By Alice Berry, vfu6kd@virginia.edu
From helping students graduate high school to encouraging women to vote, people across the University of Virginia’s Grounds are making the Charlottesville area a better place.
Between teaching, research, studying, and extracurriculars, members of the UVA community stay busy. But many, like McIntire Professor Bevin Etienne, still find the time to get involved off Grounds. For Public Service Week, UVA Today recently highlighted five people from the University who are making extraordinary contributions to their communities: Etienne; Associate Professor of Public Policy Brian Williams; Director of Instruction at the Center for Politics Meg Heubeck; third-year Politics student Leah Carroll; and Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences and Associate Dean of the UVA Office of African American Affairs Kelsie Kelly-Smith.
Read more about these dedicated Hoos in a story originally published on UVA Today Oct 10, 2023.
At the Fountain Fund, Bevin Etienne helps formerly incarcerated people reenter society. (Photo by Erin Edgerton, University Communications)
Bevin Etienne
Role at UVA: Assistant Professor in the McIntire School of Commerce
Volunteer organization: Fountain Fund
Why did you become involved with that organization? My success in life can be credited to people (family, community, good-hearted people from all walks of life) taking the time to engage and, in some instances, be my mentor as I journey through life. When I found out about the Fountain Fund and was asked to be a board member, I immediately saw this as an opportunity to be on the other side of the equation.
Tell me about a time when you knew you were making a difference: Reentry from prison can be a serious challenge for individuals who have limited access to financial resources. Things that are sometimes taken for granted, such as paying the transportation cost for gainful employment, can be insurmountable for some reentry individuals. Having witnessed how the Fountain Fund steps into these spaces and not just provides the financial resources, but works closely with these individuals to enable them to build their credit and achieve financial growth, is truly remarkable.
What would your walk-up song be? “Never Give Up” by Chronixx
