New Coordinators Selected to Lead The Boltwood Project

Three outstanding students have been selected to lead The Boltwood Project in AY 20/21.  Boltwood is a student-run civic engagement and leadership program designed to provide enrichment, recreation, and socialization for adults and children with different physical and intellectual abilities.

Jenson Kaithamattam will be a senior Public Health Major and is a member of the Commonwealth Honors College. He has participated in Boltwood for three years, most recently as supervisor with the Amherst High School Best Buddies program, which is a program that integrates students with and without disabilities in socialization and recreation activities. Jenson shares, “I am honored and grateful to lead this group of caring and genuine people and I look forward to what the next year has to offer!”

Isabella Koutsantanou will be a senior Kinesiology major, is a member of the Commonwealth Honors College, and has participated in the program since sophomore year. She currently supervises a group of undergraduates who meet on campus with adult residents of group homes to hang out and have fun. Isabella shares, "participating in service learning has changed my life and what I want to do in the future."

Mike Hester will be a senior Kinesiology major, is a member of the Commonwealth Honors College, and has participated in the program since his first year at UMass. This year he leads the group that participates with the Amherst Middle School Best Buddies program. Mike shares that, “Boltwood has become an extremely large part of my life and is going to have an effect which will extend far beyond college.”

Founded in 1969, Boltwood is the largest and longest continuously running, community engagement program at UMass Amherst. In fall 2020, Mike, Jenson, and Isabella will oversee a program that currently includes over 100 students serving at 15 community sites throughout the Pioneer Valley.


For more information about The Boltwood Project click here.