly those aged 25 to 29, are leaving the city (and province) in droves. Despite a booming economy, having the third most diverse population in Canada, and the biggest music festival of the year, Calgary has been unable to attract many outsiders to move or retain natives to stay. The team of scholars was asked to investigate how the city might create a sense of belonging for youth to substantially improve youth retention by 2035.
City of Lexington Office of Equity
Lexington, Kentucky
Scholars
Maxwell Andrews ’27, Christopher Arraya ’26, Mae Brockman ’27, Raina Sohur ’27, Alyssa Williams ’27
Host
Tiffany Brown
Underneath the veneer of Lexington, Kentucky’s tourist triad (horses, bourbon, basketball) lies a fascinating yet complicated past and present. Working with the Office of Equity and Implementation, scholars were tasked with creating an equity profile in the city. By speaking with community stakeholders, ranging from seniors living in affordable housing to art museum curators, the group identified and proposed solutions to equity challenges within the city.
Baltimore Women’s Commission
Baltimore, Maryland
Scholars
Ja'Khari Bryant ’27, Saudah Jannat ’27, Neharika Kodali ’26, Case Maddox ’27
Hosts
Jill Muth and Khadeja Farahmand
The Baltimore Commission for Women is a community resource established to assist city residents in accessing information and services intended to improve their lives and the lives of their families. This scholar team explored the topic of cardiovascular health among women in the city and made suggestions for how to increase healthcare access regarding the subject. The group piloted a healthcare screening event along with a community center and a mobile health organization.
Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County
Annapolis, Maryland
Scholars
Brady Andrew ’27, Lilli Brooks ’27, Nandini Kanthi ’27, Derek Peng ’26, Catherine Scott ’27
Hosts
Mary Spencer and John Rodenhausen
The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County promotes philanthropy and helps identify critical needs in Anne Arundel County. This team of scholars interviewed community stakeholders and investigated opportunities to improve collaboration, grant making, and advocacy among nonprofits in the area.
*Corewell Health
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Scholars
William Cook ’26, Virginia Ogburn ’27, Lydia Owens ’27, Josiah Young ’27, Hazel Wu ’26
Host
Michael DeWilde
Corewell Health is a nationally ranked healthcare system with locations all across Michigan. This scholar team investigated Corewell’s digital health resources to consider how the company can better serve marginalized communities, specifically in Grand Rapids.
City of South Haven
South Haven, Michigan
Scholars
Ajier Awan ’27, Guillermo Estrada ’27, Raygan Hawkins ’27, Rhys Mondano ’27
Host
Griffin Graham
South Haven, Michigan, is a charming, award-winning beach town off Lake Michigan. This team worked closely with the South Haven Parks and Recreation Department to consider plans for a new 50-acre park that city officials hope will help attract and retain young professionals with growing families.
*Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Scholars
Atef Mohamed ’27, Anisha Musti ’27, Alexandra Newmark ’27, Alena Thomas ’26, Varun Varadarajan ’27
Host
Buff Grace ’91
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues in our society, as it impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. This scholar team sought strategies to help individual homeowners implement strategies to improve energy efficiency.
*City of Albuquerque Mayor’s Office
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Scholars
Abbey Beebe ’27, Kassandra Ciriza-Monreal ’26, Daniel Espinosa ’27, Diamond Moore ’27, Yoyo Zheng ’27
Hosts
Liz Kistin Keller ’04 and Dionna Arellano
The City of Albuquerque is a local municipal government located in New Mexico. It is the largest city in New Mexico and currently ranks as the thirty-second largest city in the United States. This team worked closely with the city to centralize an internship program guide that includes suggestions for recruitment, onboarding, training, problem solving, support, and evaluation.
*PolicyBridge, Inc.
Cleveland, Ohio
Scholars
Katherine Guittari ’26, Amanda Jesuca ’27, Nana Kofi Oduro-Nyaning ’27, Giang Pham ’27, Oni Terrado ’27
Host
Randell McShepard
PolicyBridge is a nonpartisan, African American-led public policy “think and action tank” that researches and sheds light on public policy issues affecting underserved populations.
*The Enterprise Center
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Scholars
Samantha Chavis ’27, Matthew Grady ’27, Allyson Horst ’27, Laci Mitchiner ’27, Shiva Rajbhandari ’27
Hosts
Geoff Millener and Mary Helen Montgomery
The Enterprise Center works in various spaces throughout the City of Chattanooga and was one of Morehead-Cain’s original Civic Collaboration partners. The 2024 team incorporated the human-centered design approach to propose ways for the city to develop a sustainable and immersive culture of youth civic engagement.
Mayor’s Institute for Excellence in Government
Memphis, Tennessee
Scholars
Josephine Blackman ’27, Charles McCain ’27, Lulu Sasz ’27, Daniel Simon ’26, Derrian Wilson ’27
Hosts
Courtney McNeal and Jessica Lotz
Memphis is a city with a rich cultural heritage and a strategic economic position along the Mississippi River. Despite many advantages, Memphis has long struggled with significant housing challenges. Economic shifts, demographic changes, and policy decisions have exacerbated these issues in recent years. This scholar team researched potential options for an annual, dedicated funding source for the Memphis Affordable Housing Trust Fund (MAHTF).
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Nashville, Tennessee
Scholars
Chandler Beals ’27, Marli English ’27, Benji Garland ’27, Jay Sedam ’27, Addison Truzy ’27
Host
Stephanie Coleman
Nashville is one of the most recognizable destinations in the world, and its atmosphere is upheld by the relentless creative community. Due to the rising cost of living, creatives are being pushed to the city’s outskirts or other cities altogether. This team considered strategies and solutions to support Nashville’s creative community amid economic pressures.
* Connection made through a Morehead-Cain Alumnus
Global Perspective
Rising junior and senior scholars are challenged to design a global summer experience of their choice, combining learning, service, and purposeful travel.