Whitney Hanson,
Middlebury Freshman
Whitney Hanson is the granddaughter of Martha Ann Zeising Hanson '48. Whitney is a high school graduate of the Shipley School and has been accepted at Middlebury College this fall.
What sets Whitney apart from the other undergraduates is her unswerving devotion to service. The Head of the Shipley History department wrote, "Whitney strength lies in the graciousness of her personality. She is endlessly giving of herself in service to the greater community. ...This innate goodness shines through and makes her universally respected and loved." Whitney believes deeply in "rising to serve" the Bradford motto.
An Active volunteer for Peter's Place, Whitney has been trained as a grief facilitator for children ages 3 to 10 years old. "This experience has been eye-opening for me and I have learned a great deal about myself and how to help children understand loss. ...in order for me to be effective in helping grieving children, it was necessary to learn and accept the reality of my own losses."
Whitney is a national and sectional ranking tennis player who has taken her love of the sport to an entrepreneurial level. "Whit Tennis" is her own homegrown business, teaching tennis to younger students.
Whitney also serves as a tutor in the Bryn Mawr tutoring program for inner-city children, volunteers for the pediatric department at Bryn Mawr Hospital, brings her golden retriever to a local nursing home to brighten lives of the elderly, and heads a school-wide group, Students Organized for Service (S.O.S.). Whitney not only participates in service projects, but actively organizes events and recruits her fellow students to join her.
Inspired by her aunt and uncle serving in Embangweni Hospital in a poor area of Malawi, Africa, Whitney has brought their cause to the U.S. and is organizing numerous fundraising efforts here to support them overseas. Whitney explains, "Their devotion inspired me to help this poverty stricken African hospital. I also wanted to spread my enthusiasm to the Shipley School by presenting slide shows to help the students understand the need for resources and supplies in Malawi, Africa. ...I know that helping others and providing community service will always be an important part of my life."
We must admit, Whitney's enthusiasm and energy are contagious. In the simple praise of her devoted grandmother, "I am constantly amazed at all that Whitney does and is still an unassuming and loving granddaughter." Whitney's passion for service undoubtedly has been inherited through a family that embraces the BAA mission.
We are confident this scholarship will be put to good use as Whitney goes on to serve Middlebury in her pursuit of a career in International Relations.
