gaia community
October 2008 
And the Winners Are...
Posted on Jul 15th, 2008
by 
Gaia Team
Gaia Team
Jessica here :)
I'm so inspired.
The Team and I have spent the last few months reviewing entries for our Gaia Community Scholarship. We had thousands of applicants, diverse in age and area of interest, yet they shared one common trait: they all wanted to share their gifts with the world and achieve something true and beautiful. Their entries were affirmations of goodness in the world.
We offer four scholarships each year, two in the Spring and two in the Fall, to incredible students striving to make a difference and live authentically. I can barely begin to tell you how hard it was to choose just two from such brilliant and amazing people. Honestly, I wanted to give scholarships to so many of our applicants. Reading those remarkable entries made me want to start my own foundation!
The questions we ask are designed to inspire. We hope applicants will remember the power of their hopes and passions through the process. It’s our intention to encourage visions in which the heart works in concert with action and to help students realize their ability to make such dreams come true. Here are our three questions, we think they're pretty exciting:
1) What is your purpose? (25 words or less.) If you had to describe your calling in life, what would you say? What are you here to do? What gift is yours to give to the world?
2) What do you love, and how do (or will) your actions demonstrate this? (250 words or less.) We at Gaia believe that following your heart is the best way to help the whole planet. What do you care about, and what do you most enjoy doing?
3) Write your ideal job description. (250 words or less.) Forget about job titles like 'doctor' or 'artist' or 'lawyer.' If you could get paid just to live, how would you spend your time? What would you devote your life to? What would your days be like?
Wow. Seriously, we think everybody should be asking these questions! (What would your answers look like? ;)
We're extremely proud of our winners and their responses. We were impressed with their actions and desire to make the world a brighter place. So, without further ado, it’s my great pleasure to introduce you to the recipients of our Spring Gaia Community Scholarship!
Our first winner is Jenna.
Some of you may know her because she’s also an Ambassador on Gaia. She is a beacon of bright bubbly energy, dedicated to bringing more joy to all she meets and advancing the cause for social justice. She's an activist, playwright and an awesome community builder here at Gaia.
Here's her purpose, in her own words:
To channel my kindness, determination and passion for life to bring justice, human rights and peace to marginalized and discriminated people across the world. (Read more)
Beautiful.
Our second winner is Adam Nardini.
He has a unique sense of compassion and desire to heal the sick. He was a decorated military officer, but among his heroes are Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He's a dedicated Presbyterian minister, but looks to both the Dalai Lama and Saint Paul for guidance. You'll find him this Fall at Duke School of Medicine, studying hard and working to bring a gentler energy and deeply human warmth to the practice of Medicine.
Here's a bit of what he loves and where he's going:
What I love is compassionate patient care; making a very real difference. I love providing nurture, empathy, and positive energy toward those who are suffering from any of a number of different crippling ailments. Unfortunately, I did not find too many doctors with an attitude like mine within the military hospital. I knew in my heart I could do better. Even in my minor support role, I was able to comfort many, many people simply by asking their name, holding their hand, reading them a favorite book or magazine, or even just caring enough to treat them like a human being. As a physician, I plan to constantly and continually see my patients as people and not charts or figures. Compassionate care will be the motto of my daily practice and my personal goal with each and every human being I treat. (Read more)
Aren't they amazing!? Feel free to stop by their profiles and say congratulations. :)
Again, huge thanks to everyone who applied. I’m overjoyed to know there are so many people who want to live audaciously and share their strengths with the world.
You are extraordinary.
I'm so inspired.
The Team and I have spent the last few months reviewing entries for our Gaia Community Scholarship. We had thousands of applicants, diverse in age and area of interest, yet they shared one common trait: they all wanted to share their gifts with the world and achieve something true and beautiful. Their entries were affirmations of goodness in the world.
We offer four scholarships each year, two in the Spring and two in the Fall, to incredible students striving to make a difference and live authentically. I can barely begin to tell you how hard it was to choose just two from such brilliant and amazing people. Honestly, I wanted to give scholarships to so many of our applicants. Reading those remarkable entries made me want to start my own foundation!
The questions we ask are designed to inspire. We hope applicants will remember the power of their hopes and passions through the process. It’s our intention to encourage visions in which the heart works in concert with action and to help students realize their ability to make such dreams come true. Here are our three questions, we think they're pretty exciting:
1) What is your purpose? (25 words or less.) If you had to describe your calling in life, what would you say? What are you here to do? What gift is yours to give to the world?
2) What do you love, and how do (or will) your actions demonstrate this? (250 words or less.) We at Gaia believe that following your heart is the best way to help the whole planet. What do you care about, and what do you most enjoy doing?
3) Write your ideal job description. (250 words or less.) Forget about job titles like 'doctor' or 'artist' or 'lawyer.' If you could get paid just to live, how would you spend your time? What would you devote your life to? What would your days be like?
