2011 Service Awards

Warren Wilson College Service 2011

The Andrew Summers Award for Faculty Leadership in Service-Learning Presented to Kathryn Burleson by Brooke Millsaps “She is compassionate, creative and graceful. She cares deeply for her students and this college.

I admire the way she facilitates her classroom, challenging students to reflect deeply about the material, while examining their own values and understanding. She has embraced service learning as a key part of her coursework and models this approach through continual practice.” These are words used to describe this year’s Andrew Summers Award for Faculty Leadership in ServiceLearning recipient, Kathryn Burleson.

Each year, Kathryn challenges the students in her child, adolescent and adult development classes to reach beyond the classroom in order to further understand their course material and learn about, and from, the greater community. She has developed partnerships with WD Williams Elementary School, Community High School and Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Center.

Derek Roy, one of Kathryn Burleson’s students, shared that he thought the best word to describe Kathryn is “holistic.” He says this because he has found that Kathryn integrates her knowledge of socio-cultural developmental psychology with carefully designed classes, thought provoking course assignments and meaningful service. One could say that she brings the Triad of Warren Wilson directly to the classroom.

In addition to these courses, Kathryn also uses service learning in her cultural psychology class. As a part of this class, she co-coordinates a weeklong spring break trip experience to the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. “She was always present, clear and ready to engage,” says Debra Kiliru, director of the community leadership program and co-instructor for this course. Whether the group was unloading 26,000 pounds of food for the food bank, framing a bathroom at the community center or navigating cultural pathways, Kathryn was always able to provide leadership and support for the students and hold the space for reflective conversations.

While on the trip, a host elder at Pine Ridge asked the group what they thought was the most important thing happening in higher education today. Without missing a beat, Kathryn blurted, “service learning!” Debra was struck by Kathryn’s passion for this work and how clearly she can recognize the value of building partnerships within the community.

Another member of the Warren Wilson community who has been touched by Kathryn’s dedication is Bob Swoap, psychology department chair. Bob says that Kathryn “has a commitment to and passion for improving the College and the overall community.”

It is because of this commitment and dedication to service and our community that we are presenting you with this award today. We commend you for setting such a high standard of what it means to be an active member in the Warren Wilson community. Congratulations.

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The Tom Crumpler Award for Staff Leadership in Service-Learning Presented to Leah McCullough by Laura Loewenstein When asked where she will be 20 years from now, Abi Bissette, a former Spirituality and Social Justice Crew member, reported that “Leah will be in a yurt with Vicki and a cat or some animal that is larger, but nonetheless furry, gardening, feeding folks and ministering.” With a love of physical labor and food, it is no surprise that Leah loves gardening, but she has made an even deeper connection. Dave Grace, another crew member, describes that she became “aware of the injustice of the food system and made theological connections with food.” Abi further says that Leah “sees her social justice work as directly connected to her spirituality.”

Over her three years of working at the College, Leah has been engaged in service around areas of food, the environment and immigration. She led break trips to Koinonia Farm, an intentional Christian community; Jubilee Partners, a service community that works with refugees; and Student Action with Farm Workers. With her crew she participated in the 10-10-10 Work Party at Asheville’s edible garden with Transition Asheville. She also worked at Wintergreen, an educational non-profit that grows food in greenhouses during the winter. Together with students, she was involved in environmental advocacy related to mountain top removal at the Appalachia Rising rally last fall. She also spoke at an EPA hearing on coal, stating that her support for a federal program to manage hazardous waste was “ground in moral and ethical values instilled in me by my faith tradition: To love my neighbor, to do justice, and to care for creation.” After her first year here, Leah spent part of her summer in 2009 volunteering at the No Mas Muertes desert camp, providing humanitarian aid on the border in Nogales, Arizona. She also attended a BorderLinks education seminar exploring border issues and roots of migration, including visits with migrants and home stays in Nogales. These cross-cultural experiences and work towards immigration justice reflect Leah’s commitment to social justice.

