Meet Our Students
Clinton School students are diverse leaders, preparing for paths of public service in the areas of non-profit,
government, volunteer or private-sector work. Our students come from many difference backgrounds, with public service
interests and experience ranging from Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and military veterans to medical, business and non-profit
professionals.
With its exciting curriculum and diverse public programs, the Clinton School is committed to making a global impact,
building leadership in civic engagement, and enhancing people’s capacity to work across disciplinary, racial, ethnic and
geographical boundaries. The school has grown from 16 inaugural students to 52 Master of Public Service degree candidates in
the 2007-08 academic year. In our most recent class entering this fall, we admitted 30 students from a variety of
backgrounds, including five international students hailing from Vietnam, China, South Africa, Brazil and Jordan. Fifteen of
the 30 students are men, 15 are women and the average class age is 28 years old. Fifteen of the students have Arkansas
connections having been raised, attended college or worked in the state.
For more about Clinton School students, join our conversation on Facebook.
The Class of 2008:
Sarah Argue – A Little Rock native and graduate of Wellesley College, Argue recently was a fifth
grade teacher in the Boston Public School System. She taught a general education course to students from throughout the city
and was actively involved in the America SCORES after school program where students learn self expression through creative
writing and athletics.
Lukman Arsalan – A native of Amman, Jordan and computer engineering graduate from the University of
Jordan, Arsalan has served as a course coordinator and facilitator at the United Nations University International Leadership
Institute. Arsalan has also participated in several conference and presentations on youth leadership development and grant
writing.
Sharon Bailey – Bailey earned a bachelor’s degree in English and Art from Spring Arbor University, a
master’s in German from Michigan State University and a doctorate in comparative literature from Pennsylvania State
University. Originally from Jackson, Mich., Bailey has taught English at Eastern Kentucky University for the past five
years.
Carly Benkov – After graduating from Cornell University, Benkov joined the AmeriCorps National
Civilian Community Corps in Charleston, S.C., where she worked on the recovery efforts after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Benkov, hailing from New York, then completed a second year with AmeriCorp in New Orleans, where she managed an English as a
Second Language program for adults.
Molly Ann Brunkow – A St. Paul, Minn., native and graduate of Iowa University, Brunkow has also
studied at the University of Wales in Swansea Wales. For the past three years, she has been an AmeriCorps member serving with
Habitat for Humanity in South Carolina, assisting in the hurricane recovery efforts along the gulf coast, and working with
Arkansas Children’s Hospital among other projects.
Lindsey Clark – Hailing from Marion, Ohio, Clark is a graduate of Malone College in Canton, Ohio,
where she studied Social Justice and Communication. Interests in AIDS prevention and public health have caused Clark to
volunteer for the Columbus AIDS task force and taken her to Africa two times where she worked in rural health clinics and
orphanages in Uganda and Zambia.
Emily English – From Little Rock, English graduated from Hendrix College with an interdisciplinary
degree in sustainability, culture and environment. She has spent three years as a volunteer, intern and manager at the Heifer
International Ranch Community Supported Agriculture Farm. She has experience in organic gardening both locally and
internationally.
Timothy Giattina – Born and raised in Birmingham, Ala., Giattina earned a degree in marketing from
the University of Notre Dame. Following graduation, he worked as a staff assistant for current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in
Washington, DC. Most recently, Giattina has worked as a policy assistant for the Workforce Alliance, a non-profit advocating
for greater investment in job training and educational programs.
Jose Guzzardi – A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Guzzardi is a graduate of the Honors College at the
University of Central Arkansas with a degree in international studies. Additionally, Guzzardi has studied at West Los Angeles
College and at the University of Vienna, Austria. Guzzardi serves as a board member to the Central Arkansas Chapter of the
United Nations Association of the United States of America.
Amanda Harris – Hailing from Lonoke, Ark., Harris is a University of Central Arkansas graduate with a
degree in speech communication. Her public service experience includes equal rights advocacy and youth leadership
development. Harris participated in the 2007 Soulforce Equality Ride, a two-month long bus journey to promote equal rights in
private schools throughout America.
Sara Himelfarb – From Scottsdale, Ariz., Himelfarb studied sociology at Arizona State University and
earned a dual master’s degree from Lehman (New York) College in childhood and special education. Following school, she joined
Teach for America and became a special education and math teacher in the Bronx, N.Y. She has also served as a coordinator for
Hunger and Homeless Week.
Sanford Johnson – A political science graduate from Auburn University, Johnson is from Starkville,
Miss. Following college, he joined Teach for America, teaching U.S. History in Clarksdale, Miss. Most recently, he has taught
social studies at the KIPP Delta College Preparatory School in Helena, Ark.
Erin Jones – After spending her childhood in Southeast Asia, and West and Central Africa, Jones has
most recently worked as a 4th grade teacher with AmeriCorps in Chicago. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Marquette
University in French and International Relations and a master’s in education from Loyola University.
