Patrick J. Durkin ’79 Public Service Leadership Awards

The PSLA award ceremony is held every spring semester to recognize individuals and partnerships for their service with communities and contributions to the public good. Honored awardees are invited to make a donation to a non-profit of their choice. Guests celebrate in person, and there is also a livestream of the event for remote viewing.

Student and Partnership Awards

The Center for Community Engagement awards six general awards to student leaders, in addition to four named awards:

• The Dana Morosini Reeve ‘84, P’14 Endowed Memorial Public Service Award is given to the student who best exemplifies Dana’s spirit and determination as she tirelessly and selflessly devoted her life to caring for her husband Christopher Reeve and, through the Christopher Reeve Foundation, to her work as an advocate for all those with spinal cord injuries.
• The John M. McCardell Jr. Public Service Award recognizes the student who best exemplifies efforts that bring Middlebury, both the College and the Town, more closely together for a public benefit. In this way, we honor the values to which John had been so strongly committed during his tenure as president and celebrate others who continue the tradition of this very important work.
• The Bonnie McCardell Public Service Award is given to a student for actions in support of youth and who best exemplifies outreach in one of the following areas: (1) youth and family services, (2) literacy, and (3) the special needs that arise during the critical middle and early high school years.
• The Tiffany Nourse Sargent ’79 Engaged Partnership Award honors an educational partnership between Middlebury College and a community organization to address community needs. The partnership honored could be a collaboration that supported academic coursework, research, student organization(s), or another meaningful learning endeavor.

Educator Award

• The Award for Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship recognizes and rewards a Middlebury College faculty or staff member of any rank in any field or discipline for high quality work integrating community engagement into their teaching and/or research. The award recipient demonstrates a record of successful teaching and/or research that is carried out through long-term, collaborative community-engaged partnerships that address a community-identified need or priority. The co-production of knowledge through these partnerships results in a public value and/or scholarly impacts in the field(s) of inquiry.

Alumni Award

• The CCE will award The Public Service Leadership Alumni Award to a Middlebury College graduate who demonstrates a dedication to the common good through significant collaborative contributions in public service and leadership. Alumni are invited to nominate themselves (or others) for the honor.

Questions? Contact Claire Tebbs (ctebbs@middlebury.edu). 

2024 Awardees

The John M. McCardell Jr. Public Service Award

• Freddi Mitchell ’24.5
• Ellie Cady ’25

The Bonnie McCardell Public Service Award

• Elio Farley ’24.5

The Dana Morosini Reeve ‘84 Memorial Public Service Award

• Mia Kojima ’24

Public Service Leadership Awards

• Nathaly Martinez ’24
• Aly Fedde ’25
• Keegan Gilsenan ’25
• Hinda Ibrahiim ’25
• Sadie Sadler ’26
• Mack Briglin ’26.5

Public Service Leadership Alumni Award

• Kenzo Okazaki ’21

The Tiffany Nourse Sargent ‘79 Engaged Partnership Award

• New Community Project
• Ilsley Public Library

Award for Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship

• Professor Pam Berenbaum, Director of Global Health