Robinson-Appel awards honor student service projects

Six semifinalists presented their projects April 17 and three teams were named winners of Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Awards, which carry a $1,500 prize to further service projects that address community social needs.

Cornell alumni Gerald Robinson ’54, Margot Robinson ’55, Robert Appel ’53 and Helen Appel ’55 established the Robinson-Appel award to recognize and honor students who significantly have been involved in community service.

Emma Scher ’17 and Jonathan Masci ’16 were selected for their work with the Cornell University Deaf Awareness Program’s silent dinner. The group provides students with opportunities to learn about and participate in raising awareness of the issues facing the deaf community, integrate the deaf and hearing communities, and incorporate American Sign Language into the Cornell curriculum.

Lindsey Prutsman ’18 won for the Upward Bound Alternative Breaks style service trip for Upward Bound students. Upward Bound is a free college preparatory program serving high school students from low-income families.

Graduate student Shama Iyer and Casey Jarvis ’15 won for their work with YOURS Program, their project to help children living in mobile home parks near Ithaca to develop a positive self-image and goals by conducting extracurricular programs for them.

Semifinalists were Danielle Sosa ’17, for her project, Assistance for Elderly, which aims to help build relationships between students and elders in the Ithaca community; Alexis Davis ’15 and Julia Krupski ’17, for their work for Students Against the Sexual Solicitation of Youth (SASSY), an organization that raises awareness of commercial sexual exploitation of children in the United States and educates Cornell students to challenge negative stereotypes and perceptions associated with exploited youth; and Mary Nattakom ’17 for her work with Pre-Orientation Service Trips and her Cortland YMCA Bridges project.

The Robinson-Appel award is facilitated by the Public Service Center.

Media Contact

Joe Schwartz