Naomi Parekh was honored with the Emerging Leader Award at the Southern Vermont Economy Summit last week. This award recognizes Parekh’s contributions as a community leader and her commitment to serving the southern Vermont region. Parekh is a student in the Sustainable Development Policy, Economics and Governance (SDPEG) Ph.D. program within the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics.
Each year, the Southern Vermont Young Professionals (representing the Windham region) and Shires Young Professionals (representing Bennington County) partner to recognize the contributions of young people across Southern Vermont. The awards honor those who’ve gone above and beyond as community leaders and volunteers, and for their professional accomplishments and commitment to serving the region.
In her role as a Volunteer Board Member in Bennington County, Parekh notes the following: "One of the major challenges facing Vermont is available and affordable houding. I leaned of someone who turned down a job offer in Bennington becuse they couldn't find a place to live. One of tyhe major opportunities is the power of the Vermont community. Vermont is a beautiful state...what makes Vermont beautiful is not only the landscape, but the people who live here. It's a place where communities are willing to come together for one another without hesitation."