Middlebury College students, faculty, and community partners were recognized as awardees and finalists for Vermont Campus Compact Statewide Awards at Vermont Campus Compact's April 1st Statewide Conference, Through a Civic Lens.
Vermont Campus Compact (VCC) is a consortium of 22 college and university campuses aiming to catalyze the public missions of higher education. VCC seeks to transform campuses in ways that contribute to social, economic, and environmental sustainability while developing better informed, active citizen problem-solvers. VCC believes that campuses must be vital agents and architects of a flourishing democracy
Vermont Campus Compact Statewide Awards
Middlebury College Recipients and Finalists
Ria Shroff ’09 was awarded the Commitment to Service and Engagement Award. This award is given to one student per VCC campus for both the breadth and depth of his/her community involvement. As president of the International Students Organization, Ria developed programs to help international students adjust and feel welcome, organized a weekly international storytelling and song series for children at the local library, and created resources for parents regarding international opportunities for their children. Ria has been a Community Friend for three years and a coordinator this year. Ria has been involved with the Farm Workers Coalition, teaching English and helping Mexican migrant farmworkers with translation services.
John Elder, Environmental Studies and English & American Literatures received the Award for Excellence in Community-Based Teaching. This award is given to one faculty member from a VCC member campus who has made public service an integral part of their teaching, to the benefit of both students and community. For years, John has taught a number of courses that link student learning with local issues, in particular with regard to nature and the sense of place in Addison County and Vermont. In his most recent course “Portrait of a Small Town,” John shaped the course with his students where they were able to “delve into the character of Starksboro …spending hours every week interviewing, walking around and beginning to understand the landscape.” Students interviewed town residents, who shared their values, concerns, pride, memories and aspirations for their community and identified what was most meaningful to them. Students retold the stories using video, print, and orally and culminated with a presentation to a large crowd at a town meeting, and a story in the New York Times. The town plans to use the presentation to document its values, as well as guide decisions about its future.
Tiffany Sargent, director of the Alliance for Civic Engagement,
and John Elder
Bill McKibben, Scholar in Residence, received the vanderHeyden Service to Vermont Award given for the second year to a distinguished individual with ties to Vermont who — through his or her actions, scholarly or professional work, and/or sustained civic engagement, has influenced, inspired and motivated others.Bill McKibben is an American environmentalist and author who frequently writes about global warming, alternative energy, and the risks associated with human genetic engineering. Since writing for the New Yorker and The End of Nature, regarded by many as the first book for a general audience about climate change, McKibben has written numerous books and articles, including his 2007 book, Deep Economy: the Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future. Bill continues as a prolific writer on climate change issues.
Hiba Fakhoury ‘09 was recognized as a finalist for the Vermont Teddy Bear 2007 Student Citizen Award. The award, presented by The Vermont Teddy Bear Co., recognizes exceptional volunteer leadership efforts by college students across the state. As one of only two women and the only volunteer on the Middlebury Fire Department, Hiba has devoted more than 500 hours to service and training. Hiba also serves as a WomenSafe volunteer 10 hours a week counseling sexually or domestically abused women. Hiba has been involved with student government, as a First Year Counselor, as chair of the Model UN chapter at Middlebury and more.
Ria Shroff, Hiba Fakhoury, and Rayna Rogowsky
The United Way of Addison County was awarded the Engaged Community Partner Award. The long standing partnership with United Way of Addison County (UWAC) incorporates service, student internships, joint programs, fundraising, and includes Day of Service, Days of Caring, Financial Stability Outreach Day, Addison County poverty internships and more. The collaboration between Middlebury’s Alliance for Civic Engagement, UWAC and People of Addison County Together (PACT) formed the Addison County Poverty Task Force, which laid the foundation for ongoing work to address poverty and housing. UWAC co-director Kate McGowan provides leadership on critical issues and is a vital contact for Middlebury’s outreach efforts.
Bill Hegman, GIS Specialist and Teaching Fellow, was a finalist for the Campus Leadership for Civic Engagement Award. This award recognizes one faculty, staff, or administrator on a VCC member campus for his/her leadership in advancing public engagement as a critical component of his/her higher education institution. Bill works closely with faculty, staff and students to design GIS projects that enhance learning, and oversees student internship placements with multiple community partners, such as statewide trail groups, a local fire department, organic farms and a private equity firm. Recently, Bill began a “food mapping” project; students use GIS to visualize the origin of a typical meal served in the dining hall. Bill has demonstrated the versatility and richness of integrating civic engagement into the classroom, modeling success for other departments while developing student and institutional thirst for real-world challenges.
Rayna Rogowsky ’09 was a finalist for the Madeleine M. Kunin Public Service Award. This award distinguishes one remarkable student from a VCC member institution for his/her outstanding public service and leadership, demonstrated through a spectrum of efforts. Rayna volunteers regularly with the National MS Society, and has helped coordinate and plan several benefit Walks. Rayna is a hotline and office volunteer and intern at WomanSafe and has researched domestic violence in Vermont and in the Balkans. Rayna has been a leader on campus for Alternative Breaks, February Orientation, Deliberative Dialogues, MiddView social justice orientation, Hillel, is a member of the Task Force on the Status of Women, and more.