For the second year consecutively, Unity College students Terri-Lynn Fowler ’12 and Ryan Green ’12 have been named Osher Scholars for the 2011-2012 academic year.
They are strong re-entry students at Unity who are highly engaged in a variety of community service activities, have excelled in academics, and contribute to co-curricular activities that enrich student life on the Unity College campus.
Green is a former chef who developed a concern for food production, security, and means of production. He considers the education he is attaining as an agriculture, food, & sustainability program major at the College to be the logical next step in his career.
“Learning to grow food is a natural next step in my love of food and cooking,” Green said. A non-traditional student from Bradenton, Florida, Green was attracted to Unity because it is “situated in a hot-bed of small, organic farms, embraces sustainability principles and practices, and is right around the corner from MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association).”
Soon after beginning his studies at Unity College, Green emerged as a valuable volunteer to community programs such as Unity Barn Raisers’ Community Meals and Veggies for all.
Fowler is a mother of two children who is working toward a degree in Environmental Education with a certificate in Teaching and Learning. She is a registered Maine Guide and advocate for women and youth.
She has stated that it is her mission to bring more women and children into the natural world to guide them to achieve self-discovery and personal growth. In her community she has partnered with the local school district and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H Program to initiate Nature for LIFE, an afterschool enrichment program for local youth.
Fowler is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer, Wilderness First Responder, and is trained in Swift Water Rescue.
The awards to Green and Fowler are made possible through the generous support of The Bernard Osher Foundation based in San Francisco, CA. The Foundation provides post-secondary scholarship funding to colleges and universities across the nation with special attention to re-entry students. Osher Scholars at Unity College are re-entry students chosen by the College’s Selection Committee based on their previous academic and professional record, their motivation for returning to college, and financial need. Each Scholar receives a $5,000 scholarship as part of their award.
Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources. Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.
In 2011, Unity College was named to the top 30 of the Washington Monthly college rankings, and was one of eighteen U.S. colleges and universities named to The Princeton Review’s 2010 Green Rating Honor Roll.
