Lauren Adderley

Hometown: North Charleston, S.C.
High School: Academic Magnet High School
Major: Black studies and literature
Possible career: Higher learning

Since becoming an Evans Scholar, Lauren has spent her summers and breaks trying out new things. She began as an unpaid intern at The Post and Courier in Charleston, SC in 2005 and continued writing for the paper off and on through 2008. Lauren ended up covering many stories that affect the community. For example, she wrote a story about a shop in West Ashley that caters to cancer patients and survivors by providing custom wigs along with services to help control swelling that may result from chemo. She also covered the annual candle light ceremony held at Colonial Lake at Christmas to remember those who passed away during the year.

During the 2008 winter break, Lauren was able to participate in an externship at the Gibbes Museum of Art where she was able to learn how such an institution operates from lending support to the community to educational tours and art preservation to evening lectures.

Lauren stays involved with programs in her hometown. Around the holiday season she volunteered for SCE&G's Christmas Project, delivering bags of fruits, nuts, a canned ham, other groceries and a toy for each child in the home to help warm their holidays. Deliverers often spend the entire day (sometimes two) with these families.

Up until 2008, Lauren was involved with the Children's Church at Bethany Baptist Church as the teacher/minister, organizing lessons and activities during church time on Sundays. She worked with the church family to help the youth group with the Sundie Undies drive which collected underclothes for a homeless shelter. It was a great success! The Church was able to collect around 150 to 200 pieces of new underwear for the homeless shelter residents.

This past summer, Lauren used her Evans grant to study at Cambridge University in England.