From the president
Samaria Dellorso, a third year student at Brandeis University, is a motivated individual, and someone who leads through example and kindness. Faculty and staff at Brandeis who know Samaria well understand that she is deeply devoted to helping to repair the world, which is one of our university’s founding values. Samaria has been deeply involved in projects that serve the people of our surrounding community of Waltham, Massachusetts, and she is passionate about finding ways to give a voice to the voiceless. This past semester, Samaria led efforts to design a new cohort program, through COMPACT, to meet the needs of other student leaders on campus working in service organizations.
Personal Statement
I believe that in order to create lasting change, we must embrace members of the community who are commonly ignored or excluded from mainstream attention and dialogue. I am passionate about the idea that by leveraging the voices of people who do not have a voice at the table, we can empower all communities. In college I have maintained an internship with a Boston based non-profit organization, We Are Better Together, that works with women who have been affected by community violence, helping them heal and preventing cycles of violence and victimization. I also serve as a coordinator for a service group on campus called Brandeis Buddies, which is dedicated to building connections between Brandeis students and adults in the Waltham area who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through my work with these groups, I have found that the greatest impact is made when we strive for community-oriented solutions that truly engage and collaborate with members of those communities. We cannot solve issues we do not understand, and who understands an issue better than those who are facing it? There is power in connection, and I am passionate about channeling that power to effectively address social issues.