Needham resident is Humanitarian of the Year

By Cindy Cantrell
Globe Correspondent

Jeffrey Schram of Needham began volunteering two and a half years ago with Jesse Carlson, a young man with Down syndrome who lives near Schram's college in Atlanta. Back then Carlson refused to call Schram by his first name.

“He already had a friend and uncle named Jeff, so he said he didn’t need another one in his life,” recalled Schram, now a senior at Emory University . After a few months of referring to Schram by his middle name of Alan, Carlson gradually began calling him The Dude – which has been his nickname ever since.

Schram accompanies 25-year-old Carlson to movies, bowling, swimming, concerts, and other events at Emery so he can enjoy being around other people his age. In return, Schram is treated like a member of Carlson’s family.

Schram, who graduated from Wellesley High School in 2005, was recently presented with an Emory University Humanitarian of the Year Award after being nominated by Carlson’s mother, Julie Hale of Decatur, Ga. Schram also works with autistic children in Atlanta and is co-president of Students Helping Organize Awareness of the Holocaust (SHOAH) on campus.

After he graduates, Schram plans to work at the New England Center for Children in Southborough. He isn’t planning to allow the distance to affect his friendship, however.

“I have family there so I’ll still see Jesse,” Schram said. “Plus, he likes to call me at all hours of the day and night, so we’ll stay close.”