April 24, 2001
2001 Middlebury College Public
Service Leadership Award Recipients
April 24, 2001
** Randy V. Cofield, Jr. Class
of 2002
Randy has worked toward the
enrichment of our campus environment since his earliest days here. He
has been a force for change, serving on numerous committees and
joining in many efforts including, among others, the Human Relations
Committee, the Leadership Committee and the African American
Alliance. He helped organize events such as a Halloween party for
students and community families, and the symposium on Sub-Saharan
Africa. Other of his activities have included an effort to bring a
barber specializing in diverse hair types to campus, and a proposal
for satellite networking at the PALANA Center, where he is the
resident advisor. A recipient of the Margolin Outstanding Freshmen in
Leadership Award, his work toward community awareness and social
involvement amongst our students is creative and significant. In his
first year of college, for instance, Randy founded and coordinated
what is now the annual Martin Luther King Day of Service, a day when
students provide a variety of services to the local community as a
special celebratory component to the national observance. Another
example is Randys initiation and organization this year of
Middlebury Colleges Black History Month Conference, with five
other colleges participating. It was the first such conference
amongst all the NESCAC schools.
** Billie L. Goldman, Class of
2002
In Billies first year at
Middlebury, she became a volunteer with the Special Olympics Vermont
aquatics program in Addison County. She has continued to work with
the program each year since, attending every practice session to help
athletes who need extra personal attention to feel comfortable in the
water, and to learn to swim. She has also recruited several other
student volunteers to help with the team, as well. In addition to the
dedication of time to coach these athletes during an intensive
training schedule, Billie and her recruits also have organized and
attended, annually, many social gatherings for the Addison
crewa bowling party, an ice cream social, and a dance party
have helped to reinforce team spirit, as well as individual endeavor.
Thanks to Billies infectious enthusiasm and committed coaching,
one of the teams athletes was able to attend this years
Winter World Games in Anchorage, Alaska, and attributes her
accomplishment in part to Billies encouragement and willingness
to help make the trip happen. As one member of our college community
puts it, “Billie is a giver. Her personal acts of kindness are never
geared to draw attention to herself, and she gives with both grace
and generosity. In Billie, caring is epitomized.”
** Kelly A. Knapp, Class of
2001
Kelly has worked all four years of
her college career as a “Community Friend” volunteer, demonstrating a
dedication to public service on several levels. Throughout, she has
been a faithful “big sister” to one child, providing creative, fun
and healthy activities for him each week. The friendship and guidance
she offers this young boy is a meaningful experience that helps
provide the additional support and encouragement he will need to
realize his full potential as a successful adult. As stated by the
programs coordinator, “The bond created between these two,
through Kellys devoted attention, will last long after she has
graduated.” Her leadership extends beyond her role as a “big sister.”
She also serves as student coordinator for “Community Friends,” and
recruits many other volunteers to be positive role models through
friendship with younger children. She is a skillful interviewer, and
works hard to make successful “big and little sister and brother”
matches between the college and grade school students. Participating
in monthly program events, she also works with her peers, training
them as coordinators as well as mentors, building a legacy of
effective volunteer resources for the program that will continue past
her graduation into the years to come.
** Marc S. Limmany, Class of
2001
Marc has served with the Vergennes
Area Rescue Squad since his junior year. An attendant working in a
four-person crew, he provides emergency medical care in an ambulance
that responds to rescue calls in 12-hour shifts. At the scene of an
accident or other emergency, Marc works with the crewoften in a
life or death situationto assess the condition of shocked or
injured patients, and he performs medical procedures as needed, both
at the site and on the way to the hospital. A licensed emergency
medical technician for three years, Marc spends his spare time in a
way that is not immediately associated with the term “college
student.” After attending classes and studying all week, he dedicates
from twelve to 24 hours each weekend to the rescue squad, for a total
of 72 hours per month. He does not shy away from the grimmer,
bloodier sides of life as many of us try to do, but instead struggles
hard to meet their challenges preparedly and effectively. Marcs
volunteerism is absolutely indispensable. As one of his fellow
students recently pointed out, “Vergennes residents depend on
Marcs volunteerism, weekend after weekend after weekend. It
really means nothing short of entrusting him with their
lives.”
