DU Intern Jesse Page-Adams Joins The Convergence Project

by Arlene Shovald
The Mountain Mail

The Convergence Project is participating this summer with the University of Denver in a pilot internship program offered through the DU's Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning.

Jesse Page-Adams, a graduate student in Social Work, has been assigned to work with The Convergence Project in an internship funded by Morgridge Family Foundation which is dedicated to finding students with a passion to address critical community issues, have experience in community work and be willing to work with a community based organization in various capacities.

The Convergence Project is a Salida based organization that was established in February of 2008 as a 501 c 3 non-profit organization. It currently has 20 volunteers across the nation helping dissimilar groups in communities to find common ground.

Page-Adams shares the views of Convergence Project founder and executive director, Brock Oyler, believing that people are more alike than different and that they will recognize their similarities as they work together on projects that benefit the community. She plans to work with diverse groups throughout her career.

One of the current Convergence Project efforts is to combine gay and lesbian groups with the church community on a project in Colorado Springs.

Page-Adams did her undergraduate work at Dartmouth College where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies.

As a graduate student she did an internship with The Conflict Center in Denver creating evaluation tools for Center clients, research reports for potential grants and aided in grant writing processes.

Working off-site at DU with The Convergence Project, she will develop research protocol to evaluate the approach The Convergence Project uses in communities. Her internship will be from June 8 to August 28.

"Only 11 interns have been selected for the Morgridge Community Summer Internship program," Oyler said. "We are honored to be selected as a participant and look forward to working with a Jess Page-Adams, one of DU's promising graduate students."