The Fellow Experience

Abbey Doyle graduated from the University of Kansas in 2022 with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and a Certificate in Service Learning. During her time at KU, Abbey was an active member in the Nonprofit Service Club and Community Service Advocates while working as a writing center consultant and an undergraduate researcher. She is originally from Tulsa and will be returning as a Tulsa Service Year fellow with Tulsa Changemakers. In her free time, Abbey enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, traveling and spending time with her family!

Alex Morales (he/him) graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with a degree in Political Science and a minor in History. He is an incoming Tulsa Service Year fellow working with Dream Action Oklahoma who he previously interned with in Oklahoma City. Alex is looking to attend law school in the future, but is currently expanding his experiences and passions in community building. In his free time, Alex enjoys being with friends and family, running, and thrifting.

Alexandria (Alley) Doyle graduated from the University of Tulsa in 2022 with degrees in Political Science and Accounting. While in her undergraduate at TU, Alley was involved in a plethora of clubs and organizations including her beloved sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, Peer Mentors, the Sound of the Golden Hurricane, and Student Association. Some of Alley's favorite things to do are listening to murder mystery podcasts, talking to friends and family, reading books and trying new restaurants. Alley is a Tulsa native and excited to be able to give back to her community through Tulsa Service Year working at the City of Tulsa in the Finance Department.

Avery Bennett earned a degree in Peace Studies with minors in Spanish and Environmental Studies from Chapman University in 2020. Immediately thereafter, she pursued a MPA degree from Brown University and graduated in 2021. With a desire to be an agent for change in minimizing opportunity gaps, Avery has spent the last year in Tulsa as a City Year AmeriCorps Member, functioning as a class assistant, tutor, and near-peer mentor at a TPS middle school. She is excited to continue work related to advancing educational equity with Tulsa Service Year as a Post-Secondary Support Fellow at ImpactTulsa. In her free time, Avery enjoys going to the gym, thrifting, and spending warm weather days at the lake.

Brian Cain graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 with a major in Political Science. At U of M, he was heavily involved with organizations that promoted international social justice and intergroup dialogue; accordingly, Brian has worked with non-governmental organizations based in the U.S., Canada and Japan. Before transferring to U of M, Brian completed coursework at Tulsa Community College. He is excited to return home to Tulsa and serve as a fellow for the Tulsa Higher Education Consortium, where he will work to improve higher education in Tulsa and empower fellow transfer students. In his free time, Brian enjoys helping his siblings explore Tulsa by taking them to new restaurants and showing them the many gems that Tulsa has to offer.

Caroline Sparks graduated from the University of Oklahoma in May 2022 with a dual degree in Sociology and Public Relations, and a minor in Social Justice. Born in San Luis Obispo, California, she grew up mostly in the Tulsa area. She is most passionate about gender-based violence prevention education, 2SLGBTQIA+ history, decarceration efforts, and the implementation of storytelling in social justice initiatives. Caroline is excited to join Tulsa Service Year as a fellow at Women in Recovery and plans to pursue a master's degree in Labor Studies. She enjoys writing, trying local restaurants, reading, and spending quality time with the people she loves.

Celyn Grigson, a Tulsa native, graduated from the University of Tulsa in 2022 with a major in Vocal Performance. While at the University of Tulsa, Celyn worked as a Peer Mentor, striving to help students develop their own voice. As a Tulsa Service Year Fellow, Celyn will serve at Youth Services of Tulsa working as a Youth Leadership Specialist. He is excited to help Youth Services of Tulsa empower the community they serve in the upcoming year. He is actively engaged in the local arts scene through many mediums including theater and as a member of local band The Blue Hues.

Hadassah Terry graduated from Oral Roberts University with a Bachelor’s degree in Government and a minor in Humanities. After graduating, Hadassah spent time working as a legal assistant with a local firm in Tulsa before applying to the Tulsa Service Year fellowship program. As a Tulsa native, she is excited to impact her community by spending the next year working as a fellow for the Ronnie K. Irani Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth. In her free time, Hadassah enjoys listening to music, making various soups, and spending time with her friends.

Jasmine Ahmed graduated from the New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business in 2020 with a B.S. in Finance. While in undergrad, she grew an interest in entrepreneurship and social impact. Before joining Tulsa Service Year, Jasmine worked as an outreach officer for Test and Trace Corps, a public health initiative fighting the spread of COVID-19 in New York City. She is excited to join i2E as the operations fellow for ACT Tulsa, an accelerator that focuses on minority-led tech startups. In her free time, Jasmine enjoys film writing and learning new languages.

Jayla Meeks, originally from Detroit, Michigan, is a graduate of the University of Tulsa with a dual degree in Political Science and Organizational Studies, and a minor in Musical Theatre. While at University, Jayla served in many leadership roles including: President and Senior Advisor of the Association of Black Collegians, Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Future Alumni Council, and Resident Assistant for the Housing Department. In addition to her studies and leadership roles, Jayla is the founder and owner of I-Represent Jewelers, owner of JSM Body, and the founder of the Proverbs 29:7 Initiative. In her limited free time, Jayla enjoys cooking/eating, outdoor adventures, and being involved in all things related to art (musical performances, painting, and ceramics). Jayla is excited to join Tulsa Service Year as the Policy Fellow for the Terence Crutcher Foundation where she will contribute to the vision of Tulsa becoming a city that will serve as a worldwide example of liberation from racial violence and harm.

