Past Winners
Below are previous winners of the Stewart Family Serviceship Award. Since 2021, the
serviceship has supported numerous University of Wyoming students.
"Bee the Scientist" Project
Sabrina White, a third-year PhD candidate in Ecology and Evolution at the University
of Wyoming, has been awarded the 2025 Stewart Family Serviceship Award for her "Bee
the Scientist" program. The program, which promotes scientific engagement and pollinator
conservation, focuses on senior communities in Wyoming, a demographic often overlooked
in scientific outreach. White will receive $5,000 to expand the program, which has
already reached 149 participants across eight counties. The workshops involve building
bee houses, creating wildflower seed bombs, and using Arduino-based weather stations.
The funding will support supplies for 75 additional participants, extend the program
to more senior centers and Master Gardener clubs, and contribute to White's doctoral
research on the program's impact. White aims to break down barriers to scientific
understanding and inspire curiosity across generations.
Community Empowerment: Teaching English to Burmese War Refugees for a Brighter Future
Project
Jessica L. Petri, a Secondary Education major in UW’s College of Education and School
of Politics, Public Affairs & International Studies, was a 2024 recipient of the Stewart
Family Serviceship Award. She received $5,000 to support her project providing English
language instruction to Karenni refugees in Thailand. Inspired by a fellow student
from Myanmar, Petri aimed to empower the Karenni community to advocate for their rights
amidst the ongoing conflict in Myanmar. Through her collaboration with Karine National
College, she hoped to fulfill her goal of supporting education and nonviolent social
change. Petri planned to share her experiences through a blog and community presentations
upon her return. A Green River, Wyoming native, she pursued dual degrees in Secondary
Social Studies Education and Political Science, with a minor in the Honors College.
Laramie Autism and Developmental Services (LADS) Project
Theresa Andrzejewski, Alison Tassone, and Kaitlyn Breitenfeldt, clinical psychology
graduate students at UW, were recipients of the 2024 Stewart Family Serviceship Award.
They received $5,000 to support their Laramie Autism and Developmental Services (LADS)
Project, providing developmental screenings and follow-up services to youth and families
in the Laramie community. The project, in collaboration with local schools and the
Wyoming Institute for Disabilities, also offered training and consultation to school
staff. Supervised by Dr. Christina McDonnell, the project built community partnerships
and professional connections.
Theresa Andrzejewski, a fourth-year PhD student from Madison, AL, earned her bachelor's
degree in psychology from Samford University. Alison Tassone, a second-year PhD student
from North Adams, MA, held a BS from Brandeis University and an M.Ed. from Harvard.
Kaitlyn Breitenfeldt, also a second-year PhD student from Illinois, majored in psychology
with a developmental concentration at the University of Illinois.
Downtown Clinic Community Garden Project
Naomi Boldon, a Biomedical Sciences Ph.D. candidate at the University of Wyoming,
was awarded the 2023 UW Stewart Family Serviceship Award. The $5000 grant supported
her project to enhance the Downtown Clinic Community Garden in Laramie, aimed at improving
community nutrition and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Her goals included upgrading the garden, offering gardening workshops to improve physical
and mental health, and teaching healthier eating habits. Boldon, a first-generation
college student with a background in Nutritional Science and Global Health, was committed
to public health and food security.
Her advisor, Dr. Jill Keith, highlighted Naomi’s dedication to advancing nutrition
and equity. Professor Jean Garrison commended her project for addressing an important
community need, with the award helping Naomi advance her career and contribute to
the community.
Intervention to Address Social Isolation Among Older Wyoming Residents at Risk for
Nursing Placement
Basia Dabrowski, a first-year doctoral student in Clinical Psychology, is working
to address social isolation and loneliness in older adults, which are linked to serious
health risks such as depression, dementia, and premature mortality. Her project focuses
on the impact of Wyoming's PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) program
closure, which left many older residents without crucial medical and social services.
The project aims to evaluate the effects of this closure on social isolation and health,
while also identifying needs and preferences for interventions to reduce isolation,
particularly among those at risk of nursing home placement. Basia will involve former
PACE members in the development of a community-based intervention to promote social
engagement and improve health outcomes for older adults in Wyoming.
Creating Effective Care Transitions and Safety Plans for Persons Vulnerable to Suicide
Tina Nirk (top) and Rachel Ratliff (bottom) are doctoral students in the Counselor
Education and Supervision Ph.D. Program in the College of Education at U W. Their
project addresses the “heavy mission” of preventing the loss of life to suicide --
a problem in which Wyoming ranks second in the nation. It focuses on filling the important
gap following the period after a patient is discharged from the hospital and before
follow-up with community aftercare. Nirk and Ratliff developed Project-Checkpoint
to offer services to Albany County residents having difficulties in their lives. Nirk
notes, “I have been forced to recognize that vulnerable people are all of us. The
pandemic reinforced that for me, and I feel a responsibility to offer my humanity,
having lived through personal difficulties. The project gives an extra bit of help
to individuals who need it. Ratliff explains, “Sometimes we all need a little extra
help, personally believing that every life is important, has value and purpose, and
knowing that sometimes people in crisis need help between leaving the hospital and
getting to their first appointment is a vital gap for some.”
COWGIRLS in STEM: Computational Outreach for Wyoming Girls in STEM
Ashleigh Pilkerton is a doctoral student in the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife
Research Unit in the Department of Zoology and Physiology. Her project addresses the
ongoing challenge of women represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) fields, despite the high demand for talent in the STEM workforce. According
to data, women hold only one of every four STEM jobs nationally. “With funding from
the Stewart Family Serviceship Award, Pilkerton aspires to close the STEM gap in Wyoming
by connecting STEM experiences to girls’ lives; promoting active, hands-on learning;
and emphasizing ways STEM is collaborative and community-oriented.” Pilkerton worked
with after-school programs in Sheridan County to set up a near-peer mentorship program,
hosting COWGIRLS in STEM programs in collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters and
the Tongue River Valley Community Center. She also presented her project to the Full STEAM Ahead Conference for pre-service and in-service teachers.
