Game Changers

Nicole Vournazos

Nicole Vournazos is entering her sophomore year at Emory University in Atlanta studying finance and sustainability. She lives with her two younger brothers in Connecticut. Nicole strongly believes in the power of education and that any successful endeavor is built upon relationships. She began her work by creating a statewide microfinance curriculum. As she looked to educate students at home, she also focused on doing so abroad. In 2008 she had the opportunity to fund a roadside school in Hyderabad, India, Nicole’s CLAP school (Creative Learning at Pavement) when she was 16. The school had two teachers that provided primary education for over 40 students. As an extension of her work in India, Creative Learning at Pavement utilized a school bus that teachers could use as a mobile classroom to reach the more rural areas of Hyderabad.

Currently, she works on the core team at Givology.org, a non-profit that leverages small dollar donations to support grassroots projects and student scholarships in the developing world. Some of these projects include building libraries, expanding schools, establishing nutritional lunch programs, and funding solar panels for schools. Givology has over 49 partner organizations working in countries from China to Guatemala to Uganda. It is 100% volunteer run with 30 core team members and 90 volunteers. The organization has raised nearly $60,000 through online donations, and over $120,000 in total. What truly distinguishes Givology is its philosophy of democratizing philanthropy. Nicole has worked to create transparency through donor messaging functions, open blogging, and frequent student updates. Over 800 messages have been exchanged between students and Givologists all over the world.

Nicole looks forward to funding her second school in India in the beginning of January 2012. At Emory University, she presides on the executive boards for the Economic Development Club, Bizenture: Emory Entrepreneurship Club, and Making Minds Matter, a campus organization dedicated to improving education for women. She also served as an international debate coach for the organization Youth Understanding Politics, a non-profit she co-founded that supports youth engagement in politics. She hopes to continue making an impact in the realm of education.