...and the results are in! You can still watch the Awards Premiere to find out who took home the top prizes. Or you can click here for a full recap! In the meantime, we are excited to announce our Audience Choice winners:
- $2,500 Neilom Foundation Audience Choice Award: Audelia Community Response Team
- $1,000 Project Community Award: Audelia Community Response Team
- $1,000 Venture Innovation Award: STEPS
Congratulations to all of the teams!
About
The annual Do Good Challenge inspires students to make a difference for the issues, ideas, and communities they care about. Though this year’s Do Good Challenge is totally virtual, the student teams and the impact they’ve made is as impressive as ever!
For the first time ever, the Challenge will happen as a series of virtual events throughout “Do Good Month” in April. Beginning April 1, join us (almost) every Thursday to watch finalist pitches, explore judge Q&As, and learn more about Terp impact. This year’s Challenge will culminate with the Do Good Challenge Awards Premiere on April 29 at 7pm ET, where you can chat with the Do Good Community on social media, cheer on and vote (again!) for your favorite team, and enjoy a night of fun and celebration.
This page is your hub for the 2021 Do Good Challenge, so check back each week to see what’s new! Which teams do you think will take home the top prizes? Let us know on social media @DoGoodatUMD using #DoGoodChallengeUMD.
Important Dates
Finalists
Project-Track Finalists
Audelia Community Response Team
Audelia Community Response Team (ACRT) is a mutual aid group that provides food and other essential resources to those in need in Langley Park and the surrounding community, with a focus on immigrant and Latinx communities that face additional barriers to access resources. Since April 2020, ACRT has been consistently feeding 1,000+ families; raised $40,000; received donations of toys, food, household products; and helped schools with supply distribution and academic support. Student leaders include:
- Alexandra Melinchok '20, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences; International Studies, College Park Scholars
- Oneyda Hernandez '22, Office of Undergraduate Studies
Public Health Beyond Borders
Public Health Beyond Borders is a student-led organization consisting of more than 200 students from diverse majors with a mission to reduce health disparities in partner communities while attaining leadership skills and global awareness through a sustainable model of cross-cultural learning. Since the pandemic, the group maintained their support to partner sites abroad via virtual training and services; advocated for increased federal funding for communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19 in tandem with the Fund for Global Health; and partnered on a town hall with U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen. Student leaders include:
- Manasvinee Mayil Vahanan '21, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
- Sara Hatfield '21, School of Public Health
ROOTS Africa
ROOTS Africa is a nonprofit organization that works with agriculture students in Africa and the U.S. to increase crop yields and socioeconomic conditions for farming communities in Africa. The team raised $20,000 to support 1,000 families to stay home and safe during the pandemic, trained more than 400 farmers, and has five university chapters working in six villages and three high schools in Uganda and Liberia. Student leaders include:
- Cedric Nwafor '21, School of Public Policy; '18 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Jeremy Schmidt '21, School of Public Policy
Venture-Track Finalists
Chat Health
Chat Health is a nonprofit organization that is bridging the gap between college students and medically-accurate health information through accessible SMS chatbots, which use artificial intelligence to mimic human conversation. More than 4,000 students have used their chat service that is managed by 40 volunteers, and the organization has signed an MOU with the University Health Center for sustained partnership and support. Student leaders include:
- Jesse Anderson '22, College of Information Studies
- Veeraj Shah '21, School of Public Health; College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Corona Connects
Corona Connects is an online platform that helps anyone nationwide find a volunteer opportunity, whether you are in high school, college, or a professional looking to volunteer individually or as a group. More than 13,000 volunteers explored hundreds of opportunities from 300 different organizations across the U.S., with at least 6,000 volunteer connections made. This effort has been featured in more than 45 news outlets including US News & World Report and the Washington Post, and received international attention. tudent leaders include:
- Elana Sichel '21, Robert H. Smith School of Business; Media Self & Society, College Park Scholars
- Hadassah Raskas, University of Pennsylvania
STEPS
STEPS (Student Teachers Enriching Proficiency Through Service) is a nonprofit that connects volunteers with K-12 families seeking personalized, one-on-one, long-term, and affordable tutoring and college advising services, while donating nearly 100 percent of profits in the form of grants and scholarships to support low-income youth and other nonprofits. Their model has attracted 40 volunteer tutors, a growing paying client base, and has generated $15,000 in revenue to date. STEPS’ first grant of $2,500 provided free tutoring to 100 students in Baltimore area programs. Student leaders include:
- Sanketh Andhavarapu '23, College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences; University Honors
- Uzair Chaudhary '23, A. James Clark School of Engineering
Judges
Prizes
More than $20,000 will be awarded during the Do Good Challenge! Expert judges will award first, second and third prizes based on team impact and accomplishments to date. Viewers can vote for their favorite team for The Neilom Audience Choice Award. And, additional Audience Choice prizes will be available to vote live during the Do Good Challenge Awards Premiere, so don't miss out on your chance to support these impactful student teams.
Project-Track Awards
- 1st Place: $5,000
- 2nd Place: $2,500
- 3rd Place: $1,000
Venture-Track Awards
- 1st Place: $5,000
- 2nd Place: $2,500
- 3rd Place: $1,000
Neilom Foundation Audience Choice Award
- $2,500
Sponsors
The Do Good Institute and its Do Good Challenge is made possible by the support and commitment of our dedicated partners, donors, and community. We'd like to especially thank Morgan Stanley for their decade-long support of the Do Good Challenge.
