About Jason B. Fleishman
(from Middlebury’s website)
Jason's legacy, a model of strength and open-hearted service to others, exemplifies leadership. He conquered personal adversity with courage and extraordinary effectiveness, schooling himself in areas that he knew to be important, and showing us all the possible. A neuroscience major, he also was an emergency medical technician, served and led the Middlebury College Snow Bowl Ski Patrol, volunteered as a February Outdoor Orientation leader and helped mid-year graduates find the equipment and skills to celebrate on the slopes during the annual ski-down. A member of the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Vermont, he was an energetic fundraiser for the agency. He also participated in its support meetings, offering his experience as a resource for many individuals and families, and was an inspiring guest speaker at the 2002 annual meeting. He represented the foundation at a variety of United Way meetings, and, in 2001, was awarded the United Way of Addison County Youth Service Award. In appreciation for his volunteerism and in honor of the great impact his efforts have had on the agency and the families it serves, the Epilepsy Foundation has established two programs in his memory. One, the Jason Fleishman Camp Scholarship Program, will offer children with epilepsy an opportunity to attend camp, helping them to build self-confidence and social and recreational skills. The second program in Jason's honor, the Jason Fleishman College Initiative, will provide, in support of students with epilepsy as they continue their education, the latest information on epilepsy to the staff and students of Vermont colleges. Jason was born in 1980 and died of meningitis in 2004.