Maine Campus Compact, a coalition of 17-member campuses, recently celebrated its 21st annual awards ceremony virtually to recognize Maine faculty, students, and community and corporate partners for outstanding work in public service and civic engagement.

During these unprecedented times, the coalition’s 2022 award recipients’ positive impacts on campuses and in communities throughout the state reinforce the importance of the public purposes of higher education, according to a news release from the coalition. The coalition seeks to transform its campuses in ways that develop better informed and active citizen problem-solvers, stronger communities, and a more just democratic society.

The Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service-Learning Excellence recognizes outstanding Maine faculty who integrate community or public service into the curriculum and who work to institutionalize service-learning. Award recipients have shown clear evidence of reflection, community benefit, reciprocity with community partners, and a commitment to advocating for service-learning and/or community action on campus and beyond.

2022 award recipients:

• Katherine Weatherford Darling, Assistant Professor of Sociology, University of Maine at Augusta;

• Katie Dobkowski, Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology, Bates College; and

• Emily Lesher, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Saint Joseph’s College.

The Heart and Soul Student Award recognizes six Maine undergraduate students who are actively involved in transforming their campuses and communities into environments of civic engagement. These students have developed positive community and campus change; worked to institutionalize their community projects; demonstrated leadership; and implemented innovative approaches to social issues.

• Angela Biron, Colby College, from Vermont, of Waterville;

• Martha Coleman, Bates College, from Seattle area, of Lewiston;

• Penelope Mack, Bowdoin College, from greater Boston area, of Brunswick;

• Irene Neal, University of Maine at Fort Kent, of Amherst;

• Julio Rivera, Maine College of Art & Design, originally from Puerto Rico, of Portland; and

• Heidi Toner, University of Maine at Augusta, of Bangor/Brewer area.

The Community Partner of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding community partner organization and its staff for their exemplary partnership with an MCC member institution.

• Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, University of Maine at Augusta.

The Corporate Partner of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding corporate partner and its staff for their exemplary partnership with an MCC member institution.

• Old Town Hannaford, University of Maine.

The President’s Campus Leadership Award recognizes a student organization or campus department at each MCC member institution for its contributions to community service, service-learning, and/or civic engagement efforts on their campus.

• The Merimanders, Bates College;

• Department of Art, University of Maine;

• Social Science Program, University of Maine at Augusta; and

• Office of Sustainability, University of Southern Maine.

The Faculty Impact Service Award recognizes a faculty member who has made an exceptional contribution to student success and well-being, and to fostering student engagement on campus and in the community.

• H. Lori Schnieders, Associate Professor of Psychology, University of Maine at Machias.

The PILLARS Honorable Mention Student Award recognizes students who are actively engaged on their campuses and in their communities. PILLARS stands for Philanthropy, Innovation, Learning, Leadership, Action, Responsibility, and Service.

• Salvatore Cardinale, University of Maine at Augusta, of Hallowell;

• Carly Jordan, Saint Joseph’s College, of Standish;

• Gabriella Peluso, University of Maine, of Dumont, New Jersey;

• Jiwana Soleimani, Maine College of Art & Design, of South Portland; and

• Elaine Thomas, University of Maine, of Hampden.

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