Samantha Miles
University of Colorado Denver
Student Support Services
Nominated by Teresa De Herrera Samantha is a graduate of the University of Colorado Denver majoring in Communications and minoring in Political Science. Samantha began her academic studies at the University as a transfer student in spring 2010. She applied and was accepted to the CU Denver TRIO Student Support Services Program at that time. Through the TRIO program, she was assisted in applying to the prestigious Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) program funded through the United Negro College Fund. She was one of 25 fellows selected out of approximately 400 applicants nationwide. Through IIPP, Samantha had the opportunity in summer 2010 to participate in the Howard University, Sophomore Summer Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. taking a highly intensive academic track of classes in international relations, economics and political sciences. She spent the following spring semester 2011 in a study abroad program in Morocco and Tunisia. She was there during the Tunisian revolt and handled the difficulties of that situation with grace and fortitude. While in Tunisia, Samantha facilitated discussions amongst Tunisian women which developed into a research paper on “Women’s capacity building in the democratic transition.” Upon her return to the United States, Samantha spent her next summer 2011 in the IIPP sponsored “Leadership Institute” at the University of Maryland Graduate School for Public Policy where she engaged in an intensive graduate school level program in policy analysis, economics and leadership training. The following fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters were devoted to her studies at CU Denver. In summer 2012, Samantha participated in a CU Denver sponsored study abroad and service learning program called the “Nobel Cause: Peace and Justice in Guatemala,” where she taught English to junior high and high school students. Currently, Samantha works as a Peer Mentor for our TRIO SSS program. In addition to her mentoring duties, she leads the TRIO SSS sponsored Study Abroad and Scholarship workshops. She also is one of two students selected to sit on the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Advisory committee. Most recently, she was awarded the 2013 Sonja K. Foss Award for Academic Excellence for her research, “Women’s Voices Will Be Heard: The Global Feminization of Poverty.” Additionally, she was recently nominated for the CU Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences outstanding undergraduate award. Samantha has been accepted to participate in the Mills College Middlebury Arabic Program in Oakland, CA in summer 2013. She has also applied to the American University in Cairo, Egypt for graduate studies for fall 2013 where she plans to study Television and Digital Journalism. In addition, she is applying for a Fulbright scholarship to begin a project in Morocco to allow for strengthened economic empowerment for women and youth, partnering with the non-profit Greenside Development Organization.
