2019-2020 Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar - Emma Rothman and Audrey Miller

Emma Rothman and Audrey Miller, Hunter Watson Scholars 2019-2020

Rothman, a food studies major in the Falk College, will be the Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar for fall 2019.  She was previously the LaunchPad’s Engagement Scholar (in partnership with the Maxwell School’s Citizenship and Community Engagement program) for the 2018-19 academic year.

Miller, a Maxwell dual major in political science and international relations, will be the Hunter Brooks Watson Scholar for spring 2020. She was previously a LaunchPad Global Media Fellow (funded through the Blackstone Charitable Foundation) from spring 2017 to spring 2019.

Rothman and Miller met in the LaunchPad while Rothman was an Engagement Scholar and Miller was a Global Fellow.  Together they forged a fast friendship, as well as a close working relationship through their work on last year’s Impact Prize and Hult Prize competitions.

“Emma and Audrey are close friends and colleagues, and we are particularly delighted that this bond, through the LaunchPad, will continue through their engagement as our 2019 – 2020 Hunter Brooks Watson Scholars,” said Linda Dickerson Hartsock, executive director of the LaunchPad.  “They are both passionate about social entrepreneurship, and have terrific experience leading their own impact ventures. They are a wonderful team to jointly take this role on.”

Rothman has been passionate about community engagement since she was 13 years old. In 2013, Rothman and her family established a nonprofit called Hearts for Emma, which supports families of children with heart disease and heart transplantation in crisis; as well as, promotes educational initiatives relating to heart transplantation, and organ, tissue and corneal donation. In the summer of 2014, Rothman co-designed (with the New Jersey Sharing Network) the High School Heroes Curriculum, “You Have the Power to Save Lives,” which is required by New Jersey state law that all public high schools teach about organ and tissue donation in physical education class. Since the launch of the campaign, over 60,000 high school students have seen this presentation in four years. In addition to supporting the Hero Act, Hearts for Emma funds two college scholarships to promote organ, tissue and cornea donation on college campuses across the United States.