Amanda Gardner

University of Maine at Augusta

Amanda Gardner, a criminal justice and mediation major in our Justice Studies program, has shown a passion for working with vulnerable populations in the criminal justice system. She volunteers with the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, which helps low income families in Maine with civil legal issues, and provides free legal information, assistance, and representation. She has started a weekly mentoring program with women inmates in the Knox County Jail. Ms. Gardner has also helped open Ruth's Haven, a re-entry program for individuals who have been released from jail or prison and have addiction. Through this work, Ms. Gardner seeks to provide a safe environment for people to live and receive support as they transition back into the community. Ms. Gardner hopes to build on this work with the network, skills, and resources she gains as a Newman Civic Fellow. She has our full support. We know she will represent UMA well.

Rebecca Wyke
President
University of Maine at Augusta

Personal Statement

I got involved with helping address the recidivism rate in Maine and learning about the addiction epidemic while growing up. As a daughter of a Correction Officer I would always see the same people incarcerated and saw a need in my community. Growing up my mother would tell me to give people second chances, even coming from jails or prisons. That’s when I knew it was my time to change the outlook on incarnation. I joined a non-profit called Penobscot Bay Ministries where their vision was to open a re-entry house for women getting out of incarnation and become members of our communities again. I took charge of this idea; In August 2017 Ruth’s Haven opened. With a focus on helping women who have addiction to get out of jail and prison and into a safe home, finding a job, and their way back to their children in a safe and supportive way. With the support of myself and the Board, women can help decrease their chances of going back to their addiction or incarnation and instead go back to being members of our community. I have seen the powerful work on how a second chance can change someone's life.

Amanda Gardner
B.S criminal justice and mediation: Class of 2021
written 2020

2020 Fellows Alphabetical by Institution

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Alexander Kaye, U. of Central Florida Miyako Iwata, UC Berkeley M. Chiamaka Okonkwo, UNC Charlotte Noelia Michelle Flores González, Universidad de Monterrey Ashlyn Woods, University of Baltimore Greta Hacker, University of Central Arkansas Christian Coleman, University of Central Oklahoma Hailey Ettinger, University of Colorado Boulder Michael Hernández, University of Connecticut Claire Sullivan, University of Dayton Maggie Nelson, University of Delaware Tarun Ramesh, University of Georgia Gregoria Uroza, University of Houston-Downtown Wasan Kumar, University of Illinois at Chicago Kaitlyn Meyr, University of Kentucky Ana Benitez, University of La Verne Amanda Gardner, University of Maine at Augusta Stephanie Turcios, University of Mary Washington Nihira Mugamba, University of Maryland, Baltimore County(UMBC) Maggie Sullivan, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Danelia Ramirez Aguilar, University of Massachusetts Lowell Jendayi London, University of Miami Meredith Days, University of Michigan Lucy Grimshaw, University of Missouri – St. Louis Kortney Sims, University of Montana Dinesh Karki, University of Nebraska Omaha Alexandra Vergara, University of New Hampshire Keyri Ambrocio, University of New Haven Aryelle Jacobsen, University of North Carolina Asheville Katherine Torres, University of North Georgia Yarik Molina, University of North Texas at Dallas Cole Passick, University of Northern Iowa Evan McKenna, University of Notre Dame Justin Norris, University of Oklahoma Nisha Sridhar, University of Oregon Oluwatomisin Oyedele, University of Pennsylvania Stephanie Rose, University of Pittsburgh TJ Tann, University of Richmond Ana Trejo Aguilar, University of San Diego Evelyn Pedraza Fernandez, University of San Francisco Imani Sherrills, University of South Carolina Beaufort Patrick Mack, University of South Carolina Upstate Reylan Cook, University of South Carolina-Columbia - Columbia, SC Tyus Edmond, University of St Thomas Amber Heidenreich, University of Wisconsin - Superior Shehrose Charania, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tavyonia Davis, University of Wisconsin-Parkside Trenton Ebel, UW Green Bay
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