After demonstrating a variety of service within the community, the Office of Civil and Social Engagement (OCSE) announced the winners of the 2009 service awards. Eight members of the Saint Mary's community were awarded this past week.
The OCSE offers three different categories of awards. The Spirit of Service award is distributed every two years. In addition, there are five annual service awards, each named after a Sister of the Holy Cross. The final award is the Patricia Arch Green award, which is distributed by the College Academy of Tutoring program (CAT).
Carrie Call, director of the OCSE said members of the Saint Mary's community nominate the winners each year.
"[The winners] were nominated by people in the Saint Mary's College community and the Division of Mission selected the finalists based on their records of service and their letters of recommendation," Call said.
According to the College's Web site, the Spirit of Service award is "the highest service-related award bestowed by the College."
The award is presented to a student from the College, as well as a Sister of the Holy Cross. This year's winners were Sr. Gabriella Doran and Deanna Molosky.
According to the Web site, Doran has been interested in service since she was young. For the past 10 years she has worked with the vocations program as an outreach member.
Likewise, Molosky continuously provides service to her community. Molosky works with the Sisters of the Holy Cross, as well as with the children at the Early Childhood Development Center. She has taken several mission trips to help those in need around the world.
This is the first year the College has offered the service awards. According to the Web site, the awards were created "to honor the excellent work done by Saint Mary's students in a variety of volunteer activities."
Arlene Forney, a senior at the College, was the recipient of one of the five annual volunteer service awards. Forney won the Sister Kathleen Anne Nelligan award for Spiritual Service.
Another one of the five service winners was Caitlin Brodmerkel, who won the Sister Olivia Marie Hutcheson award for Service in the Health Field.
Brodmerkel works at the Sister Maura Brannick Health Center providing those without insurance health care. She also volunteers at the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center Outreach Program.
The Sister Maria Concepta McDermott award for Service in Education was awarded to Alma Bravo. According to the Web site Bravo is actively involved with the Warren Primary Center helping in English-as-a-New-Language (ENL) classrooms.
Rebecca Faunce was awarded the Sister Christine Healy award for Service with Women. Faunce works with the Center for Women's Intercultural Leadership (CWIL). She also is a member of Feminists United as well as the Women's Resource Center. One of her other many accomplishments is helping to put on the Saint Mary's Monologues.
The final winner of the five service awards was Meghan Larsen, winner of the Sister M. Olivette Whalen award for General Service. Larsen has been an active member of Campus Ministry. Larsen also actively participated in this year's Dance Marathon. She has worked extensively with a youth group at Christ the King Church, and has completed her Lay Ministry Certification.
This is the third year the Patricia Arch Green award has been distributed. The award is given to a member of the CAT program each year. The winner of this year's award was Alicia Wilkins. According to the Web site, Wilkins has volunteered 476 hours of her time to the CAT program throughout the past two years.
A dinner will be held in honor of all of the recipients Wednesday evening.
"The dinner is for all award recipients, and each person invites up to three guests," Call said.
The OCSE has awarded the awards for the past few years, and is proud of this year's recipients.
"The Spirit of Service Award has been given since 2002, the Patricia Arch Green Award since 2007, and this is the first year for the five named awards," Call said. "We're so proud of the award winners. They all exemplify the heart and service at Saint Mary's."