Steve Runholt, campus chaplain, reflects that she has “married her creativity with a love of students and service in community where she’s working.” For Leah this job is “not just an outlet for her creativity, but also a passion for serving college students.” Dan Seeger, director of student activities, describes how “when she’s talking about what a student accomplished, the way she talks about students…she has a rejuvenating quality.” He also states, “For someone with limited time, she’s unfailingly generous with it.” Dan and others echoed the sentiment that Leah supports and nurtures students and the campus as a whole. Although Leah is leaving her position at the College, she will be remembered for her compassion, political advocacy, interfaith outreach, openness, energy and a commitment to serving this community.

Leah, we will miss you and wish you all the best.

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Senior Service Award Presented to Mia Carrasco-Songer by Meron G. Amare Ever wonder if 100 hours of service was impossible? I bet Mia Carrasco-Songer wouldn’t agree.

Completing 254 hours of service, majoring in sociology and anthropology, and working at least 15 hours a week, I am sure she believes it is all possible! However, I was rather skeptical about these achievements so, I decided to question some people in her life. The results, ladies and gentlemen, were shocking.

Mia’s community impact ranges from working with community gardens, the social justice coalition, children, and individuals with chronic substance abuse problems. Now things were tough, evidence was simply telling me that this was not trickery. Perhaps because it is not.

In all seriousness, I was very impressed by the compliments from Mia’s professors, advisor, and work crew supervisors. Sociology and woman’s study professor Laura Vance talks about Mia in a way that intrigued me. “Mia is committed to create meaningful social change. She sees her education as part of the process of learning—to be more informed and effective in her work for social justice,” she says. “Mia exemplifies the ideal of the Triad.”

Siti Kusujiarti, Mia’s academic advisor agrees with Vance and adds, “Mia is a committed and an intentional student. She is interested in learning about economics, class, and classism. Mia believes that is important to involve people from various economic classes to work towards solving economic difficulties.”

Reflecting on her economic issue workshop, Mia says, “It sparked in me an interest in furthering my knowledge of economics as an important piece of solving social justice issues. My background in sociology has shaped how I see economics and vise-versa; it seems to be a potent combination for creating social change.”

Mia has used the best of her time at Wilson. I have enjoyed learning about her. I, along with her professors, friends, and work crew supervisors, trust that she will take her motivation and determination to a much higher level.

It is a great honor to present Mia with this service award.

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Senior Service Award Presented to Philip Hamilton by John Slaff People who win awards are usually very good at something, but Phillip Hamilton is not just good at something, he is good. His heart is warm and full of empathy, and his intense passion mirrors that of a revolutionary. Service has been an integral part of the formation Phillip Hamilton’s worldview. I could stand here and tell you about all of the service Phil has done: his semester in India, environmental work, community gardens, and housing-related programs. But where Phil has been and what he has done make up only a portion of why he is being recognized here today.

Faculty member Siti Kusujiarti calls Phil a “very bright student” who doesn’t just do service, but thinks intentionally about it. She says, “He is extremely dedicated and passionate about his interests.” This is evident, she says, in his smooth integration of the elements of the Triad. Phil wrote his thesis on homelessness and public space and did much of his research at A-Hope Day Center. Wayne Burges, an activist in homelessness and housing issues, said that if there was one thing he could say about Phil, it would be that he just keeps coming back. However, the fact that Phillip has completed 800% of his required service does not indicate the extent to which service has played a role in his development.

Phil seems to have stepped out of the cultural and ideological pot he has been stewed in. Out of the American community and into a different one. Out of a mindset that believes financial success is the only success and that owning an Italian sports car is the end game for all people.

He has stepped into the human community, one that prizes empathy, collaboration, and shared success over competition and individual gain. Integral to being a part of this community is, in Phil’s mind, the understanding that, regardless of where we happened to have come from, we are all human and share more than we could ever imagine. And what is even more significant is that what we share is far more important and far more basic then what we don’t. When we move, as Phil has, from “I am American” to “I am Human,” our differences become a thin veneer of pond scum covering the great lake of humanity we’re all a part of. Through service, we realize that we are all in this together.

