UAlbany's Center for Women in Government and Civil Society Names 2011 Fellows

Women and Public Policy 2011 Fellows: Bottom row (seated), from left: Aleise Richards, Wilma Alvarado-Little, Wendy Prudencio and Sufia Khanam. Top row, from left: Paulina Berrios, Susan Perkins, Sarah Horan, Sandra Pabis, Grace Egbe and Karen Galvin. (Photo Mark Schmidt)

ALBANY, N.Y. (March 04, 2011) --

A veteran Albany educator, advocates for immigrant rights and services, and a UAlbany doctoral student who is conducting research on preventing hate crimes and bullying are among the 10 women selected for the Fellowship on Women and Public Policy Program offered by the University at Albany’s  Center  for Women in Government and Civil Society.

Reflecting the international influence of the Center, this year's class includes women who hail from Bangladesh, Cameroon, and Chile, as well as New York State, Massachusetts and Illinois.

"This year's class of Fellows on Women and Public Policy exemplifies what the Fellowship stands for. They are truly agents of change who are committed to making a difference, both locally and globally. Each of them brings incredible passion, tremendous dedication and an unwavering commitment to advancing social justice, and improving access and opportunity for marginalized and vulnerable populations," said Center Executive Director Dina Refki. The center is part of UAlbany’s Nelson A. Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy.

The program is designed to prepare women for leadership roles in public policy. Fellows are placed in one of three policy arenas: a state agency, a statewide advocacy organization, or the office of a New York State Senate or Assembly member.

The Fellows work Monday through Thursday in their placement offices in the Department of Health, Department of Labor, the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, or the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. In addition to their placement, the Fellows take nine credits of policy course work and participate in a rigorous, co-curricular program that consists of professional development workshops, community service, Fellowship group sessions, and mentoring. The Fellows receive a  $9,000 stipend and tuition assistance for course work.

The 2011 Fellows are:

• Wilma Alvarado-Little of Albany, N.Y., a UAlbany MSW student and Director of Community Engagement and Outreach at UAlbany's Center for the Elimination of Health Disparities.

• Paulina Berrios, a native of Chile residing in Albany, N.Y., who is a doctoral student at UAlbany's School of Education. She will be researching how to prevent bullying and hate crimes in New York State schools.

• Grace Egbe of Schenectady, N.Y., who attended Howard University and has a passion for advocating for the rights of disconnected youth, domestic violence victims, and immigrants. Egbe, who was born in Cameroon, West Africa, was placed in the New York State Department of Labor.

• Karen Galvin of Saratoga, N.Y., a Master of Public Health student at UAlbany's School of Public Health. Galvin desires to work on positively influencing health outcomes through responsive public policy. Originally from Danvers, Mass., she has been placed with the Department of Health.

• Sarah Horan, of Yorktown Heights, N.Y., who is pursuing a master's degree in public administration at UAlbany's Rockefeller College with a concentration in Local Government Management and Public Finance. She is placed in the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.

• Sufia Khanam, of Voorheesville, N.Y., a UAlbany alumna, is working toward a master's degree in economic forecasting at UAlbany. A native of Bangladesh, she speaks Bengla, Hindi, and Urdu.  She was placed in the New York State Department of Labor, Division of Labor Standards.

• Sandra Pabis, of Amsterdam, N.Y., is pursuing a master's degree in communication with a specialization in political communication at UAlbany. At the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, she is strengthening the knowledge and skills needed to form effective policies that address issues facing women and children.

• Susan Perkins, of Albany, N.Y., who has worked for the City School District of Albany as a teacher, department chair, and administrator, earned a master's degree in special education from UAlbany. She is a doctoral student in the School of Education at UAlbany, and has been placed in the Department of Labor, where she examines programs for disconnected youth.

• Wendy Prudencio, of Valley Stream, N.Y., a master's degree student in public administration at Columbia University, examines the needs of immigrant workers at the Department of Labor.

• Aleise Richards, of Farmingdale, N.Y., a master's degree student in Africana Studies at UAlbany, is working with the New York State Office of Children and Family Services to develop and implement policies that promote positive change in underserved communities.