Honoring Student Leaders in the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement
Working with hundreds of students each year, the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement encourages future civic leaders to get involved in a broad range of social issues and to build and maintain strong, sustainable community partnerships in Hartford. We are pleased to recognize the following recipients of the Community Service and Civic Engagement Honors Day Awards, as we recognize the contributions of all students during the 2021-2022 academic year.
Amelia Huba ‘22, St. Anthony Hall Community Service Award
The St. Anthony Hall Community Service Award is annually awarded to a sorority or fraternity member who has demonstrated initiative, creativity, and commitment in the areas of service, activism, and/or civic engagement during the academic year. In conjunction with this award, a financial contribution will be made in the recipient’s name to support a nonprofit organization or community programming initiative of his or her own choosing.
This year’s recipient is Amelia Huba ’22, who has served as the co-president of both Green Campus and the JELLO Community Service Club, as well as the Student Government Association (SGA) Sustainability Student Liaison. In addition, Amelia was the coordinator for Project PACKS. Project PACKS has partnered with the Hands on Hartford Backpack Nutrition Program for the past nine years. The program provides backpacks of food every weekend for about 250 children during the school year. Trinity’s Project PACKS provided 25 of those backpacks each week. Amelia was in charge of shopping, packing, delivering the backpacks, and recruiting and overseeing volunteers.
When asked about her award, Huba stated, “I was honored to receive the St. Anthony Hall Community Service Award! Working on behalf of Cleo of Alpha Chi to complete Project PACKS was a great experience. Going shopping for groceries and carefully packing the 25 food packs each week was something I really enjoyed, and the time I got to spend training other students was doubly rewarding.” It is her hope that students continue to build upon her work to continue this program into its 10th year and beyond. Amelia has chosen to have the financial contribution part of the award donated to Place of Grace Food Pantry, an organization that she and the JELLO Community Service Club worked with closely during her time at Trinity.
Michaela Anton ’22 & Elizabeth Densen ‘22, Alexander A. Goldfarb Award for Community Service
The Alexander A. Goldfarb Award for Community Service is awarded jointly by the City of Hartford and Trinity College to the Trinity student(s) who, through community service, have done the most during this current year to benefit the City of Hartford and its citizens.
This year’s recipients are Michaela Anton and Elizabeth Densen, co-presidents of the Annual Community Events Staff (ACES) since 2019. ACES organizes some of our longest-running annual service events. Among these projects are Halloween on Vernon Street (30 years), our Thanksgiving drive (20+ years), Sponsor-a-Snowman holiday gift drive for Interval House (25+ years), and the Soup-er Bowl food drive to benefit the Hands-on Hartford Backpack Nutrition Program (22 years).
Despite the pandemic and its associated restrictions on gatherings, Elizabeth and Michaela managed to make all the above events happen in some form so that momentum and institutional memory would not be lost. They also found other opportunities to serve such as clean-ups at Rocky Ridge Park and Zion Hill Cemetery and creating craft kits for Chrysalis Center.
Michaela stated, “Little did I know when I applied to Trinity that I would soon have the opportunity to coordinate these events with the Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement! Furthermore, the opportunities that ACES has provided to us have been extremely rewarding as we have engaged and connected with the Hartford community. Being able to find ways to continue our work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic was encouraging and gratifying. We are extremely thankful for the relationships we have built and the enjoyment we’ve had along the way!”
After graduating, Elizabeth plans to work part-time as a special education teacher. Michaela plans to spend the summer traveling before applying to graduate schools in public policy.
Colleen Quinn ’24 & Carder Miller ’24, Samuel S. Fishzohn Award for Community Service
This year Colleen Quinn ‘24 and Carder Miller ‘24 led the Trinity Homelessness Project (THP). They both joined THP in their first year (2020-2021) at Trinity. During their first year, most THP activities were on Zoom. Despite their virtual introduction to the group, they both stayed consistent and committed and were ready to go this year when in-person projects were possible.
In 2021-2022, under the leadership of Colleen and Carder, THP had a very successful 2nd annual menstrual products drive to benefit My Sister’s Place and Mercy Housing and Shelter Corporation. They raised over $1,000 for the purchase of products designated as being priorities by our two partner community organizations. In addition, THP sponsored numerous service days with Journey Home, delivering and setting up furniture and other items in the apartments of newly housed people.
Moreover, THP was able to reconnect with Hartford Police Department Homeless Division and Officer Jimmy Barrett, with whom they worked pre-pandemic. Towards the end of the semester, THP hosted a discussion with Officer Barrett to talk about his work, how it has changed during the pandemic, and what students could do in the next academic year to assist in these efforts. Officer Barrett also brought along his outreach truck and gave the participants a tour, getting them excited about collaborating in the next academic year.
This summer, Colleen will be interning at Hands on Hartford before studying abroad in the 2022-2023 academic year. Carder will be working in the admissions office and will be president of THP while Colleen is abroad.
Chenille Jake ‘24, Samuel S. Fishzohn Award for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
The Samuel S. Fishzohn Award for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties was established in 1966 in memory of Samuel S. Fishzohn, Class of 1925, a prominent figure in social work and welfare. The award is given each year to at least one student who has worked with dedication to address civil rights, civil liberties, or racial injustice.
This year’s award was given to Chenille Jake ’24. Chenille has been a leader in working to raise awareness of Indigenous culture and issues on campus, including organizing a Native American Heritage Month common hour event featuring a conversation and performance with Michelle “Navajo Goddess” Thomas. Chenille says, “Indigenous issues are not always seen or heard in most, if not all, places. I bring these issues to light so there can be an awareness because they involve people who are just like me. I am one of many who have seen and experienced some of these issues and I make it my goal to reach someone to listen, even if it means one person on campus. The work I have done this year meant a lot to me; it gave me the chance represent my community in a positive way. This is just the beginning of my work, and this award gave me the sign that I am doing the right thing for others and myself.”
