23 student volunteers and workers cited for their community spirit

At a university known for its high level of student involvement in community affairs, 23 Cornell students excelled during 2001-02. They were honored at the fifth annual Community Spirit Awards ceremony, April 25, by the Cornell Public Service Center, the office of The Cornell Tradition and by many of the local organizations that benefited from their good works.

Held during National Volunteer Week, the ceremony recognized extraordinary accomplishments by students who volunteer their time and talents through the Public Service Center, as well as work-study students who are placed in local human-service agencies by the Cornell Tradition program.

Brigid Hubberman, executive director of the Family Reading Partnership, addressed the award winners, thanked them on behalf of all the agencies they were involved with and emphasized the connections and learning that take place between volunteers and recipients. As volunteers, she said, "you receive as much -- if not more -- than you give."

Students receiving Community Spirit Awards are listed under the category in which they were honored, with their year of graduation and the office or agency in which they served:

·Innovation in Service, for initiating a project within an agency or program or bringing tools or skills to the agency, which has resulted in an enrichment of the agency's services: Christopher Benyarko '02, Lydiah Bosire '02, Heather Peterson '02 and Joshua Pushkin '02, Cornell Public Service Center; Luke Hagstrand '02, Information and Referral of Tompkins County; Vanessa Ulmer '02, On Site Volunteer Services; and Daniel White '02, Better Housing for Tompkins County.

·Excellence in Academics and Service, presented to students who have shown an active involvement in the community while maintaining an overall grade point average of 3.0 or above: Kristin Jackson '03, Women's Opportunity Center; Bonnie Puckett '02, Information and Referral of Tompkins County; Megan Ronco '02, Cornell Public Service Center; and Benjamin Wolfe '03, Cornell Plantations.

·Dedicated Service, presented to students who have demonstrated a strong commitment to a single agency or project. Jyoti Aggarwal '03, American Red Cross of Tompkins County; Marcie Houser '03, On Site Volunteer Services; Matthew Jarrett '02, Human Services Coalition of Tompkins County; and Mary Kay Hausladen '02, Cornell Public Service Center.

·Star Performer, presented to students who perform their work with an attitude that is contagious with enthusiasm: Susan Barnett '02, Cayuga Nature Center; Michael Collins '02, Ithaca Fire Department; Sarah Duford '02, Cayuga Nature Center; and Halle Watson '02, City of Ithaca Planning and Development.

·Community Building, presented to students who have worked to build understanding of a particular issue across the community and who have brought together various groups within the community: Simone Baribeau '01, Alternatives Federal Credit Union; Julie Daum '01, Ithaca Housing Authority; Tamar Melen '02, AIDS Work; and Philip Rigueur '02, Cornell-Ithaca Partnership.

For more information on this event and other programs of the Cornell Public Service Center, visit www.psc.cornell.edu or call 255-1148.