Christi-Anne Beatty
Cottey College
Christi-Anne Beatty, a second year student at Cottey College, has a passion for diversity awareness and intercultural understanding reflected through her service, leadership and engagement in the community. This compassion led her to serve with the Alliance for Immigrant Women; listening and translating immigrant stories from Somali participants. Additionally, she prepares and serves traditional Somali dishes at the annual Cottey College Multi-Cultural Festival. Ms. Beatty fosters cultural understanding among rural, elementary students through the service-learning program, STOMP (Students That Open Minds to Possibilities) and by volunteering as a summer reading program assistant with the Kenton County Public Library. She cultivates awareness by teaching basic American Sign Language to area Girl Scouts and providing dinner services to children at the Buenger Boy's and Girl's Club as a volunteer. During the past two years, Ms. Beatty has assisted with the planning of the Community Chapel Service as part of MLK Day of Service activities, as well as participated in MLK Day of Service projects. Through her desire to increase cultural awareness and understanding, she has been influential as a student leader with the Cross Generational Sharing Project, a campus/community partnership to reduce isolation and depression among residents of senior care facilities.
Personal Statement
In regards to civic responsibility and community service, I feel that my passion was developed at a very young age. As a child, my mother took me with her to help at various community events. Consequently, the value of community service was instilled in me at a very young age. As I grew older, I developed a stronger sense of issues faced in my community. Exclusion particularly is an issue that I feel needs to be addressed in today's society. I have grown deeply in my passion for community service through talking with people and learning their stories, and going on this journey together. Whether playing bingo with the elderly in residential care, listening to and translating stories of immigrant women, or teaching American Sign Language to Girl Scouts, I hope that I've helped connect people in my own way, and inspire others to someday really end exclusion.