Service, for Phil, helps us see beyond simple explanations and fragmented conceptions of issues.

Franklin Tate, the former Dean of Service, points out that “a lot of students come to college and want to help out where they can, but Phil wants to understand the systems that create the problems. He thinks about things on much deeper level.” It is with this type of thinking that Phillip helps us move from seeing people as their circumstances to seeing them as people who are experiencing certain circumstances. Heather Spencer, whom Phil has worked with at A-Hope Day Center, remarks that Phil has a “natural instinct for understanding those that fall outside of the social norm; he always affords them the utmost dignity and respect.”

In a certain sense, Phil is a modern day renaissance man. He is versatile, yet focused, funny (hilarious in fact), yet serious. I have not one doubt that Phillip will accomplish great things, and continue to serve and help others for as long as he lives. Congratulations, Phil.

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Senior Service Award Presented to Rachel Rasmussen by Ana Baranda The word “alight” alludes to the action of descending and coming to a rest. It is also the name that Rachel Rasmussen gave a year-long program of action founded on a triad of faith, nature, and reflection. Many Warren Wilson students will agree that, at times, it is impossible to separate the three interwoven experiences that form our Triad. Spirituality, the environment and education are themes that Rachel has connected with, and the causes she has supported are evidence of her capacity to make all three themes interconnect.

Rachel worked with No More Deaths as a volunteer on the Arizona-Mexico border for a week in spring 2008. She is a founding member of the North Carolina Coalition for College Access, a group that defends the right to college access through policy, advocacy, education, and service. An environmental studies and global studies double major, she has been involved in justice and peace work locally, nationally, and internationally. She has working ties in Cuba, Guatemala, and Mexico and a commitment to the Latino community of Western North Carolina, as well as the Warren Wilson student body.

Rachel is never shy to introduce new perspectives, whether with classmates, her crew, or eager children at the Great Smokey Mountains Institute at Tremont. Rachel was able to find her own sense of peace in nature and attributes the qualities of imagination, patience, adventure, and respect through these interactions.

Although she is committed to investing her time and energy to numerous causes, Rachel has remained mindful of her own needs and understands that being a peacemaker is both an inward and an outward journey. Pat Willever of the college press describes her as a strong but determined individual, as well as a careful and thorough worker. Rachel cares deeply about her own spiritual growth and demonstrates this by actively creating a safe, nurturing spiritual presence on campus.

As Leah McCollough wonderfully describes: “Rachel is a ‘connector’ who seeks ways to bring people together and empower them to collaborate in synergistic ways that allow them to live more fully into their passions.” Rachel has invited us to slow down and consider our own needs as actors for peace and social justice.

To reiterate the beginning of this speech, she has invited us to Alight, and rejoice in our journeys to peacemaking. I would like to end these words with a verse from the Dhammapada, an anthology of Buddhist verses. I found this while learning about North Carolina Interfaith Power and Light where she interned in 2009. I believe it describes Rachel’s work and her impact on our community all too well.

Any ailment that can be understood can be cured, and suffering that has a cause has also an end.

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Senior Service Award Presented to Victoria Wiener by Danielle Landy When I was a prospective student visiting Warren Wilson, this inspiring person welcomed me to the campus, showing me around, taking me to her classes, and letting me sleep in her home for the night. I was only away from my friends for one night, but I still became a little home sick, a feeling that very quickly left because of the support I received from Victoria. Her warm spirit, passion to make change, positive energy, uniqueness, enthusiasm, ability to inspire others, and dedication to service has left such a beautiful mark on this campus.

