Press Release
Award for Exemplary Service Goes to Saint Mary's College Sophomore 
Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
Notre Dame, Ind.
(574) 284-4579
April 20, 2009 (Notre Dame, Ind.)—The Office for Civic and Social Engagement (OCSE) at Saint Mary's College is pleased to announce that Alicia Wilkins ’11 of Mishawaka will receive one of the College’s seven unique service and volunteer awards. The awards recognize students who give their time and talent to serve the greater South Bend community.
Wilkins, an elementary education major, will receive the Patricia Arch Green Award for her exemplary service to the community’s children through the College Academy of Tutoring (CAT) program at Saint Mary’s College. Green (1939 - 2004) graduated from Saint Mary’s in 1961 with an elementary education degree. She lived a life dedicated to serving others and believed in teaching by example. She and her husband taught their children to value community service and would often include them in their volunteer activities in their community.
The CAT program, operated by OCSE, has Saint Mary’s students work primarily in Title 1 elementary schools as tutors, teacher’s assistants, reading partners and special program coordinators. Wilkins has given over 476 hours of her time to the CAT program over the past two years. She works diligently as a teacher’s assistant at Lincoln Primary Center in South Bend, often going there five days a week, and puts in hours as a tutor at the St. Joseph County Public Library.
Marcia Niemier, a second grade teacher at Lincoln, nominated Wilkins for the award and wrote, “She is greeted by all my students, who love her dearly, with a ‘Miss Alicia is here!’ They are always so excited to see her!” Of Wilkins’ work, Niemier wrote, “Alicia always knows exactly what to do. She will check to see if I have written directions for her…will sort homework papers, and grade them if I am teaching. If students are working, she circulates the room and offers guidance, always in a quiet manner. The special treat for my students is when they get to work individually with her… Is Alicia a positive influence in my classroom? You bet! My students and I appreciate her caring, enthusiastic attitude every time she is here. It is plain to see that she loves children and loves what she is doing.”
Olivia Critchlow, director of the CAT program and assistant director of OCSE, said, “Alicia is always the first to volunteer her time and energy to a task or cause and will always give 100%. She has a wonderful spirit, energy, and general love of life that is truly infectious to all around her.”
Wilkins is also a member of the Citizen Scholars program, an Americorps program operated through OCSE that awards students an education stipend in exchange for 300 hours of service. She is a leader within the program, even taking a struggling freshman under her wing to help her adjust to college life and service work.
Wilkins has found time to participate in other service activities through OCSE, including the “12 Days of Christmas” initiative that provides gifts to the needy, the “Yes, We Can! Walk for the Hungry,” and the Pen Pals program which pairs Saint Mary’s students with students at Warren Primary Center in South Bend.
“Alicia is a joy to work with and is one of the most dynamic students I have encountered during my time at Saint Mary’s,” Critchlow said. “She is an asset to the College but even more importantly an asset to our community.”
Wilkins and the other award winners will be recognized at a dinner at the College on Wednesday, April 29.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, women’s institution offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study. The College has six nationally accredited academic programs: social work, art, music, teacher education, chemistry and nursing. Saint Mary's College ranks among the nation's top liberal arts colleges in U.S. News & World Report's 2009 annual survey. Founded in 1844, Saint Mary’s is a pioneer in the education of women, and is sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Cross.
