Get a glimpse into real-life Project SPARC interviews! SPARC team members Sheena Nomura and Nicole Lussier will guide you through a close-up look at some of the interview conversations had with Springfield community members on the topics of “Real World Experience,” “Financials,” “Mentorship,” and “Self-motivation.” Here, you will get a chance to explore these topics alongside the team and see some of SPARC’s core values.
Sheena and Nicole, both Smith College undergraduate students who work as research analysts for SPARC will take you through this audio experience so as to provide a deeper look into what actually goes on during SPARC interviews and the real-world issues that the project is grappling with. They also hope to give a unique view into the amazing people, programs, and organizations that make Springfield such as beacon of hope for its young people and emerging adults. See bios for Sheena and Nicole down below.
Sheena Nomura is a second-semester first year at Smith with an intended major of studio art and dance. She is a Japanese/Brazilian immigrant who spent most of her life abroad, moving countries every 2-3 years because of her mother’s creative career. In high school, she was heavily involved with queer activism and feminist journalism. For Sheena, becoming a part of Project SPARC seemed like a natural continuation of the work she was doing because both are community-centered and both aim to support marginalized members of society by supplying resources that have otherwise been inaccessible to them.
Nicole Lussier is a second-semester sophomore at Smith College. She is a double major in English and Education hoping to eventually teach high school English and become involved in educational non-profit work. Nicole became involved with Project SPARC this past summer after working with Project Coach for a year and wanting to dive deeper into the lives of youth and emerging adults from Springfield. She is also from Western Massachusetts herself, Holyoke specifically, so is always excited to bring in her own opinions and experiences having grown up and been educated in the area!