Neighborhood College Adds 24 to Alumni Roll

Published on June 14, 2018

Two dozen Arlington residents will graduate June 19 from Neighborhood College, a free, eight-session program the County sponsors to help participants become more effective community activists and leaders.

The program, held this year for the 19th time, teaches participants how to ask the right questions, enhance their listening skills, give and receive feedback, build consensus and plan for action. Since its inception in 2000, the program has graduated 366 people. County staff and leadership from the County Board, School Board, Arlington Civic Federation, local nonprofits and public safety agencies spoke at the sessions.

The latest class of graduates includes recent immigrants, as well as a diverse group of people who were born in the U.S. The participants come from all walks of life and more than 20 different neighborhoods throughout Arlington, including Arlington View, Long Branch Creek, Buckingham, Columbia Forest, Virginia Square, Ashton Heights, Arlington Ridge, Penrose and Douglas Park. They range in age from millennials to retirees.

In addition to completing the eight classes, graduates committed to completing at least 10 hours of volunteer work in Arlington County within six months of completing the program.

This year's Neighborhood College participants will graduate in a formal ceremony at the County Board's Recessed Meeting at 3 p.m. on Tue., June 19. The ceremony will stream live on the County's YouTube channel, and on Arlington TV on Comcast channels 25 and 1085 or Verizon FiOS channels 39 and 40.

2018 Neighborhood College Graduates

Alison Acker, Columbia Forest
Sneha Barot, East Falls Church
Maura Danehey, Virginia Square
Nicholas (Cole) Deines, Ashton Heights
Rob Dvorak, Radnor-Ft Myer Heights
Jane Green, Arlington Ridge
Andrew Greenwood, Penrose
Bruce W Hightower, Columbia Forest
Daniel Howard, Long Branch Creek
Mary Humphreys, Aurora Highlands
Bohdan Kantor, Clarendon Court House
Maria Ignacia Klopf, Virginia Square
Samira Mansouri, North Highlands
Amanda Moore, Barcroft
Michele Peters, Barcroft
Emily Pfister, Buckingham
Ryoko Reed, Arlington Forest
Rafael Sampayo, Arlington View
Alyson Jordan Tomaszewski, Douglas Park
Dayana Torrez, Alcova Heights
Alejandra Underwood, Foxcroft Heights
Melia Ungson, Lyon Park
Manuel Vicens, Barcroft
Miranda Zengue, Douglas Park