Justin Ortiz, originally from Old Bridge, NJ, moved to Tulsa to obtain his BA in Art and Mathematics, and a minor in Art History from the University of Tulsa. His goals as a Tulsa Service Year Fellow at Fab Lab Tulsa are to gain professional experience and give back to the community before attending graduate school.

Kalei Reil is a 2022 graduate of the University of Oklahoma where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations with a minor in Film & Media Studies. Born and raised in Tulsa, she is excited to serve as a Tulsa Service Year fellow and immerse herself in purpose-driven work. Kalei is looking forward to working with entrepreneurs as the Digital Marketing Associate for Endeavor. In her free time, she enjoys going to concerts, reading, and watching movies.

Kamryn Yanchick (she/her) graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with dual degrees in Political Science and Native American studies with an emphasis in Tribal Governance and Policy, Pre-Law. Kamryn is a proud citizen of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and a descendant of the Muscogee Nation. She hopes to find a meaningful career advocating for the rights of Native peoples and the sovereignty of tribal nations. Kamryn’s previous experience and involvement has centered on civic engagement, political advocacy, and Indigenous community, and has included work with organizations such as Campus Vote Project, the American Civil Liberties Union, Gamma Delta Pi, and others. Kamryn is excited to be working at Metriarch during her Tulsa Service Year fellowship, where she will be working on data, storytelling, and policy regarding women’s health. In her free time, Kamryn enjoys dancing, enjoying live music, and trying new foods.

Kierra L. Donald graduated from Kentucky State University in May of 2021 with dual degrees in Political Science and Mass Communications. A native of Chicago, Kierra gained her love and advocacy for policy, education, and bridging socioeconomic gaps while matriculating through high school, and forged forward on that path while at KSU serving as SGA President and Student Regent for the 2019-2020 school year. In spite of the pandemic, Kierra was able to return home and secure a job as a Merchandising Intern for Meijer straight out of school before deciding to embark on a gap year to further look into graduate options. While narrowing down options and even considering law school, Kierra was accepted into Tulsa Service Year working as a Junior Program Officer with the Cortez Family Foundation continuing her passions in advocacy, policy work, and closing socioeconomic gaps. In her leisure Kierra enjoys being a dj, reading & writing spoken word poetry, playing cards and baking.

Lauren Kerr is from Owasso, OK. She graduated in December 2021 from The University of Tulsa (TU) with a degree in Fine Art and a minor in Art History. While at TU Lauren participated in Semester at Sea and studied abroad in South Korea. She has been selected to work with inTulsa for her Tulsa Service Year fellowship. In her free time, she enjoys reading, taking her dog on walks, and improving her language skills in Mandarin and Korean.

Luz Loza graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a double major in Economics and International Development. Luz is an international student from Bolivia. She is passionate about her studies, especially in micro-finance and other financial tools to promote economic growth in developing countries. She was the president of the International Student Association at the Oklahoma City Community College, and now serves as the Sponsorship Chair of the International Advisory Committee at the University of Oklahoma. Luz enjoys being involved in all the on-campus activities, meeting new people, and talking about how amazing her country is.

Nikki Vardaman graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2022 with dual degrees in Spanish and Linguistics. A first generation student from Midwest City, Oklahoma, Nikki entered college with hopes of developing her career in education and equipping herself with the tools to provide an equitable and supportive environment for future students. Over time, she became increasingly interested in languages, the power and importance of communication in all aspects of life, and the need to combat linguistic discrimination, especially in academia. Nikki is excited to exercise her passion for equity in education and promote accessibility to literacy and language skills through her Tulsa Service Year Fellowship as Program Coordinator for Gaining Ground Literacy. In her free time, Nikki enjoys playing board games, reading memoirs, and crocheting.

Noah Yust holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Tulsa, where he graduated summa cum laude in 2022. Prior to being accepted as a Tulsa Service Year fellow, Noah worked at the Tulsa County Public Defenders's Office and interned remotely with Revitalize T-Town. He looks forward to working with Tulsa Responds to help connect underserved Tulsans with free government services.

Sophia Ton holds a B.S. in Sociology from Kansas State University with a minor in Interdisciplinary Conflict. She is eagerly anticipating working at the Downtown Tulsa Partnership and working to support and contribute to the growth and community of Tulsa. In her free time, Sophia likes to brew coffee, cook, and travel.

Te'a Williams is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma with dual degrees in International Studies and Sociology with Applied Criminology and a Spanish minor. A member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., her commitment to public service and social justice characterized her time at OU, in addition to studying abroad, undergraduate research, and diverse leadership opportunities. As a Tulsa native, Te'a has felt called to return home and serve her community, and Tulsa Service Year was the push to do just that. She is looking forward to working with Leadership Tulsa's Community Engagement and Impact Program Team to build a better Tulsa. Te'a loves fitness, spirituality, the outdoors, travel, and anything adventurous and spontaneous.