Ophelia Akoto and Amanda Cruce have been awarded International Public Service Project Scholarships from the Lauren T. Remedios Foundation for their field service projects this summer.
Akoto, partnering this summer with Vital Voices Global Partnership, and Cruce, who is working with the Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement, are the first Clinton School students to receive scholarships from the Lauren T. Remedios Foundation.
A 2014 graduate of the Clinton School, Lauren Remedios passed away in March 2020. Dr. Craig Seager, Lauren’s husband and father of their two children, launched the foundation in her name in April 2021 with the mission to help support causes and organizations that were meaningful to Lauren.
Because of the impactful experiences Lauren enjoyed during her Clinton School field service projects, Seager decided that the foundation’s initial scholarships should be dedicated to funding field service projects.
“We had some quality, competitive applicants which made for some really tough decisions for the Scholarship Review Committee,” said Seager. “The Lauren T. Remedios Foundation is excited to be able to support these two scholarship recipients and looks forward to highlighting their important work upon project completion.”
Akoto, a native of Kumasi, Ghana, is working with one of the Vital Voices’ signature programs: Vital Voices Grow. She is conducting an impact evaluation through in-depth interviews and surveys on the program’s impact on businesses and women leaders before and after the outbreak of COVID-19.
“I was very excited,” Akoto said of receiving the news that she would be awarded the scholarship. “I read about Lauren’s life and work, and just seeing what kind of a public servant she was, and being awarded a scholarship in her name, it makes this a real privilege and honor. I still can’t find the words to express how I feel.”
Cruce, a native of New Orleans, La., is conducting research on community policing, restorative justice programs, and teen and community alternative courts with the Arkansas Peace and Justice Memorial Movement. She will help produce a toolkit for future implementation of programs for the 12th Street Corridor Community.
“This scholarship gives me the life line to continue working to help make Little Rock and the world a little better by helping to create more just, healthier, and safer communities for all people,” Cruce said. “It is an absolute blessing and privilege to have received this opportunity and gift.”
The Lauren T. Remedios Foundation will begin accepting applications for Capstone scholarships starting July 15, and applications for Second Year Student scholarships starting September 15. More information on the scholarships and links to apply can be found here.
Students can also email Seager at cseager@laurentremediosfoundation.org for more information.
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