31st annual American Humanics Dinner honors students
The 31st annual dinner to honor Arizona State University’s American Humanics (AH) student achievements was held on April 25 at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center. The theme of the night was “Remember our past, recognize our successes, rediscover our passion,” which calls acknowledgement to the numerous people that contribute in various ways to the nonprofit sector.
The keynote speaker was Dr. Bob Long, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Murray State University, former Vice President of Philanthropy and Volunteerism at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, who shared some inspirational thoughts on how this year’s graduates will impact the nonprofit sector.
Student awards:
• Emma Hockenberg was awarded the Fourth Annual American Humanics Alumni Scholarship, a scholarship funded and awarded by AH alumni. The recipient is chosen based on his or her contribution to American Humanics, and the recipient’s ability to demonstrate utilization of his or her unique talents to benefit and strengthen the nonprofit sector.
• Anne Osborne won the Jack Armstrong Award, a scholarship for a deserving undergraduate student in honor of Jack Armstrong, the founding Executive Director of American Humanics at Arizona State University. The scholarship was established by the First Gen AH Alumni, family and friends of Jack Armstrong.
• David Heyward was awarded the Graduating Senior Director’s Award, which honors a graduating American Humanics student who has provided exemplary leadership and maintained academic excellence.
• Brittany Fasnacht received the American Humanics Management Institute Director’s Award, which honors a returning student for his or her emerging leadership to support the Annual American Humanics Management/Leadership Institute (AHMI) campaign. This award provides support for the annual Management Institute in the name of a deserving undergraduate student through a financial contribution made in his or her name to the AHMI campaign.
• Laura Bedrick earned the George F. Miller Outstanding Student Award, named in memory of the ASU American Humanics program founder, honoring an American Humanics student who displays exemplary qualities of leadership, academic achievement, and commitment to the nonprofit sector.
Graduating seniors honored at the dinner: Sarah Amaral, Laura Bedrick, Kasarah, Brown, Adam Brown, Brittany Fasnacht, David Heyward, Emma Hockenberg, Justin Hoffman, Annalisa Jaquez, Amanda Nikolic, Joe Petinatto, Lorenzo Salgado, Kelly Shingleton, Kathleen Smith, Brittany Statt, Molly Strange, Megan Vrooman and Mary Whattcot.
Lyn McDonough, Sr. Program Coordinator for ASU American Humanics and an alumna of the program, remarked that this graduating class has already accomplished so much starting their careers in the nonprofit sector.
“This is an incredibly talented group of graduates,” says McDonough. “In addition to being outstanding students, they’ve demonstrated their readiness for professional work through numerous projects with the American Humanics Student Association.”
Robert F. Ashcraft, executive director for ASU American Humanics, and professor of nonprofit studies in the School of Community Resources and Development says that ASU AH graduates are the top students entering the nonprofit sector workplace.
“For 31 years ASU has led the nation in undergraduate education for the nonprofit and philanthropic studies field,” Ashcraft says. “This year’s AH graduates are stellar, and they keep the long tradition alive of those before them as they become ‘certified to change the world.”
Founded in 1980, ASU American Humanics is a program of the ASU College of Public Programs, in association with the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. ASU is one of the leading programs in the nation, preparing future nonprofit professionals to work with America’s youth and families. Students pursuing American Humanics certification must complete various co-curricular requirements including active participation in the student association, 18 credit hours of in-class coursework, and a 12 credit hour internship. For more information, visit: http://www.asu.edu/copp/nonprofit/edu/ah.htm.