Superheroes among us
Concordia’s Leadership, Initiative and Volunteer Engagement (LIVE) Centre calls them superheroes.
They are Concordia students, staff and faculty who give their time to a charitable cause for the sole purpose of bettering the community. For the fourth consecutive year, the LIVE Centre will recognize a number of these remarkable Concordians with the annual Volunteer Recognition Award.
“The main focus is to discover those who are making a difference in the community,” says Valerie Millette, coordinator of the LIVE Centre. “We want to hear their stories and be able to say thank you.”
All off-campus volunteer projects, big or small, are eligible for the award. Past recipients have been involved in an array of ventures, from fundraising for local charities to international community development programs.
“Many people volunteer but think that what they do is too small or insignificant to be nominated for the award,” says Millette. “But it’s about the hidden superhero, the person who does a small thing that makes a big difference.”
One of last year’s recipients was Emily Paige, a 32-year-old MA candidate in the Department of Art Education. She was nominated by a staff member for her work promoting the use of media as a tool for art education, both locally and in Africa. Though she didn’t expect the award, she believes that recognizing Concordia’s volunteers is important.
“To take the time to recognize dedication, strength, passion, and all the other qualities it takes to be a fabulous volunteer encourages others to pursue these quiet avenues,” says Paige. “The popular narrative seems to be that only grand gestures or visionary ideas will make a difference. So, too often, too many of us sit back and wait for the opportunity to become part of something momentous. This award says the opposite.”
The Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL) also administers a similar award. In contrast with the award from the LIVE Centre, which recognizes volunteer efforts off campus, the CCSL’s Outstanding Contribution Award recognizes students, staff or faculty who have gone above and beyond their duties to enrich campus life.
“One thing I’ve always admired about Concordia is the amount of stuff happening on campus,” says Jasmine Stuart, assistant to the Dean of Students. “There are tons of people out there who are tirelessly making Concordia a really cool place to go to school and I think they deserve to be recognized at some point.”
Nominations for both awards will be accepted online until March 1, 2012. A selection committee will decide on this year’s recipients to be honoured at a ceremony in April.
Journalism student Sarah Volstad is an intern with Concordia’s University Communications Services.
Related links:
• Concordia Volunteer Recognition Award
• CCSL Outstanding Contribution Award
• Concordia Leadership, Initiative and Volunteer Engagement (LIVE) Centre
• Concordia Council on Student Life (CCSL)