Geoffrey Kearney – A native of Pine Bluff, Ark., Kearney has a degree in government with a minor in
Spanish from Harvard University. His public service experience includes an internship with U.S. Senator Mark Pryor and work
to provide support for a community service program in inner-city Boston while at Harvard.
Ryan Lewis – From Anaheim, Calif., Lewis is a graduate of UCLA with a degree in political science.
During college, Lewis completed 1,000 hours of volunteer work with the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club and Race for the Cure.
Following graduation, he joined AmeriCorps where he completed projects in rural housing, state parks, community outreach and
Habitat for Humanity in communities throughout the South.
Marquita Little – A native of Little Rock, Little is a graduate of Hendrix College, where she studies
community organization development. She is currently serving as a mental health paraprofessional with the Centers for Youth
and Families. Little has previously served as a grants assistant with AmeriCorps working with the Dallas Area Habitat for
Humanity program.
J.D. Lowery – A native of Maumelle, Ark., Lowery recently served as personal assistant to Arkansas
Governor Mike Beebe. A journalism graduate from the University of Arkansas, Lowery earned the Henry Woods Award, recognizing
the outstanding student leader in his college senior class. Lowery also served as a research assistant and assistant field
coordinator for Beebe’s 2006 campaign.
James Mitchell – Hailing from Cleveland, Miss., Mitchell studied history and French at the University
of Southern Mississippi before joining AmeriCorps. His service experience includes work with the Community Reconstruction
Group in Saint Victor La Coste, France and as a volunteer with the Bao Dao Soup Kitchen in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Jonathan Mwaba – From Johannesburg, South Africa, Mwaba is currently a citizen of Zambia. With a
background in business, he has worked for a South African multinational company in the area of new business development. He
has also volunteered with several South African NGOs, consulting on project proposals and financing sources, and helped
create economic development opportunities in Johannesburg.
Hunter Riley – A North Little Rock native, Riley earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and
international relations with a minor in Spanish and a bachelor’s in economics from the University of Arkansas. He has also
studied abroad in Ireland, China, Spain and Argentina, and worked as a congressional intern in Washington, DC.
Joseph Schafer – A Minnesota native, Schafer has recently directed a non-profit agency in Little Rock
teaching urban gardening and food production. Previously, he served as a program director for the Little Rock-based
non-profit Heifer International, the world hunger organization. Schafer has also worked as an agricultural extension agent
for the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Penelope Sur – Originally from Lille, France, Sur became a U.S. citizen in 2006. She has studied
speech communication, French, Spanish, equivalent law and economics at UALR. Following college, she has worked as an
administrator and development director for Dallas International School and as a senior administrative assistant at Dassault
Falcon Jet Corp., in Little Rock.
Russ Swearingen – A native of Rogers, Ark., Swearingen attended Lyon College where he earned a B.A.
in History and a B.A. in Religion and Philosophy. Swearingen has done graduate work in religion at the University of South
Carolina. He recently served as youth coordinator for a church in Alabama where he organized efforts to help in the recovery
efforts on the Gulf Coast after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
James Szenher – A Little Rock native, Szenher graduated with a degree in English from Hendrix College
after completing a semester abroad in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. After college, he served for 10 months with City Year
Little Rock, where he focused on literacy tutoring and ran the Young Heroes program, which engaged middle school students in
service learning activities.
Jay Thompson – Hailing from State College, Penn., Thompson attended the University of Rochester where
he earned a degree in Psychology and History. After college, he served one year with AmeriCorps, before joining the staff of
City Year, where he worked as program director for the organization’s High School Initiative.
Tian Dan – Born in Harbin, China, Tian graduated from the University of International Business and
Economics in Beijing where she studied business and English. After graduation, she worked on an international redevelopment
project for Novartis, an international pharmaceutical company. As a student, Tian served with Student’s Union to help fellow
students ease their financial burden from college.
Idonia Trotter – An El Dorado, Ark., native, Trotter earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice
from UALR and, having already completed some classes at the UALR Bowen School of Law, is enrolling in the joint MPS/JD
program. Trotter has 15 years of work experience in broadcast journalism and has also worked as a grassroots consultant for
the Coalition for a Tobacco Free Arkansas and as field representative and minority liaison for former Arkansas Congressman
Jay Dickey.
Loan Truong Vu – A native of Nha Tran City Vietnam, Truong Vu has earned a bachelor’s degree in
English Linguistics and Literature. Truong Vu has volunteered for several public service organizations for the last six years
including the YMCA of Vietnam and has worked in human resources and business development for an area trading company.
Julie West – A Little Rock resident, West is originally from the Alabama Gulf Coast. She earned a
nursing degree from the University of South Alabama and after moving to Arkansas, became the director of the High-Risk
Pregnancy Program at UAMS. She served on the National Perinatal Association Board and worked with several public and private
sector organizations to improve perinatal health at the national level.
Chancellar Williams – Having earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the
University of Miami (Ohio), Williams has recently worked as program coordinator for Denver Sister Cities International, an
organization striving to develop peace through cultural and economic exchange. He also worked as an underwriter for Allied
Insurance, coordinating partnerships with United Way and Habitat for Humanity.