Interview with John McGreevy

John McGreevy

Class of 2010

By: Megan Griffin

 

IMG_1383John McGreevy is a member of the Periclean Class of 2010, and his Class’ accomplishments were based on the Periclean philosophy that cross-cultural partnerships form a solid foundation for sustainable community development. Their focus while at Elon was “improving access to healthcare and promoting sustainable development in Ghana’s Volta Region through community partnerships, outreach, and education.”

Their Class made possible the construction and staffing of the Kpoeta Community Clinic, with the support of many people in the Ghanaian villages of Kpoeta and Sokode, the Government of Ghana, and partnering agencies, including Heifer International, Johnson & Johnson, and the U.S. Navy. Projects related to the clinic included building a house for the clinic staff, initiating construction on a kindergarten in Sokode, supporting a livestock and beekeeping project in Sokode, and initiating a solar cooker project in the Ghanaian villages of Sokode and Kpoeta. Their Class helped to fund the utilization of specialists in Ghana, including roofers, plumbers, and electricians-these specialists provided services which could not be provided for by community members. The Class also distributed over 500 children’s books to an Elementary School in Abor, Ghana, transported on a U.S. Naval ship. All of their projects were initiated based on the requests of community leaders in Ghana. The members of this Periclean Class all agreed on the importance of listening to local people about the local problems when trying to brainstorm solutions.

Their Class efforts were also impactful in the local community. They hosted talks by experts on development and healthcare in Africa and Ghanaian history. The experts spoke at local schools and churches and on Elon’s campus. These speakers helped to raise awareness about the need to improve access to healthcare in rural areas of Ghana. In 2013, their Class also began to offer scholarships to US students via the organization ScholarCHIPS.

The Periclean Class of 2010 committed to “embrac[ing] lifelong intellectual and personal growth.” In talking to John McGreevy, it was undeniable that he has embraced the importance of his Periclean Class’ pledge.

John graduated from Elon magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Biology. He was recognized as the Outstanding Senior in Environmental Studies, was a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and the Biology honor society Beta Beta Beta.  After graduating from Elon, he completed his Masters degree in Anthropology at Colorado State University. In attaining a Masters degree, he was determined to figure out the best way that he could work with people in different countries to produce sustainable, environmental solutions to problems abroad. John then went on to the University of Georgia to work towards a Ph.D. in Integrative Conservation and Anthropology. He explained this Doctorate program as an opportunity to learn about ways to bring together people from different backgrounds to brainstorm and accomplish solutions to global issues.

John found that being a part of Periclean Scholars helped him to realize the importance of establishing an equal partnership in aid. He stated that the idea of both parties learning from one another and benefiting from each other’s efforts is a basic part of human life. This recognition has been a driving force in his career decisions and his efforts in Haiti since graduating from Elon.

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When asked about the importance of Periclean Scholars, he stated that very few things in life are transformative. He said that Dr. Frontani’s insight, as their Class Mentor, helped to change their perspective. She taught them how to work together as a Class, which he said was a transformative experience and changed his outlook on what he wanted to do after graduation. Since then, he has used that experience to collaboratively improve environment and quality of life in Haiti. Periclean helped him figure out how best to work with people in other countries and how to prioritize partnerships.

Since graduation, he has worked with reforestation initiatives and d408302_893116834723_117586057_nifferent nonprofits that do environmental and social work in Haiti. The major initiative that he focuses on now is establishing partnerships between communities in the United States and in Haiti. For example, recently, he gave a presentation in Philadelphia about a partnership between a church in Haiti and a church in Philadelphia. He emphasized the fact that local Haitian people and people in the United States were able to come together and learn from one another-they are valuing each other’s ideas, so it is a two way giving system.  He said that a lot of what he learned in Periclean Scholars is directly implemented into what he is doing now.

While at Elon, John studied human environmental interaction in Haiti. While he was on the ground in Haiti, doing a project on solar energy, the earthquake happened. John said that this experience taught him both about the resilience of the Haitian McGreevy fieldpeople and the way that natural disasters are never purely “natural.” Instead, they are products of social processes like urbanization, colonialism, and associated environmental degradation. Likewise, he noted that the only way to attack such problems is to learn from the people that know the most about Haiti and its environment: its people.

Dr. Frontani’s insight, passion and persistence as a Periclean Mentor shaped the members of the Class of 2010. John remembers the day that Dr. Frontani first interviewed him to be a part of the Periclean Scholars program. He remembers that she asked really good questions about why we wanted to be in the program and what he was looking to provide by being a part of Periclean Scholars. From John’s first interaction with Dr. Frontani, he could tell that she really cared, and as a Mentor, she held everything they did as a class to the utmost importance.

Dr. Frontani was a Mentor that experienced many “firsts” of the program. Their class was the first Periclean class to wear the Periclean stoles at graduation. John said that his is hanging on his mantle at home. He said that being able to wear the stole at graduation culminated their class’ efforts in a tangible way. Since the stole was made with cloth from Ghana, it signified the partnerships their class had worked towards. The stole is now a reminder of everything their class accomplished with the guidance of Dr. Frontani. It is also a constant attachment to Ghanaian culture.

In response to the passing of their remarkable Mentor their Class has all been remarking on what Heidi meant to them, and they all agree that she was really a huge part of the Periclean experience.  John talked on the phone with another scholar from his Class. They talked about the importance of their time at Periclean and what they are doing now. They both realized that they pursued their passions because of Heidi Frontani and her encouragement to work collaboratively to better the world and solve complex problems. Their Class hopes that they will continue to reconnect as a Class, while also maintaining their strong community that Dr. Frontani fostered. In this, they hope to endure the legacy of their Mentor.

Elon’s President Dr. Leo Lambert stated in the school newspaper, The Pendulum, that  “the students she taught and mentored, and the values they carry into this world, are perhaps her greatest legacy.”  John McGreevy is absolutely a part of Dr. Frontani’s legacy.

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