** Meredith G. Livoti, Class
of 2001
Meredith is in her fourth year as a
Project Independence volunteer. She has helped to provide a closely
supervised home away from home for many of our communitys elder
adults whose independence has been restricted because of chronic
disease, disability or advanced age. She undertakes many of the small
kindnesses of an ideal, dedicated “great-granddaughter” that help to
make aging a gentler process. In her quiet and unassuming way,
Meredith confidently goes about her work as soon as she enters the
center, intuitively knowing what to do to lighten the days
prospects for the older people around her. She cheerfully takes on
numerous roles, including that of an entertaining buddy and
comforting hand-holder. She is happy to accommodate, whether by
reading aloud to her senior companions, or calling a Bingo game, by
serving as a keen card partner, or a steady strolling partner. She
understands the importance of offering a moment to keep loneliness at
bay. In addition to the hours she spends personally with the
Projects elderly, Meredith also inspires her peers to make
public service an important part of their lives, and recruits them
for the day center. But, more than anything else, Meredith faithfully
shares her sincere, helpful and joyous friendship, bringing comfort
and good spirits to all those around her.
** Katherine M. Pruitt, Class
of 2001
Katie began work with Page 1
as a first-year student at Middlebury. At the outset and in each year
since, through her dedicated and highly successful efforts, she has
been a driving force for the program, and an integral part of its
ongoing leadership. She has worked both in direct literary service
and behind the scenes, doing everything from tutoring and organizing
book drives to designing publicity fliers and talking on local radio
stations about Page 1 programs and events. In her junior year,
while studying abroad in Australia, Katie stayed in close
communication with the Page 1 coordinator, maintaining her
involvement and leadership in the program. Upon her return, without
missing a beat, she participated in a literacy event at Ilsley
Library that focused on Australia, and shared her experiences of that
country. This year, Katie helped Page 1 meet the needs of the
Addison Central School by creating a tutoring program there. While
personally working as a literacy tutor to two challenging students,
Katie also made Page 1 a presence at the school by recruiting
five other volunteers for the new program. She organized their work
schedules and transportation to the distant school, assisted with
their training, acquired appropriate tutoring materials, and served
as the Colleges liaison with the schools literacy
coordinator.
2001 ALMA GIBBS DONCHIAN
LITERACY AWARD RECIPIENT
April 24, 2001
** Timothy S. Brownell, Class
of 2002
During the past two years, Tim has
promoted literacy awareness on campus and provided direct service in
the community beyond, with dedication and inspiring originality. In
addition to his work as a Foundation for Excellent Schools mentor, he
participates in numerous Page 1 Literacy programs for
elementary and middle school children. According to our Page 1
coordinator, Tims remarkable ability to relate to children has
produced a large following of eager young scholars who ask, when
signing up for a program, “Will Tim be here?” His ongoing service
includes weekly participation in “Write On,” a club for young authors
at Mary Hogan School. Other examples of his activity range from
reading aloud on a Saturday morning; attending leadership meetings;
tutoring individual children; emailing encouragement to his young
reading partners; andin addition to his own
commitmentsfilling in for other volunteers when needed. A
student leader as well as a volunteer, Tim creates new Page 1
programs and recruits volunteers to help implement them. One of his
programs, “Lets Play: Reading and Writing Theater,” brings
reading and theater to 20 Shoreham school children. Tim not only
gives large amounts of his time and energy in support of literacy, he
also motivates his peers to do the same.
List of nominees and the
organizations or people for which they served:
**For their work for the Addison
County Women in Crisis hotline,
Morgan H. Bicknell, Class of 2001; and
Elinor E. Roberts, Class of 2002.
**For his volunteerism with at-risk
youth through the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association and its
“Future Stars Summer Camp” in Lowell, Massachusetts,
Matthew M. Wolf, Class of 2004.
**For her service to the elderly
through the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging “Meals on Wheels”
program,
Katie M. Simpson, Class of 2002.
**For his work as a mentor through
the Counseling Service of Addison County’s “Community Friends”
program,
Christopher P. Cheang, Class of 2001.
**For her work as a “Community
Friends” mentor, and also for her efforts toward the National MS
Society’s “Walk for Multiple Sclerosis,”
Kari N. Nygaard, Class of 2001.
