ITHACA, N.Y. -- The recipients of Cornell University's 2003 Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Award were announced during a dinner and awards ceremony April 4 on campus. The award recognizes and honors students at Cornell who have had significant involvement in community service by providing support for their projects, which address a community's social needs.

Seven semifinalists for the award attended the ceremony held in the Yale-Princeton Room of Cornell's Statler Hotel, and four of them were named finalists and award winners. The finalists were Lauren Jacobs '05, Ifunanya (Funa) Maduka '04, Jennifer Harber '03 and Rebecca Vichniac '04. Semifinalists included Kerry Neijstrom '03, Edward Pettitt '04 and Bethany Tong '05. Finalists receive $1,500 each, to further a community service project that they have proposed and initiated.

This award was established by Cornell alumni Gerald Robinson '54, Margot Robinson '55, Robert Appel '53 and Helen Appel '55. All applications for the award are reviewed by a selection committee composed of alumni, members of the community and representatives from community agencies, students and university staff members from the Cornell Public Service Center.

Listed below are this year's recipients and descriptions of their projects.