We, at District 5470,  are so proud to have Jared Russell represent us as a Global Grant Scholar for the 2020-2021 school year. 

Jared was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado. He attended Pueblo South High School, graduating as their valedictorian in 2014. Jared then received a Boettcher Scholarship and attended Colorado College, majoring in Political Science and Philosophy and completing a minor in Music. Over his time in college, Jared worked as a tutor in the Colorado College Writing Center, was a summer intern for the Pueblo District Attorney’s Office, volunteered in the Domestic Violence Unit at the Colorado Springs District Attorney’s Office, worked in the Development and Foundation Office at Penrose Hospital, served as an immigration specialist for Catholic Charities in Pueblo, supported the Colorado College Political Science Department as a research assistant, and was a policy research fellow to the Colorado State Medicaid Director. Jared was also named a Humanity in Action Fellow in 2017, where he completed the fellowship in Copenhagen and presented research on how climate change affects refugees to the European Parliament. As a student, Jared competed nationally on CC’s mock trial team, served in executive positions for their Honor Council and President’s Council, was a member of the Colorado College student government, and worked on human rights legislation in Colorado as the founder of their Public Policy Club. He was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship during his last year of undergrad.

Jared graduated from Colorado College in May 2018 with honors in Political and Social Sciences, distinction in Philosophy, and with an award in History. After his graduation, he returned to Catholic Charities in Pueblo to continue his work in supporting individuals file DACA, citizenship, and adjustment of status applications. He also coached the Pueblo West High School Mock Trial team.

Jared received a Fulbright Scholarship to undertake a Master’s of Public Policy at the University of Melbourne, relocating to Australia in February 2019. In addition to his academic commitments, Jared founded and served as the Director of the Ormond Law and Policy Research Clinic, which has become the largest student-driven research clinic studying refugee rights in the world. He also served as the Chair of his graduate residential community. As a student, Jared was awarded for having the highest marks in both his degree program and the School of Social and Political Sciences, and his master’s thesis has analyzed the need for creating a legal loss and damage mechanism for people displaced by climate change.

He will be travelling to Oxford University in September to continue his studies in their Department of International Development with the support of a Global Grant Scholarship. He hopes to one day work for the United Nations, assisting with the creation and implementation of climate-related policy – especially as it relates to people that are displaced by the effects of climate change. Jared will be hosted by the Rotary Club of Oxford North, and is excited to engage with Rotarians abroad