Community Foundation scholarship recipient talks generosity

For David Mampre, it's natural to live out generosity when so much has been given to you. Mampre, a 22-year-old college student who grew up in Davenport, received several scholarships from the Quad Cities Community Foundation while in high school and college and now plans to give back as he continues to pursue a career in the medical field. "The Community Foundation has been super helpful," he said.

Most recently, Mampre was a recipient of the 2015 Elise Brett Scholarship and the 2012 Jane and Clem Werner Scholarship, as well as a Rotary Scholarship. He just graduated from John Hopkins University with a degree in neuroscience. He worked on Parkinson's research as well as serving as a teaching assistant for a cognitive neuroscience course.

This summer, Mampre moved to New Haven, Connecticut, to conduct clinical neuroscience research at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. He will apply to medical schools for entrance in the fall of 2017. "The support I had from my community when I was growing up, I wouldn't be where I am without it," he said. "That's a huge motivating factor to keep going."

Some of Mampre's family remains in the Quad Cities, and it is a place he likes to visit and is considering possibly returning to some day to live. He is encouraged by the work of some elected officials and organizations like the Community Foundation to provide more opportunities for young people and attract them to the region, he said.

"I hope to see the community continue in the direction it is heading," he said. "I did love growing up there and it is a great place to raise a family."

Mampre said his perspective on community and generosity was altered during his time in Baltimore, a city that has struggled through racial and police brutality issues during the last year. He spent several years working with a youth and sports academy program, and has found ways to volunteer in the community through campus student groups. "You gain a new perspective on your fortune," he said. "It would be selfish not to give back."

If he could teach the generation behind him a thing or two about giving back, he'd focus on humility. "Never overlook how lucky you are," he said. "There's always someone who isn't as lucky as you. If you have an opportunity to help, it's a great thing to do."

And that doesn't always mean giving dollars to something, he said. "Everyone strives to have an impact," he said. "Philanthropy is a way to make investments in other people. Money is not the only way you can help other people."

One of the best ways he has given back, he added, was volunteering his time at a nonprofit where he mentored other student athletes and shared what he has learned playing baseball in college.

He is grateful for the support of the Community Foundation, not only for the funding but for the example of giving. "The average medical student has six figures in debt," he said, "so the help has been everything. I'm in such a better place now because of them."

When you start a scholarship through the Community Foundation, you make education possible for students like David and countless others from the Quad Cities region. To learn more about how to start a scholarship, contact our Development Team, at 563/326-2840 or development@qccomunnityfoundation.org.