Several Park Scholars have received media attention in recent months for their work on entrepreneurial initiatives and causes ranging from medicine to girls’ empowerment, the environment, and affordable housing. Read on to learn how they’re positively impacting their communities.

In July, Ricky Bloomfield ‘02 – hospitalist, director of mobile technology strategy, and assistant professor in internal medicine & pediatrics at Duke University – attended a White House event where he and his colleagues were highlighted for their work in the field of precision medicine. Their team has developed a platform that helps patients and doctors work together to improve the recording of family health histories. Check out Ricky’s blog for more about their cutting-edge work and its implications. This fall, Bloomfield and a team of researchers and software developers from Duke University and Duke Medical Center introduced a free iOS ResearchKit app called “Autism & Beyond” to learn more about autism in young children. Hear from Ricky and his teammates about this exciting new app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F62xHXmpkD8&feature=youtu.be

Kelly Cox ‘13, who earned undergraduate degrees in political science and natural resources with a concentration in policy and administration, is currently a Miami Scholar at the University of Miami School of Law. While working toward a J.D. in environmental law and M.P.S. in marine conservation, Cox has served as a legal intern for the Florida Department of Transportation, the Everglades Law Center, and the City of Miami. This fall, Cox led the University of Miami’s Environmental Law Society in an educational kayaking excursion in Biscayne National Park. Find out more about the trip here: http://www.law.miami.edu/news/2015/september/environmental-law-society-takes-high-seas-see-how-laws-affect-local-national

Allison Hauser ‘05, who accompanied the Park Class of 2015 on its senior retreat last year, is the executive director of Girls on the Run NYC and president of NC State’s Alumni Association of New York. Prior to her current role, Hauser, who holds a B.A. in communication and Master of Public Administration from NC State, oversaw the national youth volunteer efforts of the March of Dimes and helped build national partnerships and student involvement. The Alumni Association recently featured her on its blog: https://www.alumniblog.ncsu.edu/2015/08/25/allison-hauser-approaches-her-work-everyday-with-a-quick-pace/

In June, Steven Mazur ‘13 completed his two-year Venture for America Fellowship, wherein he worked for a Detroit internet startup. He’s now working full time on his own venture, Ash & Anvil, a fashion company specifically for men 5’8” and below. Ash & Anvil has received press coverage in dbusiness, Detroit’s premiere business journal, as well as the Detroit Free Press. Find out more about Ash & Anvil’s company philosophy here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/4UgKCrKSEZQ

Dr. Travis Miles ‘07 completed both a B.S. in marine meteorology and a M.S. in physical oceanography at NC State, then went on to earn a Ph.D. in physical oceanography from Rutgers in 2014. Earlier this year he was featured prominently on “Our Rising Oceans,” an episode of HBO’s Emmy-winning news series VICE addressing the effects of climate change. Season 3, episode 23 is available to stream through HBO Now or HBO Go. Watch the episode debrief here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEiETD8HKZA&feature=youtu.be

Sarah Paluskiewicz ‘16 is president of NC State’s student chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Earlier this fall, she and Associate Vice Provost for Student Leadership and Engagement Mike Giancola announced they will co-lead NC State’s and Habitat for Humanity of Wake County’s Build-A-Block initiative – the largest partnership ever between a university and a Habitat affiliate. Find out more about Build-A-Block and how you can get involved here: https://news.ncsu.edu/2015/08/nc-state-habitat-partner-to-build-a-block/