**For her volunteer initiatives and
activities on the Middlebury College campus and also in the local
community through the Counseling Service of Addison County’s
“Community Associates;” for her service with the Foundation for
Sustainable Development’s “Centro Puntiti” program in Bolivia; and
for her work with the Foundation for Community and Social Services in
Ecuador,
Jessica L. Harper, Class of 2001.
**For their volunteerism on behalf of
area senior citizens through Elderly Services’ “Project
Independence,”
Meredith G. Livoti; and
Benjamin I. Perin, both from the Class of 2001.
**For their service as mentors with
the Foundation for Excellent Schools’ “One More Step” program at
Bridport Central School,
Grayson M. Fertig;
Kristie A. Gonzalez; and
John F. Kennedy, all three from the Class of 2002.
**For their service as mentors with
“One More Step” at Middlebury Union Middle School,
Brian W. Ferry, Class of 2002;
Carl S. Larson, Class of 2003;
Michael V. Silberman, Class of 2002; and
Michael C. Unger, Class of 2003.
**For his many initiatives for the
development of an enriched community awareness and social involvement
at Middlebury College and in the larger community beyond,
Randy V. Cofield, Jr., Class of 2002.
**For her service to the Mary Johnson
Children’s Center,
Jessie Reynolds, Class of 2001.
**For their volunteer efforts on
behalf of the Middlebury College Page 1 Literacy Project,
Timothy S. Brownell, Class of 2002;
Brian C. Radley, Class of 2003;
Morgan H. Wilson, Class of 2004; and
Amber L. Young, Class of 2003.
**For her efforts on behalf of Page 1
at the Addison Central School,
Katherine M. Pruitt, Class of 2001.
**For her efforts on behalf of Page 1
in conjunction with the Champlain Valley Office of Equal
Opportunity’s “Head Start” program,
Elizabeth A. Dawson, Class of 2003.
**For her efforts on behalf of Page
1; her leadership on campus through Middlebury College Volunteer
Services and “Volunteer Preview;” and for her volunteerism at the
Counseling Service of Addison County’s Evergreen House,
Angela L. Schluchter, Class of 2003.
**For her many volunteer efforts on
the Middlebury College campus, and for her leadership with Volunteer
Services and “Volunteer Preview,”
Elizabeth J. Padgett, Class of 2001.
**For their leadership with
Middlebury College Volunteer Services and “Volunteer Preview,” and
for service as mentors with the Counseling Service of Addison
County’s “Community Friends” program,
Katie E. Ziemba, Class of 2003; and
Kelly A. Knapp, Class of 2001.
**For her volunteer work as a
choreographic director with the Middlebury Community Players,
Whitney J. Robinson, Class of 2001.
**For their service-from firefighting
to fundraising-with the Middlebury Fire Department,
Andrew B. Klein; and
Jason A. Oleet, both of the Class of 2001.
**For her many volunteer efforts on
the Middlebury College campus as well as with a medical mission in
Haiti, and for her service with the Middlebury Volunteer Ambulance
Association,
Jessica L. Pasko, Class of 2001.
**For her work with the Open Door
Clinic and the Community Health Services of Addison County,
Alisa J. Young, Class of 2003.
**For his volunteerism with the
internationally active organization, Operation Smile, and for his
initiative and leadership of the Operation Smile Middlebury Club on
campus,
Christopher R. McLaughlin, Class of 2001.
**For her initiatives in Oaxaca,
Mexico, and for her co-founding of its “Bridge to Community Health”
program (or, in Spanish, the “Puente a la Salud Comunitaria”),
Anne M. Lionberger, Class of 2002.
**For her coaching and companionship
with swim team athletes through the Special Olympics Vermont program
in Addison County, and for her many other volunteer efforts on the
Middlebury College campus,
Billie L. Goldman, Class of 2002.
**For his work and leadership on
behalf of Spirit in Nature’s Interfaith Path Center,
Dane B. Springmeyer, Class of 2002.
**For their volunteerism and
leadership on the United Way of Addison County’s Youth Advisory
Council, and for their “Ski For Your Community” fundraising
initiative,
Jaymie B. Gross; and
Nicole G. Hoeksma, both from the Class of 2001.
**For his volunteer emergency medical
services on the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad,
Marc S. Limmany, Class of 2001.
**For her volunteer teaching and
mentoring of children from low-income families through the Very
Special Arts’ “Home in the Arts” after-school program in Burlington,
Vermont,
Kate H. Klapfish, Class of 2001.
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