The 2009 Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Awards culminated in a dinner and awards
ceremony on Friday, April 17. Award semifinalists attended, including Audrey Baker
‘09, Amanda Olberg ’09, Nicky Chopra ’09, Margaret Chow ’11, Megan Gregory ’14,
Christine M. Porter ’10, Rachel Jacobs ’10, Tzvetelina “Ettie” Nikolova ’11, and
Joseph Wenlong Wu ‘11.
Megan Gregory, Christine Porter, Rachel Jacobs and Ettie Nikolova went on to
become finalists.
The award was established by alumni Gerald Robinson '54, Margot Robinson '55,
Robert Appel '53 and Helen Appel '55. The Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Award was
created to recognize and honor students who have had significant involvement in
community service by providing support for their projects, which address a community's
social needs. Three awards are given annually, and each receives $1,500 to further
a community service project that the student has initiated and proposed.
Listed below are this year's recipients and descriptions of their projects:
Tzvetelina “Ettie” Nikolova ‘11
College of Arts and Science
Major: Government/Russian
Project: Upward Bound
Cornell University Upward Bound (UB) is an academic enrichment program designed
for at risk high school students that features an annual 6 week residential, intense
academic component, weekly tutoring sessions and a fun, but educational monthly
Saturday program. UB participants also partake in cultural enrichment trips,
college visits and have access to assistance in the college exploration / transition
process.
This project proposes to add to the UB curriculum by providing participants a
chance to play an engaged role in addressing social problems. To do so, the activities
that are suggested include: building a model future city, sending care packages
to U.S. troops, planting trees, baking for the Police Department and the Fire
Department, and donating to a charity organization of the students’ choice. The
goal is to encourage participants to play an active role in their communities,
empower the students to make positive and impactful choices.
Rachel Jacobs ‘10
College of Arts and Sciences
Major: Government/Asian Studies
Project: Youth Outreach Undergraduates Reshaping Success (YOURS)
The Youth Outreach Undergraduates Reshaping Success (YOURS) program is a student
organization that works with youth aged 7 to 17 from two low-income neighborhoods
in Dryden, NY. YOURS has a mentoring program, a teen leadership council and an
experiential learning program each week. The Local Environment Appreciation Project
(LEAP) will teach youth about the environment through hands-on discovery activities
to help build a stronger sense of respect and pride in their community. The program
will benefit the community outside of the immediate program because the youth
will bring their experience home, spread their knowledge to others in their neighborhoods
and give others the tools for positive change. Building a sense of pride about
their local area through LEAP would increase self esteem and empowerment in a
youth and adult population that shows indicators of feeling disenfranchised.
Megan Gregory ’14
College of Ag and Life Sciences
Major: PhD Horticulture
Project: Gardens for Humanity
Christine M. Porter ‘10
College of Ag and Life Sciences/HumEc
Major: PhD Community Nutrition
Project: Gardens for Humanity
For people struggling in poverty, community and backyard gardens support economic
development, food security, fruit and vegetable consumption, neighborhood safety,
and feelings of empowerment. This project proposes the development of garden
initiatives in two low-income Ithaca communities and formation of a “Gardens for
Humanity” Council as a pilot for making home and community gardens available to
anyone in the County who would like them, regardless of financial means and gardening
experience.
The concept for ”Gardens for Humanity” (GFH) developed over the course of several
community discussions on food justice and community gardens. Tompkins County
has all of the expertise and most of the formal services needed to support this
initiative. GFH will link existing programs and services at Cornell Cooperative
Extension (CCE) and Cornell University, tap and support local expertise and leadership,
and add funding for materials for those who need it to provide a ‘one stop shop’
for backyard and community gardening.
