Caroline Schiavo
2019
Toxicologists:
The Investigators of Poison
Today, in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates commercial use of harmful chemicals and toxins. In ancient civilization, poisons were deliberately administered to political opponents to overthrow a kingdom. Later on, in Greece, philosophers, physicians and scientists sought answers by studying the relationships between poison, disease, and remedies. Since then, toxicologists investigate poisonous substances to classify, prevent, cure, and set standards of harmful toxins in the environment. The study of toxicology has evolved into many specialties, heavily focused on research advocating for the detection and treatment of human poisoning, particularly with the rise of lead contamination in the twenty-first century. In response to theories and practices in Brush with Death, I will uncover the medical breakthroughs of toxicologists and the correlations of dosage and toxicity. I will highlight pioneer toxicologists in the field that balanced health advocacy with the implementation of occupational limits of lead control. I will also validate the impact of the scientific research that exposed the dangerous lead levels in the Flint water. Toxicologists are of growing importance to society as infrastructure ages and scientific technology brings comprehension to harmful substances, invisible to human vision.
New York Times Opinion Piece: When a Black Student Plays Along With the K.K.K. Joke? What's a College to Do?
As part of my work on the student government resolution "On Changing the Narrative: Regarding Building Names", I got to work with the University's first commission on history and identity. This commission involved memorization and commemoration of University figures. The commission and other racism projects are expanded upon in this New Times opinion piece by President Crutcher on July 16, 2019.
NASDAQ Closing Bell on July 9 with Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation
As a project management intern for the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation this summer, I had the opportunity to ring the NASDAQ closing bell for our 15th annual Hamptons Happening event held on Saturday, July 13, 2019 in Bridgehampton honoring Lidia Bastianich and a slew of other prominent business owners.
Climate Change: Fact or Fiction, Changing the Deniers Mindset
I will argue that American conservative organizations lobby heavily against climate change and distance themselves from the climate change consensus or employ scientists to purposely create conflict among their peers to manifest the smallest discrepancy in scientific reporting. I will also prove this minority of deniers, the “twenty-five percent” of American consumers who doubt climate change because they view that climate change mitigation efforts are limiting, not inclusive of a better society, and communication to promote buy-in is virtually non-existent (Maxwell 2016, 289). In addition, Americans have vast resources available to them and accepting climate change disrupts the American way of life, as chooses appear limited. Climate deniers need benefits expressed to them in ways that are understandable, otherwise, to maintain harmony, deniers will select inaction. Scientists’ conflicting communication is partly to blame, as their reports invite individuals to distrust climate change. The scientific community, public advocates and policy makers need to compose consistent climate change narration and legislation that can convince the eclectic audience of United States deniers the severity of climate change, to focus on realistic and positive benefits, solutions and mitigation.
Student governments joint resolution to change white supremacist building names
Serving as a student government senator, I cosponsored this first historic joint resolution "On Changing the Narrative: Regarding Building Names" with AJ Polcari. This resolution seeks to change building names while adding context to Freeman and Ryland Halls as both namesakes are linked to white supremacy.
Why Food Justice Matters
When It Comes to Toxicity?
Food justice and toxicity should not have borders, yet it appears that their relationship stems from disparities in access to healthy food, most often in low-income, marginalized minority urban communities. Fair treatment signifies that “‘no population, due to policy or disempowerment, is forced to bear a disproportionate exposure to and burden of harmful environmental conditions”. There is a direct correlation between environmental exposure, nutrition, and toxicity levels due to unhealthy eating, which manifests in minority neighborhoods, representing food injustice and civil rights violations. “Access to healthy, nutritious food should not be dependent on geography”, Congressman Donald McEachin representing Virginia’s 4th District stated at a roundtable discussion last spring. The United States Department of Agriculture defines food deserts as areas that have a lack of access to healthy food, mostly discovered in impoverished “low-access communities,” that rely on convenience stores profiting from processed products. These food deserts lack scarcity and low accessibility to supermarkets with healthy choices. “Evolving studies … suggest that diet or nutrition, as well as lifestyle changes, can modify pathologies of chronic diseases, as well as diseases associated with environmental toxic insults”. In connecting food deserts to class discussions, society cannot change the poisoning of lead, but limit exposure to it and lessen its impact through intake of a nutritious diet, “making it more difficult for lead to be absorbed”. This can only be accomplished by investing in programs in minority communities to have physical access to supermarkets, providing healthy choices.
Camp Kesem's 4th Annual Make the Magic raises over $16,000
Camp Kesem at University of Richmond is a chapter of a nationwide community driven by passionate college student leaders that supports children through and beyond their parent’s cancer. As Make the Magic Event Coordinators, Taylor Hoogsteden and I were in charge of planning our 4th annual Make the Magic banquet which was held on Saturday, March 30th, 2019 at the University of Richmond's Jepson Alumni Center. At this year’s event, 128 guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, catered dinner, raffles, a paddle raise, and speeches by counselors and camper families. Over $16,000 was raised during this fundraising night consisting of a dinner, philanthropy, and entertainment to provide year-long peer support and send 100 children to camp.
University of Richmond Burhans Civic Fellowship Program
The Bonner Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) established the Burhans Civic Fellowship Program in 2005 to honor chaplain emeritus Dr. David Burhans. The program provides funding for continuing, degree-seeking undergraduate students completing otherwise unpaid, academically grounded summer internships in the nonprofit or government sectors in Richmond or elsewhere.
Understanding the Nonprofit Sector Course
The Self-Help Myth Book Review
My book review details Erica Kohl-Arenas’ The Self-Help Myth: How Philanthropy Fails to Alleviate Poverty recounting her work in which philanthropy fails to alleviate poverty. She illustrates three case studies in California’s agricultural industry in Central Valley, observing immigrant farmworkers and their communities, during the 1960s, 1990s and 2000s, as well as conducting interviews with nonprofit leaders and foundation executives. These studies are compiled with research conducted during Kohl-Arenas’ time as a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley. The findings reflect the efforts of foundations to provide funding to farmworkers and agricultural communities, showcasing the disparities between collective poverty and economic inequalities. She holds foundations accountable for the growing divide and contradiction that applauds them for alleviating poverty, but prevents marginalized communities from undergoing activism, change, and reform for long term growth and sustainability. Utilizing problem analysis, intervention design, and effective measurements, this book engages in the problem of systematic change, further representing how the landscape for nonprofits is an ongoing life cycle for a civil society. The value of this book serves to educate and inform readers on where the self-help myth fails and to what extent philanthropy is directly and inversely related to poverty and a system of inequality.
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The problem statement in my donor retention annotated bibliography changes throughout as follows is my initial problem statement. Without money or donations, a nonprofit would struggle to survive. Fundraising incentivization is the key strategy to maintain and increase philanthropy. Various methods can be effective whether it be crowdsourcing, major corporate donors, local sponsorships, or individual donations. A lack of data and stewardship may lead to past and current donors feeling less welcomed. The culture and environment must be equitable and inclusive to maintain donor levels, with corresponding benefits. The plan to retain this level of trust and involvement is constant communication to invite contributors to events, send follow up reminders, and personalized thank you letters to ensure donors have an understanding that their contributions are a significant part of an organization’s mission and vision and each and every donation makes a difference.