Thursday, September 4, 2014

2014 Palmer Award Recipients

We received almost 50 Palmer Award applications from LeaderShape graduates who are working towards their visions and making an impact on their campuses, in their communities, and on the world. It is a privilege to read these inspirational stories and see how the members of the LeaderShape community are helping to create a just, caring, and thriving world. Although all of the applications were filled with examples of taking action and making a difference, two stood above the rest. So now it’s time to announce the recipients of this year’s Palmer Award!


Emmanuel Eze, Boise State University
Emmanuel headed to Boise State University from Baltimore, Maryland. Many encouraged him to go elsewhere worried, that as a person of color, he would not be accepted in Idaho. The transition to Boise State has been a positive one, and has led Emmanuel on a path to “let others know that things are not always the way they seem; that we live in a world where people judge each other based on what they have heard or possibly viewed on television,” and to then help others recognize that “diversity is one of the best things that ever happened to humanity.”

Vision
A world free from oppression, prejudice, and discrimination for everyone, including people that have a hard time fitting into their new environment.

Action
Making a multicultural inclusion music video was a goal that Emmanuel set for himself. Some of the outcomes he was looking for from the video were to promote diversity, inclusion, and acceptance at Boise State as well as to build community at the University and beyond. Through the relationships and partnerships Emmanuel forged with 13 student clubs and organizations, 7 departments, an elementary school, and Boise State alumni with experience in audio and video production, Emmanuel and his team created “Let’s All GrowTogether.”


Emmanuel is proud to share that the video has been well received shared University-wide.

What’s Next?
Twelve Universities and Colleges in Idaho are coming together to make another diversity inclusion music video and we should be able to get a peak at the project in the Spring.


Haley Mullins, Miami University of Ohio
Haley sees providing children with an education as a way in which she can reach her vision. The commitment she has demonstrated towards the Otwee-Miami School of Hope certainly shows us how true that is.

Vision
That everyone has the opportunity to achieve the goals they set for themselves regardless of whether or not they have access to adequate resources.

Action
One of the goals that Haley shared set for herself was to raise funds for the Otwee-Miami School of Hope, a nursery school in Northern Uganda.  This year, the monies raised helped build an additional classroom onto the school. Haley was even able to travel to Uganda and assist in the labor herself. While there, she and other members from Oxfam spent time interviewing families in the community in order to gain knowledge that will aid in successfully establishing a sponsorship program that will provide children with the annual tuition and supplies necessary to attend school.

What’s next?
Next on Haley’s list of goals to support the Otwee-Miami School of Hope is to tackle is a fence project, which will protect students from the nearby road. She is also working to fundraise for classroom tables

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