HPU Center for Community Engagement Presents Impact Awards for Community Service
Pictured from left on the front row are HPU VISTAs Iyanna Salters, Abby Forrence, Grant Hines, Kathryn Shumaker, Dihandra Williams, Lauren Riley, Kyle Smith, Dani Rubio, Hassan Allah, Marecia Wright, Lovelle McMichael Sr., Ja’Niya Rice, Demetri Turner, Sarah Barlow, Martin Enriquez and Josh Cameron.
HIGH POINT, N.C., May 22, 2024 – High Point University’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) recently celebrated students, faculty and community members for their service to the local community alongside nonprofit partners in a red-carpet Impact Awards ceremony at Hayworth Fine Arts Center.
“The Impact Awards has grown from a small gathering celebrating the accomplishments of our faculty, staff and students to this spectacular event,” said Kimberly Drye-Dancy, the Robert G. Culp Jr. executive director of the CCE. “None of this is possible without fully engaged faculty, staff, students, community partners and volunteers.”
The CCE serves as the central hub for HPU’s service programs, including Bonner Leaders, AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and Service Learning. The organization also oversees the student-led Volunteer Center, representing 120 student clubs. These students and organizations are major contributors to the 500,000 hours of service that the HPU family contributes each year.
High Point Mayor Cyril Jefferson addressed HPU student volunteers, faculty and community partners during the awards ceremony to express the city’s appreciation for the great work that the attendees have done for the local community.
“People who just show up every single day because your heart calls you to do the work, you know that your legacy is predicated on what you do for others,” said Jefferson. “I hope we get to keep partnering together to make impact happen.”
The CCE’s mission is rooted in the values that guide its work and reflect innovation, impact, community, justice, sustainability as well as diversity, equity and inclusion, said Lovelle McMichael Sr., CCE assistant director.
“Through these values, we strive to create a community where everyone can thrive and where justice and sustainability are foundational principles in all that we do,” said McMichael.
Outstanding Community Partner of the Year
The Mega Mission Ministries’ Community Writing Center, one of 25 community partners that HPU students worked closely with, was named the Outstanding Community Partner of the Year.
HPU Student, Staff, Faculty and Organization Awards:
The first-ever CCE Community Engagement Trailblazer Award was presented to Volunteer Center President and 2024 Outstanding Senior Award recipient Nyila Johnson.
Johnson said she was grateful to have seen the CCE built from the ground up. The entrepreneurship major from Jamestown, North Carolina, thanked the CCE staff and everyone else who devotes time and effort into serving the local community. She presented the Extraordinary Volunteer Award to Ava Daniels and the Servant’s Heart Award to Chakyia Lee.
VISTA Leaders Iyanna Salters and Dihandra Williams recognized this year’s record number of 16 HPU VISTAs. In addition to Salters, Williams and Grant Hines, they are Hassan Allah, Sarah Barlow, Josh Cameron, Martin Enriquez, Abby Forrence, Ja’Niya Rice, Lauren Riley, Dani Rubio, Kathryn Shumaker, Kyle Smith, Demetri Turner and Marecia Wright. Each VISTA works with a nonprofit in High Point to build sustainable programs to address needs, such as food insecurity and education.
Allison Walker, director of service learning and instructor of English, presented the Service Learning Student of the Year Award to Callie Scheier. Other nominees were Godwin Mondo, Madison Rice, McConnico Sharpe and Harrison Williams.
Walker also recognized the following Service-Learning students for their work with various local nonprofits:
- Rachel Anton – D-Up Inc
- Mikaela Chin – High Point YWCA
- Sawera Farooq – Community Clinic of High Point
- Sam Johnson – Burns Hill Neighborhood Association
- Lizzie Mathie – Operation Xcel
- Kassidy McFeely – city of High Point Neighborhood Association
- Jenny Ngo – Community Clinic of High Point
- Makenna Paglione – Nido and Mariana Qubein Children’s Museum
Rosemarie Tarara, instructor of education preparation and director of Education Fellows, was named the Service-Learning Professor of the Year.
Robert Tillman, director of the Bonner Leaders program, presented awards to Chin and Jacob Dillman as Social Innovator Scholars. The Rising Star Award was presented to Enijah Vaughan.
Tillman also presented the HPU Habitat for Humanity with the 2023-2024 Campus Organization Impact Award. The Bonner Leader program and Volunteer Center were also nominated as campus organizations.
Kailyn McCarthy won the 2023-2024 Student Impact Award. Daniels and Tyler Brandon-White were the other nominees.
Community Engagement Advocate Awards were presented to Johnson and fellow student Genna Manger.
Hines recognized the following HPU students for awards they received on Honors Day:
- Growth Mindset Award: Avery Miles and Terry Dixon Jr.
- Innovative Collaborator Award: Jenny Aquirre and Genna Manger
- Exceptional Service Award: Osliany Mora-Morejon and Nyila Johnson
- Service Learning Civic Innovator Award: Mikaela Chin
- Service Learning Engaged Scholar Award: Amaris Jenkins
- Service Learning Growth Mindset Award: Jenny Ngo
- Service Learning Compassionate Advocacy Award: Sidney Jones
- Civil Discourse Award: Avery Miles and Keonna Elliott
The Social Media Mastermind Award was presented to Celastina Pemberton. Other nominees were Mara Cooper and Toni Tsoukalas.
In addition, the Service Club of the Year Award went to the NAACP. The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Panhellenic Council were other service club nominees.
The GivePulse Most Valuable Affiliate Award went to Beyond Sports. Other nominees were The Community Clinic of High Point and West End Ministries.
The next Impact Awards ceremony is scheduled for April 23, 2025.