Arthur, Mitchel given Servant Leadership Award
FOR RELEASE: Sunday, May 18, 2008
Huntington, Ind. "Amie Arthur and Katie Mitchel recently received the Huntington University Servant Leadership Award. The purpose of this award is to recognize students who have demonstrated leadership in the area of community and ministry service. Students are nominated by faculty, staff and peers and must be juniors with a 2.5 grade point average or above to be eligible. Two $1,000 awards are granted, and recipients are awarded with $750 and asked to designate $250 to the charity of their choice.
Amie Arthur, daughter of Carey and Patricia Arthur, is a public relations major from Pandora, Ohio. She has chosen to donate $250 to the Disaster Action Team of the American Red Cross. For the 2007-2008 academic year, Arthur served as the public relations coordinator and the coordinator of the Fall and Spring Work Days for the Joe Mertz Center for Volunteer Service. During spring break 2007, Arthur organized several work projects in Huntington.
Arthur's nominators, Alison Sharpe and Dr. Norris Friesen said of her: Amie has a strong work ethic and is always upbeat and ready to do whatever is asked of her. Her life exemplifies the spirit of Joe Mertz who was an ordinary man who offered his services where needed. Amie is not seeking leadership or recognition but in humility and with sincerity seeks to put others first.
Sharpe is Arthur's resident director, and Dr. Norris Friesen serves as dean and vice president of the university.
Katie Mitchel, daughter of Mark and Betty Mitchel, is a social work major from Monroe, Ind. She has chosen to donate $250 to Youth for Christ. Mitchel led a 2008 spring break trip to Florida to participate in Habitat for Humanity's Collegiate Challenge. The group helped put up hurricane strips on one duplex, and build cabinets and hang trim on another. For the 2007-2008 academic year, Mitchel served as the program coordinator for Adopt-A-Grandparent, Open Door and tutoring for the Joe Mertz Center.
Mitchel's nominators, Carla MacDonald and Paul Hirschy, said of her: Katie has a servant's heart " she willingly jumps in and helps in volunteer projects. From children to the elderly, the needs of others are all that matters to Katie. Katie gave up playing on the volleyball team so that she could be a campus ministry coordinator in her residence hall. She loves volleyball but gave it up to help make an impact on other students in the residence hall.
MacDonald is assistant professor of social work, and Hirschy serves as a development officer.
With a matching gift opportunity provided by the Moore Foundation of Indianapolis, the President's Advisory Council on Excellence committed to raising enough funds so that a permanently endowed Servant Leadership Award fund could be established. With funds provided by the Moore Foundation and PACE, Huntington University now has the ability to annually fund the two $1,000 awards.
Founded in 1992, the Joe Mertz Center is a student-directed organization that mobilizes the campus community for Christian service. The JMC aims to involve students in the local community, instill a lifelong tendency toward service and promote the idea that one person can make a difference. The Joe Mertz Center has been listed as an exemplary program in the John Templeton Foundation Honor Roll of Character-Building Colleges.
