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Rashin Osman is a master of social work and master of science in emergency management major at Millersville University. During the 2021/2022 academic year, he served as the lead for the Ubuntu Leaders Fellows Program. The program focuses on developing projects that set goals for sustainable development. This year, three undergraduate students became Ubuntu fellows and worked with Osman to develop projects that address one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This year’s projects centered around solutions to poverty, hunger, quality education and climate change.
In addition, the Fellows Program was approved to present at the Global Awareness Society International Conference in Salamanca, Spain which took place from May 26-28. “Together, we showcased Ubuntu Leaders Fellows to the world and put Millersville University on the global map once more for its continuous efforts to address the global issues,” says Osman. The fellows, Carolina Hidalgo Ahmed, Niema Abdullah and Katherine McLaughlin had the opportunity to present a collaborative project at this year’s Made in Millersville conference.
Each of this year’s three fellows study different majors at Millersville and were tasked with creating their own projects. Hidalgo-Ahmed is studying social work and created a project which aims to tackle poverty and hunger by increasing the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers in less developed countries.
Abdullah graduated this spring with an early childhood education major. Her critical race theory project addressed the need for quality education by responding to House Bill 1532.
McLaughlin is a junior studying communication. She created the climate action project which raises awareness about the impact of climate change and what we can do to create a sustainable environment.
The Learning Institute is a Millersville program designed to help social work students by offering thematic trainings, workshops, immersion experiences and service-learning opportunities. The institute established the Ubuntu Leaders Fellowship Program to promote global citizenship by teaching undergraduate students about global issues. The fellows attended monthly meetings and project implementation workshops that equipped them with leadership experience.
Additionally, they gained a deeper understanding of global issues and policy through the Learning Institute events. Fellows were able to develop and maintain partnerships with local agencies addressing sustainable development goals in Lancaster throughout the program. After completing the program, fellows gain skills to help serve their communities.
Osman enjoyed the time spent working with the fellows to develop their projects. He cites University president Dr. Daniel Wubah as an inspirational leader for the team. Osman says his collaborators were instrumental in the development of these projects, saying “Ubuntu Leaders Fellows Program is successful because of the combined efforts of our director, myself – the program coordinator, the fellows, their mentors, faculty and the community.”
To read more about the fellows’ presentations at Made in Millersville, visit: https://www.mimjournal.com/ubuntu-leaders-fellows-program
