Emerson Fellow
Paige Shortsleeves
24th Class, 2017-2018
Born and raised in Parsonsfield, Maine, Paige graduated from Colby College with a degree in biology and sociology. With a passion for health and social justice, Paige interned at the Maine Medical Center and Preble Street Learning Collaborative, where she helped provide access to health care for the homeless. On campus, Paige organized Colby’s Alternative Spring Break program, which offers students an opportunity to explore social justice issues and their own privilege. Paige has also spent time working as a site director for Let’s Get Ready, where she worked to provide SAT preparation and college admissions assistance to disadvantaged high school students.
Field placement: Treasure Coast Food Bank
Fort Pierce, Florida
Paige completed her field work with the Treasure Coast Food Bank (TCFB), which works to provide access to food for four counties in Florida through a network of over 300 partner agencies. Paige helped establish new partnerships with local agencies to improve food access for seniors of color, specifically those living in rural parts of the service area. Additionally, Paige worked with her field site partner, Meg Buckley, to create a partner agency segmentation toolkit, which will be used by TCFB to evaluate and improve its partnerships in order to better serve the community.
Policy placement: Center for Law and Social Policy
Washington, D.C.
As a member of the Youth Policy Team, Paige took part in the development of the Young Adult Engagement Strategy, a process which engaged young adult leaders who desire to create change across the country. Additionally, Paige worked with the Mental Health team to conduct a multi-state scan for innovations in the delivery of mental health services to young adults. Paige also supported the Youth team through research, writing, and conference planning.