Victoria Wiener has completed 692 hours of service directed toward creating a strong community relationship on this campus and with the larger community. Most of Victoria’s service has involved work toward creating a community free of violence. She has been a part of the RISE crew for three years, has been involved with Room in the Inn (a mobile crisis shelter for women who are in need of support on their journey to permanent housing), and Our VOICE as an advocate. Our VOICE is a non-profit crisis intervention and prevention agency that serves victims of sexual violence in Buncombe County. “Vic is the most dedicated and driven individual I’ve ever met,” says Evan, a RISE advocate and one of Victoria’s friends. “She puts 110% in everything she does, making personal connections to her work and service in a deep and meaningful way.” Victoria loves opera and has a beautiful voice, which I’m sure everyone has heard since she sings inside Gladfelter as people scan their cards to get food.

Through her work and service, Victoria has brought so much awareness and appreciation of each individual’s voice to this campus. She is inspirational beyond words, she is powerful in her actions, and she has one of the most beautiful hearts I’ve ever experienced, one that can be seen in her loving smile and graceful spirit. A friend of hers told me that her spirit animal is a skunk.

Her advisor, Christy Carwile, shared a story about Victoria from a study abroad course in Ghana.

They took a trip out to the rural Volta region to do service work, which involved teaching the secondary school students how to use the internet. There were only so many computers and over 80 students; in order to keep the students busy while they waited for a computer, Christy and Victoria shared their dancing skills with the students. The students shared some of their own dancing in return. Christy tells me in great affection towards Vic, that someday those students “will reflect on that day that a Red, curly-haired American student taught them how to tap dance!”

Through her service, Victoria has shaped and influenced the world around her.

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Senior Service Award Presented to Elena “Nushi” Wertenbaker by Emily Chiara Elena Wertenbaker has been a tremendous asset to the Warren Wilson College community throughout her time here. Lovingly known simply as, “Nushi” by friends, colleagues, and faculty, she has demonstrated how compassionate, active, and inspiring Warren Wilson students can be.

Nushi has worked as a RISE advocate for many semesters acting as a support for students overcoming trauma from sexual abuse and violence. This led her to directing the 2011 Vagina Monologues production—an extensive task requiring support for cast members and community fundraising. Nushi’s passion for this community and its efforts to end sexual violence helped her to put on a fantastic production, all while simultaneously working on her natural science seminar.

Her devotion to education regarding sexual and relationship violence also encouraged her to volunteer as a crisis line and hospital advocate for Our Voice, the local rape crisis center. Fellow volunteer, Cody Goss, explained how the two of them experienced a very difficult and emotional hospital visit with a survivor and her family. Nushi remained calm and supportive throughout the visit and continued to find time to check in with Cody to be sure she was alright.

Nushi has been an integral member of the Garden Crew, where she has shown her passion for environmental education and activism. As her academic advisor, Laura Lengnick, says, she “Offers the WWC Garden a compelling mix of knowledge and experience in education, food system activism, agricultural research, vegetable production, and sustainable farm management. She is contagiously positive, has a warm and compassionate nature, and is a natural leader.” Her work towards creating the nation’s first Youth Food Council is especially noteworthy and demonstrates her commitment to youth activism. This project was recognized by the NC State Center for Emerging Issues as a finalist for a 2011 Innovation Award.

Friends and peers describe her as, “very responsible, a strong gardener, and a great friend and neighbor.” John Paul Reitz admitted that she is “one of the strongest people I’ve ever met; she’s simply amazing.” Cody Goss rightly stated that whether she is attending a community meeting, working as a spirit leader on Work Day, giving a presentation to potential donors, or creating a loving community within EcoDorm, Nushi is always dependable. “Where an extra set of hands or set of listening ears is needed, you will find Elena.”

One of my own first interactions with Nushi is characteristic of her openness to fellow students.

On a cold afternoon I came to the garden cabin with a question and found Nushi open and willing to help. I was surprised, yet deeply touched, that she remembered my name despite only one quick introduction before. Though our interaction was brief, I believe it shows her devotion to upholding a thoughtful and inclusive community.

While it is difficult to see such an integral member of this community move on, we are comforted by the fact that she will continue to spread her warmth and knowledge in future endeavors.

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WARREN WILSON COLLEGE

Pavilion by Ann Vasilik, 2005