Sam Vaghar
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Sam Vaghar | |
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| Born | August 19, 1986 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Brandeis University |
| Occupation(s) | Executive Director, Millennium Campus Network |
Sam Vaghar (born August 19, 1986) is an American social entrepreneur and Executive Director and co-founder of the Millennium Campus Network.
Early life
[edit]Sam Vaghar was born in Birmingham, England, and raised in Newton, Massachusetts. As a child growing up, he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.[1] A trip in his teenage years to Havana, Cuba exposed him to the challenges of poverty.[1][2] After enrolling at Brandeis University, Vaghar began to engage in social activism, initially organizing a bi-partisan bus trip to President Bush's inauguration in 2005. During this time, Vaghar read Mountains Beyond Mountains about the work of Dr. Paul Farmer and Partners in Health. Vaghar then read The End of Poverty by economist Dr. Jeffrey Sachs.[3]
As a college sophomore, Vaghar cold-called Dr. Sachs' office and met with his staff two days later in New York City. Back on campus, Vaghar and friend Seth Werfel later co-founded the Millennium Campus Network in the summer of 2007.[3]
Vaghar graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International & Global Studies from Brandeis University in 2008.[4]
Millennium Campus Network
[edit]Vaghar serves as Executive Director of the Millennium Campus Network. In this capacity, Vaghar engages with numerous MCN allies, including sponsors like Microsoft and The Jenzabar Foundation as well as MCN Advisors including Jeffrey Sachs and Paul Farmer. His primary responsibilities center on fundraising and outreach. Vaghar has represented the MCN in engaging with numerous global leaders including President Barack Obama[5][6] and Secretary of State John Kerry.[7]
In addition to his role with MCN, Vaghar serves as an Advisor to the Executive Director of UN Women as a member of her Civil Society Advisory Group.[8][9][10]
Awards and recognition
[edit]Honorary Doctorate from Monmouth College and 2020 Commencement Speaker.[11][12][13][14]
Gleitsman Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership, John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Honorary Doctorate from Becker College and 2018 Honors Convocation Distinguished Speaker[15][16]
Profiled in The Boston Globe and Fast Company.[17][18]
2013 Commencement Speaker, Lynn University [19][20][21]
Selected to the 2012 list of the "Top 99 most influential foreign policy leaders under the age of 33" by The Diplomatic Courier and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy[22]
Selected as one of ten young American leaders from across the nation to share perspectives with President Barack Obama in the White House in June 2011[6]
Invited by the US State Department as Featured Speaker across Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, September 2011[1]
2010 Social Entrepreneurs of the Year, awarded to the MCN (accepted by Will Herberich and Sam Vaghar) by The Jenzabar Foundation[23]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Kahn, Joseph P. (October 2011). "A Man with a Plan". Boston.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Cardillo, Julian (November 3, 2016). "Sam Vaghar '08 turns social justice into social action". Brandeis Now. Brandeis University. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ a b Burstein, David. D. "Change Generation: Sam Vaghar, Executive Director and Cofounder, Millennium Campus Network". Fast Company. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Brandeis Alumni".
- ^ "Oct. 5, 2011: Millennium Campus Network co-founder Sam Vaghar". WGBH. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ a b Modi, Kalpen (8 June 2011). "President Obama Drops by Youth Initiative De-Brief". The White House: Office of Public Engagement. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Global Generation Awards Honor Gen Y's Humanitarian Heroes". Boston.com. The Next Great Generation. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "UN Women Executive Director Message". YouTube.
- ^ "UN Women". 18 March 2017.
- ^ "OCI Impact". 6 November 2017.
- ^ "Monmouth College". YouTube. 17 May 2020.
- ^ "Monmouth College Information".
- ^ "Monmouth College News Events".
- ^ "Monmouth College News".
- ^ "Honorary Recipient". YouTube. 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Honorary Degree Recipients".
- ^ Kahn, Joseph P. (October 2011). "A Man with a Plan". Boston.com. The Boston Globe. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Burstein, David. D. "Change Generation: Sam Vaghar, Executive Director and Cofounder, Millennium Campus Network". Fast Company. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ "Sam Vaghar - 2013 Lynn University Commencement Speaker". Lynn University. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "Lynn's youngest commencement speaker provides guidance for more than 500 graduates". Lynn University. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "Global development advocate to address students at Lynn's 2013 commencement". Lynn University. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ^ "Top 99 Under 33 - 2012". Diplomatic Courier. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
- ^ Ganias, Carina. "The Millennium Campus Network Receives a Jenzabar Foundation Grant to Extend Outreach to Student Groups". PR Web. Archived from the original on May 21, 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2013.