Student Profile
Vitals:
Name: Declan Galvin
Graduation Year: 2010
Hometown: Warren, Maine
Major: Self Designed Major - Ethnic Studies
Weekend Activity: Student Government and Midnight Run
Before coming to Manhattanville, Declan Galvin hadn’t done much travelling outside of his home state of Maine. The
Duchesne Center’s service-learning trips opened a whole new world to him. And now, his latest trip to Bangui, Philippines has Declan giving back what he’s learned. While there, he became acutely aware of a pressing need in the community—many people could not read, many did not have a high school diploma, and there was little access to media in the native language. Project Bangui was born.
The project is to build a multi-media library and e-café that will feature computer literacy and information technology training, tutoring toward high school diplomas, and multiple media available in Filipino.
In just a few short months, Declan has already formed a partnership with a local Bangui organization that will be responsible for computer training at the library/café. He has also formed two advisory committees—one in Bangui and one at Manhattanville—who will be in constant contact during the start-up and implementation of the project. Furthermore, Declan has already begun to seek funding through the Discovery Channel Global Education Grant and through various library grants.
Project Bangui and Declan Galvin exemplify the role of service-learning trips here at Manhattanville College.
More on Declan...
Freshman Dorm: Spellman
Major: Ethnic Studies
Declan’s major is a self-designed inter-disciplinary approach to security issues in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Most of his classes are drawn from the
History, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology departments.
Minors: African Studies, Genocide Studies, Economics
His future: Analyst or Academic
Declan is knee-deep in graduate school applications; he’s applying to the top schools in NYC and DC for international security studies. Declan is also pursuing a Fulbright and is looking into the Peace Corps. Wherever he lands, Declan is sure to bring the skills and expertise he learned at Manhattanville to his innovative solutions to international security issues.