This MDC student knew what it was like to face hunger. Now, he’s helping feed others.

Miami Dade College student Quran Howard was recently named a national 2021-22 Newman Civic Fellow, the highest honor for student engagement leadership.

The Newman Civic Fellowship is a year-long program from Campus Compact, a Boston-based nonprofit working to advance higher education. Selected students have demonstrated a commitment to finding solutions for challenges facing communities locally, nationally and internationally.

MDC president Madeline Pumariega nominated Howard for his leadership and community service efforts. Growing up as a foster child who often struggled with food insecurity, Howard credits volunteers at food pantries and after-school enrichment programs for helping him and his foster family manage.

While at MDC, he served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer with Single Stop, a resource that connects students with support services. He also worked with the Institute for Civic Engagement and Democracy, helping to build community-campus partnerships.

Also, Howard has helped rebuild homes in New Orleans and remove plastic waste in the Galapagos Islands. He received grants from Sodexo Stop Hunger and the Awesome Foundation Miami chapter, which helped him start a project called Biking2theMarket, where volunteer bikers would deliver fresh produce to Opa-locka families.

“Every Saturday we went to food banks, standing in long lines — the process was very humbling. I want to do something for the next kid who doesn’t want to be in that line,” said Howard. “I feel that it’s my moral responsibility to help because I know how it feels to be food insecure. It’s a small drop, but I’m hoping to create ripples.”

Howard is a political science major and will graduate from MDC on May 1. He plans to join the Peace Corps before continuing his education at Howard University in Washington, D.C.

Ransom shark-tagging adventure

Ransom Everglades School’s marine field research students recently participated in a shark-tagging excursion, a signature field trip for the course. Juniors and seniors spent a day aboard a 55-foot research vessel to search for sharks on Biscayne Bay, near Stiltsville.

Once they caught a shark, students were required to stabilize their catch and execute several research tasks, including taking measurements and blood samples, conducting a muscle biopsy and safely tagging the shark’s cartilage with a needle.

Kristine Stump, a shark expert who appeared on Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, and several scientists from the Field School in Coconut Grove led the excursion.

“One of our goals for the course is to expose students to the natural world that is literally in their own backyard,” said Stump. “Biscayne Bay is in trouble, from decreasing water quality to sea grass loss, to trash accumulation and more. We hope that by showing students that there are very cool and very important species and habitats trying to survive here, they will be stewards and advocates for protecting and restoring one of the jewels of their hometown.”

All samples collected during the field trip will be used in two research projects. One project focuses on sharks and their use of Biscayne Bay, and the other, led by Claudia Ochatt, focuses on the presence of heavy metals in shark blood.

Seeking comments for the English Center

The English Center, 3501 SW 28 St. in Miami, is applying for reaffirmation of accreditation with the Council on Occupational Education. Supporters of the center can send written comments to the commission’s executive director at 7840 Roswell Road., Building 300, Suite 325, in Atlanta.

For information on The English Center, visit www.tecmiami.net

This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 2:43 PM.