Four students receive Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Awards

The Cornell Public Service Center announced four recipients of the 2017 Robinson Appel Humanitarian Award April 28. Each project receives $1,500 to further students’ efforts. They were: Faith-Based Mentoring Program, Christina Regan ’17; Creating a Science Education Program for Prisoners, doctoral student Mia Howard; and T-S-T BOCES, Sarah Aiken ’18 and Michelle Garceau ’18.

Regan’s mentoring program aims to help incarcerated individuals re-enter the community after being released from the Tompkins County Jail. Mentors will assist with several components of re-entry, such as connections with social services, housing programs, mental health and substance abuse services, and education.

Howard’s science education program works to support incarcerated individuals’ desire to pursue education in prison. The award will fund more than 2,000 copies of articles, lessons and assignments to be created and sent to inmates.

Aiken and Garceau’s program works with the T-S-T BOCES’ Smith School and the Cornell Public Service Center to assist youths with disabilities and to gain life and career skills. The award will expand the program to include a nutrition and meal-planning component to educate students how to use their money to prepare healthy and cost-effective meals for themselves.

The Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Award was established by alumni Gerald Robinson ’54, Margot Robinson ’53, Robert Appel ’53 and Helen Appel ’55. It recognizes and honors students who are significantly involved in community service and supports the students’ service-based projects. The award is facilitated through the Cornell Public Service Center.

Grace Burgin ’19 is a biological studies major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

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Lindsey Knewstub