MCC Honors Eight Students for Service Commitment
Kyla Wojtas, an Alma College junior from Macomb, is one of eight students in the state to receive the Outstanding Community Impact Award, which honors students who have made service an integral part of their college experience.
Wojtas and seven other Alma College students received Michigan Campus Compact awards April 10 at the 14th annual Outstanding Student Service Award Ceremony in East Lansing.
“Kyla is involved in so many things,” says Anne Ritz, coordinator of service learning at Alma College. “She created her own non-profit organization, Literacy Beyond Borders. She also is an active participant and a student leader in our alternative breaks program. She is a member of our service team, which connects students to service opportunities on the campus and in the community.”
From left: Christie Schichtel, Kyla Wojtas, Samantha LaChance, Renee Willoughby and Sallie Scheide.
Literacy Beyond Borders, which works to strengthen education in Africa, emerged following Wojtas’ visit to Ghana, where she volunteered at an orphanage that was home to more than 170 children. A graduate of Henry Ford II High School in Sterling Heights, Wojtas is the daughter of Robert and Sharon Wojtas.
Each year, Michigan Campus Compact recognizes students from member colleges and universities across the state for their commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. This year, 192 students from 34 campuses were honored, including eight students from Alma College.
Saginaw sophomore Benjamin Roberts received the MCC’s Commitment to Service Award, which is given to one student per member campus for his or her commitment to community service.
Six Alma students received the Heart and Soul Award in recognition of their time, effort and personal commitment through service. Recipients were St. Johns junior Brandt Ayoub, Coopersville junior Chelsea Clark, Mount Pleasant sophomore Samantha LaChance, Alma junior Mallory Quackenbush, Lowell sophomore Heather Walendzik and South Lyon junior Renee Willoughby.
In addition, 11 Alma students have been designated Michigan Service Scholars. The MSS Program provides $1,000 AmeriCorps education awards to students who complete 300 hours of community service during one calendar year. Recipients are Adrian junior Ashley Arquette, Indianapolis junior Simone Boos, Lake Linden junior Amanda Cruickshank, Midland junior Marcy Gilstad, Hale senior Andrea Herzog, Holland junior Emma Kornelis, Marshall junior Courtney Martin, Clarkston junior Kelsey Merz, Ithaca junior Latisha Misenhelder, Three Rivers junior Emily Monahan, and Grand Ledge sophomore Lauren Stevenson.
Michigan Campus Compact promotes the education and commitment of Michigan college and university students to be civically engaged citizens, through creating and expanding academic, co-curricular and campus-wide opportunities for community service, service-learning and civic engagement.
Posted: Wed, April 14th, 2010 at 9:54AM
