May 2012 graduate Kelly Mendez (center) recently was honored with the Dr. James H. Griffith Community Service Award from Prairie State College (PSC). She is congratulated by Brunetta Hill-Corley (left), vice chair of the PSC Board of Trustees, and Helen Manley (right), coordinator of student and campus life at PSC, who nominated Mendez for the award. (PHOTO SUPPLIED)
Chicago Heights, IL–(ENEWSPF)– May 2012 Prairie State College (PSC) graduate Kelly Mendez recently was named the 2012 recipient of the Dr. James H. Griffith Community Service Award at PSC. She received the award during the August meeting of the PSC Board of Trustees.
The award is named after the former trustee, who served on the PSC Board of Trustees for 25 years. It is intended to recognize a person or group at PSC who has contributed in an extraordinary way to the community.
Mendez, a resident of Steger, Ill., served as a staff writer and then editor-in-chief for the Student Review newspaper. As a student, she participated in various community service and volunteer projects, including: volunteering with Respond Now at Foodapalooza; organizing two fundraisers for Tailgate for Scholarships for the Love of Scholarships; purchasing two garden plots from the PSC Sustainability Center and helping with the groundbreaking event; donating Student Review funds to the Sociology Club’s Resource Project, which gives money to students who are homeless or in need; sponsoring the Girl Scouts; participating in the PSC Campus Judiciary Committee; sponsoring the Critter Crew, an environmental children’s group in Steger; tutoring in the Park Forest Public Library; and teaching children at Deer Creek Christian Church.
In addition to the Griffith award, Mendez’ community service efforts have been recognized with the Community Stewardship Award during the 2012 Student Leadership Awards at PSC. She also received the Excellence in Leadership Award in both 2011 and 2012, accepted the Club of the Year award in 2012 as editor-in-chief of the Student Review, and received an Appreciation Award from the Sociology Club in 2012.
“Every time we initiated, or anyone sponsored a fundraiser for a charitable cause, Kelly signed up, and encouraged others to join in as well,” said Helen Manley, coordinator of student and campus life at PSC, who nominated Mendez for the award. “She never says ‘no,’ whenever she is asked to do something for the college, the students, or for those in need.”
