Jaklyn Van Manen was recently recognized with Castleton University’s Emerging Leader Award at the 2019 Castleton Gala. She was selected for the award by Castleton’s Alumni Association.
New this year, the Emerging Leader Award is given to alumni who graduated within the past 10 years, regardless of age or degree, who are making an impact within their community or profession. The recipient has demonstrated exceptional success in their chosen field, outstanding character, creative leadership, professional achievement and/or devotion to Castleton.
“Thank you all so much and to the Castleton community for honoring my work with this Emerging Leader Award. I want to thank all of the folks at Castleton that make Castleton as wonderful as it is,” she said. “I truly feel honored to have been a part of this community. It’s truly the small university with the big heart and I’m so happy to be part of it and to be honored by you all."
Van Manen came to Castleton from Long Island, studying Spanish Language and Literature and Women’s Studies. During her time at Castleton, she helped to established the CHANGE Initiative, which stands for Creating, Honoring, Advocating, and Nurturing Gender Equity. CHANGE is a coalition of campus community members who work together to develop programs that educate students about issues such as sexual assault, relationship violence, and sexism to create a campus that embraces gender equity in all of its forms. After graduating from Castleton in 2009, she became the first administrator of CHANGE.
Since leaving Castleton, Van Manen’s work has addressed some of society’s most pressing issues such as sexual violence, veteran advocacy, healthy relationships, and sustainable agriculture. Her previous positions include Health Science Specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs and Director of Engagement for the One Love Foundation.
She currently works as the Development Director at the National Young Farmers Coalition and is a board member for Heroic Food. She is still an ardent champion of the CHANGE Initiative and recently returned to Castleton to share her experiences both at the University and in the field at the annual “Making a Living, Making a Difference” panel discussion.
Van Manen holds a Master of Arts Degree from New York University in Trauma and Violence Transdiciplinary Studies.