#act six

"I love being outside and I'm really interested in sustainability," Sophie, a theater major at Bethany Lutheran College, shares. Like the others, she's excited to learn more about what it takes to grow your own food and the work that goes into providing nutritious options.

Anna, who was born in Cuba, applied for the role as a way to reconnect with her home. "Where I grew up there was a lot of farming, but living in the city means I haven't really done that. This helps me feel connected to my family and where I'm from."

The interns will spend the summer tending the various plants and projects on both the Urban Farm in Minneapolis, and the larger farm in Lakeville. They'll learn about cultivation, lead volunteer groups, and run the Farm Stand on the Midtown Greenway. Each intern will also pick a personal project to complete over the summer.

Julia Otten, who oversees the internship program, is particularly excited about the projects. "I can't wait to see what they dream up. I think they'll really make our program even better because they'll have new ideas."

Evelyn, a social work major at North Central University, is eager to see how agriculture can inform issues of social justice. "It's important to know where food comes from," she shares. "A lot of the time you don't think about food as a social work issue, but it is connected to so much of our life."

This is the first year that Urban Ventures has employed Act Six scholars as interns, in a program made possible by a grant from the University of Minnesota. It is a great example of the synergy of Urban Ventures programs and the value of a cradle-to-career pipeline.

Luke Trouten, an Urban Ventures staff member, remarked, "Scholarship recipients who have a good summer job, and are growing food for our neighborhood, including future scholarship recipients- that's some pretty impressive overlap."

The Act Six scholarship is the Twin Cities only full-need, full-tuition, leadership scholarship. Through Urban Ventures, Act Six scholars receive leadership training and academic support during their college career.

Nearly 400 applicants compete for the scholarship each year. Potential scholars are evaluated not only on their academic performance, but on the way they demonstrate leadership skills and the potential to bring change to their community. Once the written portions, in-person evaluations, and nervous waiting are over, we celebrate.

Representatives from each of the six partner schools were onsite to formally welcome the most recent cadre of students. The presidents of Augsburg University, Bethel University, North Central University, and Concordia College were all present, along with the Director of Student Intercultural Programs at University of Northwestern-St Paul and a previous Act Six scholarship recipient representing Bethany Lutheran College.

Ross Allen, president of Bethel University, summed up the feeling of the institutions receiving Act Six students saying, "It is an incredible event. Tonight, it has hit me, what an honor we have to make a difference. And to see you, with such bright futures. We've been praying for you. We're excited for what God will do you through you."

This year's group of scholarship recipients brings the total number of Act Six scholars to 277. Over 70% are the first in their family to attend college. Scholarship recipient Liban Mohamud is one such student. "Both of my parents are immigrants from Somalia and have not had an opportunity for education. So I am the first generation college student, and I want to make them proud," Liban said, "I want to use my education to inspire my community and inspire generations after me to pursue a better life also."

Many scholars speak of wanting to improve life for future generations. Natalia Falgetelli shared why she is pursuing a pre-med degree, "I want to become a pediatrician and show the next generation that they are loved and cared for, and that their life has purpose."

Another dominant theme was the idea of paying forward the benefits of community. Max Lopez shared, "I love my community so much and throughout my life I’ve been able to meet people who have actively shown me how to serve and love. I intend to do that, not only with business and money, but actively walking and talking with people and helping them, the way people did with me."

The celebration was full of cheers and excitement. But it also brought reminders that this is the start, not the finish, of a pivotal process in these young leaders' lives.