By Ranchithaa Anatory
Western Herald
Western Michigan University was announced the winner of two finalists at the 2008-09 American Humanics Program Excellence Awards.
WMU students and representatives traveled to the American Humanics Management/Leadership Institute in Phoenix to attend the awards held Jan. 3-6.
The other school was the University of Central Florida.
American Humanics is an alliance of nearly 70 colleges and universities and 60 nonprofit organizations nationwide that guides undergraduates to become professionals in America’s nonprofit organizations.
WMU initially competed against 67 other colleges and universities for the award before being announced one of two finalists, who were required to prepare a short video promoting the achievements and projects of the previous year.
Jennifer Wheeler, the chair of volunteerism for WMU’s chapter of American Humanics Student Association, took the lead in creating the video for WMU.
AHSA president, Candice Kinsey said that this was the first time WMU has won this award.
“Everyone was so nervous when the presenter was leading up to announce the recipient of the award,” Kinsey said.
“When he said that both schools were neck and neck in the competition, I did not know what to expect. When he announced that Western Michigan University won the American Humanics Program Excellence Award our tables were ecstatic.”
In 2001, WMU began offering graduate certification in nonprofit leadership and management and three years later an undergraduate minor was introduced through the School of Public Affairs and Administration.
So far 20 students have graduated with the certification alone and 85 with both the minor and certification.
Some of the projects that AHSA did last semester include volunteering at Santa’s Village and the Annual Letter Appeal and redistributing of $15,000 in grant money to various local nonprofit organizations.
The grant was given to AHSA in April by Campus Compact for the Students-4-Giving Grant event.
“Our next project is a K-Wings fundraiser on Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. We are doing the ‘chuck a puck’ at halftime,” Kinsey said.
“AHSA plans to continue its fundraising efforts and continue to volunteer throughout the community for the remainder of the spring semester.”
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