University seniors Rachel Stanley, Caroline Taylor and Sean Dolan were lauded for their commitment to service.
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North Carolina Campus Compact recognized three Elon University students during its annual conference held the first weekend in November in Wilmington, N.C.
Elon University senior Rachel Stanley received the John H. Barnhill Civic Trailblazer Award, presented annually to a North Carolina student who demonstrates creativity and innovation in starting or enhancing projects that address community needs. Given by North Carolina Campus Compact, the award is named for John H. Barnhill, the Compact’s founding executive director and an innovator in civic engagement who today serves as an assistant vice president at Elon.
Described by campus officials as a “quiet powerhouse,” Stanley operates through collaboration. Working with the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, Stanley spearheaded “Interact with Respect Week,” a celebration of interfaith dialogue. As a service coordinator with Elon Volunteers!, she spent more than 200 hours working with Avalon Community Center, a refugee organization in Greensboro. And as an Amnesty International representative at Elon, she conducted educational events and organized a vigil after the 2011 death penalty execution of Georgia man Troy Davis.
Last summer, she worked with the Latin America Association in Atlanta to recruit volunteers for a charity soccer tournament that drew thousands of participants. During her three terms as Hillel president at Elon, Stanley created lasting initiatives, including the Mitzvah Day of Service, the Trick or Canning Halloween food drive, and Campus Fest, which celebrates Elon’s diversity with food, music, and art.
The Barnhill Civic Trailblazer Award is presented at North Carolina Campus Compact’s annual student conference. NC Campus Compact is an association of colleges and universities committed to fostering campus-community engagement. Since 2002, the Compact has hosted a conference where student leaders learn and share strategies to address community issues.
Elon senior Caroline Taylor was one of 17 students across the state to receive the 2012 Community Impact Award. Given by North Carolina Campus Compact, the award recognizes college students who make significant, innovative efforts to address local community needs.
At Elon, Taylor is president of Elon’s Habitat for Humanity chapter and a director of Elon Volunteers! At Elon Volunteers!, Taylor works with student liaisons to local community organizations. She will graduate in May as one of Elon’s Civic Engagement Scholars—an honor earned through coursework and service with local non-profits. After graduation, Taylor hopes to continue her service work by joining the Peace Corps. She is from Lawrenceville, N.J.
Elon senior Sean Dolan’s documentary short, “Hear For Me,” won the grand prize in a new film competition sponsored by North Carolina Campus Compact. The competition, open to undergraduate and graduate students across the state, asked filmmakers to depict how their campus educates civically engaged students and strengthens the community.
Dolan’s film tells the story of an Elon student whose experience learning American Sign Language with Assistant Professor Terry Tucker led the student to connect with and advocate for the deaf community. The competition judges awarded Dolan’s film the top spot among 10 entries submitted, praising Dolan’s technical craft and “compelling” storytelling. Dolan received a $1000 prize for his work.
The top three films were screened at North Carolina Campus Compact’s annual student conference. This year’s event, held Nov. 3 at UNC Wilmington, brought together 125 students from 18 campuses.