Wow. Seriously, we think everybody should be asking these questions! (What would your answers look like? ;)
We're extremely proud of our winners and their responses. We were impressed with their actions and desire to make the world a brighter place. So, without further ado, it’s my great pleasure to introduce you to the recipients of our Spring Gaia Community Scholarship!
Our first winner is Jenna.
Some of you may know her because she’s also an Ambassador on Gaia. She is a beacon of bright bubbly energy, dedicated to bringing more joy to all she meets and advancing the cause for social justice. She's an activist, playwright and an awesome community builder here at Gaia.
Here's her purpose, in her own words:
To channel my kindness, determination and passion for life to bring justice, human rights and peace to marginalized and discriminated people across the world. (Read more)
Beautiful.
Our second winner is Adam Nardini.
He has a unique sense of compassion and desire to heal the sick. He was a decorated military officer, but among his heroes are Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. He's a dedicated Presbyterian minister, but looks to both the Dalai Lama and Saint Paul for guidance. You'll find him this Fall at Duke School of Medicine, studying hard and working to bring a gentler energy and deeply human warmth to the practice of Medicine.
Here's a bit of what he loves and where he's going:
What I love is compassionate patient care; making a very real difference. I love providing nurture, empathy, and positive energy toward those who are suffering from any of a number of different crippling ailments. Unfortunately, I did not find too many doctors with an attitude like mine within the military hospital. I knew in my heart I could do better. Even in my minor support role, I was able to comfort many, many people simply by asking their name, holding their hand, reading them a favorite book or magazine, or even just caring enough to treat them like a human being. As a physician, I plan to constantly and continually see my patients as people and not charts or figures. Compassionate care will be the motto of my daily practice and my personal goal with each and every human being I treat. (Read more)
Aren't they amazing!? Feel free to stop by their profiles and say congratulations. :)
Again, huge thanks to everyone who applied. I’m overjoyed to know there are so many people who want to live audaciously and share their strengths with the world.
You are extraordinary.
Access: Public
Jenna!!! You rock!! Glad we're friends!
Adam, I'll be right over!
Blessings, Gaia; you've no doubt chosen well!
Congrats to both Jenna and Adam on winning the scholarship! Such lovely stories; you both deserve it. May you continue to inspire others around you. :)
–Dena
Thanks Jessica, and Congratulations to Jenna and Adam!
Congratulations Jenna & Adam! Best of luck on following your dreams!
Wow, how inspiring, and so deserving of the honors. Great works Jenna & Adam, wonderful, fabulous and oh so magnificent. Congratulations and many blessings to you both.
:)
Honored to have you both in the community. Thanks for being here :)
Congratulations to Jenna and Adam. Thank you Jessica and the Gaia team for spreading hope and facilitating change.
Congratulations to both of you for setting such a good example for us and those that follow. We are changed for the better with the future you are venturing into.
jumping into to cheer you on! it is an honor to be in your presence here, as you go on being the change. way to go!
I congratulate everyone who wons the scholarship…
Congratulations both of you!
Thanks, Jessica, for spreading the good news. Congratulations, Jenna and Adam.
awesome.
Thank you all for being so warm and sending such love and support to our winners. It's so amazing to see and be part of such a beautiful outpouring of love!
Right on! Congrats!
Jenna; Adam… A HUGE congratulations, and a deep bow, to your vision and your future and the sweet brilliance of your presence here. It's an honor just be able to recognize you like this, and I'm so glad you found us–and applied. :) Congratulations, again and again.
And I wish we could publish the responses from all the other applicants, because I don't quite have words enough to describe what it was like to read through those stories and dreams and loves and outpourings of hope and enthusiasm and heart. It made me feel that our world is going to be left in very, very good hands.
Adam and Jenna,
Great job. Great stories. The future is brighter knowing you both will be venturing into it. Thank you for sharing yourselves. The honor is well deserved.
I think muslims are an exception here.They never win it with you.
Congratulations to both of you, you deserve it!
Congradulations you guys! And to everyone else who benefited from gaia by making new friends.
Congrats all, glad u won.
Even if I didnt I managed to find out about this place in a way we all win in the end.
Be great,be yourself.
Congratulations and best of luck achieving your dreams!
This is inspiring. Congratulations to the winners and the givers! Happy to know you are all out there.
Congratulations!!!! I just read a part of what both of you wrote and I already felt inspired. =] Even though I also applied for this scholarship, I must say that the Gaia team chose the right people for the winners of this scholarship. So once again, congrats. Keep up your dream and live it!!
Congratulations to the winners! And may all the other applicants follow their hearts and continue to dream!
Well written responses. Congrats. I hope the scholarships provide the support you guys need to move toward your goals.
congrats to you both!
and to every other participant may u achieve ur every dream……
best of luck to you all!