Samantha Lee ‘17 inherited a desire to engage in the community from her mother. Growing up in Hopkinton, Lee was active in her church and took part in a service project to reconstruct homes that had been ravaged by tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Biloxi, Mississippi. She helped bring new hope where there was only devastation. “That was my first introduction to the value of service learning,” the now 22-year-old Lee remembers.
Westfield State encouraged and exponentially enhanced that foundation. Lee was one of two salutatorians for the Class of 2017, graduating with a 3.99 grade point average after double majoring in liberal studies and elementary education with a concentration in reading. And while excelling academically, she also held many leadership roles, among them serving as a student ambassador, and as co-president of Relay For Life of Westfield State University, helping to raise $180,000 for the American Cancer Society by networking in the Westfield community to draw in new participants.
Lee also volunteered in Nicaragua on service learning ventures and enjoyed the combination of global education and volunteering in her own backyard. “The vast opportunities and diverse organizations and connections at Westfield State contributed to my leadership growth,” she says, noting she learned at the University that being part of a community is about giving as well as being open to what is unfamiliar. “I learned I have to take in new cultures, views, and practices. I learned firsthand about the growth that happens when people are open and willing to simultaneously give and grow.”
Lee’s own giving and growth would not have been possible without the Westfield State Foundation, which she says offered her extensive financial support in the form of merit and other scholarships. “That allowed me to spend my time focusing on developing community rather than stressing over student loans,” she says. “I am incredibly thankful to the Foundation for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to grow as a leader.”
Two days after graduating in May, Lee set off on a trip to visit 10 European countries in 10 weeks with her sister Veronica and her best friend from high school, Mikala. She also reunited with friends she made while volunteering in Nicaragua. When she returned in August, Samantha headed to San Francisco to accept a teaching position with AmeriCorps. “I’ll be working at one of the elementary schools, teaching in the school garden about community, science, healthy eating, and sustainability,” Samantha says. “I’m thrilled.
“My ideas about education have changed since I started at Westfield State, and, in turn, these ideas have impacted the kind of educational professional I want to become. I want to teach in an environment that constantly encourages inquiry-based, hands-on learning. I want my students to be encouraged to ask questions, make mistakes, and create new understandings.”
Samantha also hopes to inspire others to live into service. “I would love to share what I’ve learned with others,” she says.
