Jackie Silva, Rhode Island School of Design

Jackie Silva, a second year student at the Rhode Island School of Design, has been actively involved in community leadership since her first days on campus. Through her work with AS220, a local arts non-profit, Jackie channels her passion for the arts into an instrument for social change. She is deeply involved in both the Alternative Spring Break and the Pre-Orientation Service Experience programs, where she has consistently demonstrated a sophisticated ability to understand root causes of social issues, and thoughtful strategies for how best to address those issues. Her passion for service, combined with her ability to inspire her fellow students to use their unique talents for good, makes Jackie a powerful force in the community. 
-President Rosanne Somerson, Rhode Island School of Design

Attending a Catholic school for thirteen years certainly immersed me in community service, but coming to RISD made it a much more independent venture for myself. At the beginning of this school year, I was a Pre-Orientation Service Experience (or POSE for short) leader, and I had been a participant myself the previous year. This program immerses incoming freshmen into Providence and community service. I’m currently serving as the Community Liaison between RISD and AS220, an artist community in downtown Providence. This involves working with the organization to encourage collaboration with RISD students and to act as a bridge for communication. Lastly, I’m in the process of planning an Alternative Spring Break trip to Baltimore, MD that will happen in late March and focus on the theme of domestic violence as we visit various women’s shelters and other related organizations to raise awareness and take action against this epidemic. I approach each of these programs in a similar manner: knowing and understanding whom you are working with and then taking action. I firmly believe in taking the time and effort to truly understand the causes of the issue at hand so that the community can best work towards solving it.
-Jackie Silva, Rhode Island School of Design