Minnesota Campus Compact announces trio of Carleton recipients

Carleton recently named three community members as recipients of the 2017 Minnesota Campus Compact Awards. Minnesota Campus Compact is a non-profit organization aimed at integrating civic work and learning into the curriculum and operations of higher-ed institutions across the state. Each year, colleges and universities affiliated with MN Campus Compact honor students, staff, and community members as exemplars of civic engagement through various awards. Below are descriptions of each of Carleton’s award recipients and the work they’ve done.

Joyce Kim, ’17, was awarded the Student Leadership Award. Over the past four years, Kim has shown depth, leadership, and engagement in her role as program director of the Korean Adoptee program, and as a Center for Community and Civic Engagement Fellow for HealthFinders, an organization aimed at improving healthcare access in Rice County. Kim, a biology major, hopes to start a career in medicine and said the experience helped her gain insight into advocacy and collaboration to help the community meet their needs. “It was an opportunity to discover my interest, come out of my comfort zone, and practice important skills of being a leader,” says Kim. Moving forward, Kim says she wants to use these skills to improve access to healthcare for marginalized communities.

Martha Larson, Manager of Campus Energy and Sustainability, was awarded the Civic Engagement Steward award. Larson’s work includes the unique opportunity of interacting on a daily basis with students, faculty, and facilities staff to pursue a mission of sustainability. Throughout her time at Carleton, Larson has worked on issues of energy, waste, and sustainability and facilitated student leadership opportunities, conferences, Academic Civic Engagement projects, student organizations, and community involvement in the Energy Friends and Environmental Quality Commission for the City of Northfield. The award has afforded Larson to “reflect on all the work that has been done, the collaborations with incredible Carleton faculty, staff, and students and the relationships forged with key community organizers.

Linda Oto, Connected Kids and Youth Development Coordinator for Northfield Community Services, was named a Community Partner Award Recipient. For more than 10 years, Oto has partnered with Carleton, providing support and flexibility for ongoing engagement programs, such as the Middle School Youth Center, Arts Connection, and a wide array of ACE courses. Oto is proud of the work Northfield and Carleton have been able to do together, saying, “when we work together, everyone has to give a little, but the ones that benefit are the youth in Northfield.” Looking towards the future of community partnership, Oto mentions “I see the connections growing and getting stronger over time. These partnerships and collaborations are important for the growth and enrichment of everyone.”

The recipients were recognized at Campus Compact’s annual summit and awards luncheon on April 5th at the University of St. Thomas.