Kristin Bishop
Bowdoin College![](https://compact.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/44536488_kristinbishop.jpg)
Kristin Bishop, a current junior at Bowdoin College, is passionate about education and public policy. Her exploration of these topics has included service on the Maine State Board of Education, participation in the National Youth Advisory Board for State Farm Insurance Company, which distributes $5 million dollars in service learning grants to communities, and leadership of College Students for College, a volunteer group that works with at-risk students to increase post-secondary education goals. She is currently conducting an independent study researching the state of civic education in American public schools with a particular focus on Maine policy and laws, and as part of the course, she is teaching fourth grade students in a local school about American government and democracy. Kristin's profound enthusiasm for public service and education policy drive her to use her own education for the common good.
Personal Statement
I am driven by a desire to make a difference in my community and to lead a life of service. In high school I became particularly passionate about educational policy issues and the power that education can have in transforming the lives of others. Having served as a member of state and national boards addressing educational policy issues, I have been able to pair my knowledge of how policy and law is created with my passion for volunteerism and civic engagement. As the campus leader of a college aspirations program and a member of numerous other volunteer efforts, I am able to work with young people to help them gain the tools and resources they need to achieve their educational goals. Most recently, I have designed and implemented a service-learning project in an elementary school aimed at teaching young children about civic engagement and democracy. My passion for policy and legal analysis allows me to situate the volunteer efforts I lead into a larger policy framework and gives me the privilege of using my education to translate community issues into lasting, positive change.