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Issue date: 3/14/05 Section: features

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Sophomore Gabriel Hemphill may look like just another Vanderbilt student, but looks can be deceiving. He has done more in the past two years than most students even think about doing in their whole college
career. This twenty year-old from Foreman, Arkansas, majoring in English and Financial is one motivated student.

Hemphill is a participant in the Ingram Scholarship Program, mentoring
students with college prep programs. He is head of Multicultural Aff airs in the Student Government Association (SGA. This past fall, he organized the "How Far Have We Come" program about racial diversity at Vanderbilt. In addition, Hemphill also runs his own dance company called "Expressions: Growing Through Creativity." He works with inner-city
high school kids in North Nashville. After these activities during the school year, he also is going to Tanzania this summer to help AIDS awareness research with Cross Cultural Solutions International Volunteer Program.
When he comes back from Tanzania, Hemphill will also teach dance to 5th to 8th graders in New York City.

Hemphill has a strong passion for working with kids. "I want to continue to dance, mentor, and hopefully speak to high school kids one day," Hemphill.

Hemphill says he is so busy working with kids because he, in his own words, "can't sit back and do nothing while conscious of problems that exist." He tries to live by the Gandhi quote, "Be the change you wish to see in this world."

"I'm thankful to be at Vanderbilt and to be exposed to so many opportunities. I've always had a passion to work with children and Vandy has been a medium of taking service to another level," Hemphill said.

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