As a senior at Miami, Kylie Kakenmaster made a whole new set of friends: sixth graders at Jefferson Elementary School in nearby Hamilton. The students, many of whom come from low socio-economic backgrounds, took part in a program sponsored by their school and by the Buck Rodgers Business Leadership Program in the Farmer School of Business.
Through Kylie’s vision and leadership, the “Buck”-Jefferson project evolved from one in which the Farmer School students provided tutoring and furnished schools supplies for the sixth graders, to one of real interaction and broader learning for all. Her efforts earned her a President’s Distinguished Service Award this spring for “outstanding service to the community.”
The award was much deserved, said Kristine Reid, director of the Buck Rodgers program.
“Kylie helped us realize that we needed to help the Jefferson students envision themselves as capable individuals who had talents worth developing,” she said.
“Because of her passion and commitment to community service and social entrepreneurship, Kylie inspires others and brings about change.”
Bringing about change was exactly what Kakenmaster wanted to do for her new friends at Jefferson Elementary. She believed that having the Buck Rodgers tutors just talk about the importance of academic achievement was not enough: the youngsters needed to see where success in school could lead. Kakenmaster worked with other “Buck” students to bring the Jefferson students to Miami so that they could see a university up close and begin to imagine themselves as college students. The youngsters visited campus twice, their activities ranging from eating a meal in a dining hall to participating in team-building exercises led by their Buck Rodgers mentors.
“I learned so much from helping to design and conduct the Jefferson program this year,” said Kakenmaster. “I was able to apply some of what I learned as an organizational leadership major and work with my teammates to make a difference in the lives of those students.”
Kylie Kakenmaster was one of 17 Miami seniors who earned Distinguished Service Awards. Each received a medallion to wear with their robe during commencement.
