29 / 32
25
Campus Scholarships and Awards
Koinonia Scholarship – Hannah Hudson (’17)
The Koinonia Scholarship, created in honor of the College’s 11th president, Dr. Neal R. Berte, is designed to provide financial
support to a student or group of students who independently contract an Exploration Term project concentrating on service issues
in the global community. Working with contract sponsor Dr. Susan Buckingham (Pre-Health Advisor), Hannah undertook an
internship with Centro de Salud, a public health clinic in Bolivia, lived with a host family, and used Spanish to communicate on
a daily basis.
Dickerson Award – Kathleen Kassis (’18)
The Dickerson Award honors the memory of Mr. Shanon Dickerson (’96), a member of the first class of Leadership Studies
graduates who inspired others with his passion for international experiences and commitment to service. The Dickerson Award
supports study-travel for Distinction in Leadership Studies students. Katie Kassis (’18) is an Asian studies major with a special
interest in Southwest Asia and the Middle East and an economics minor. She is pursuing fluency in Arabic language and this
is her motivation for studying in Morocco this summer through the College’s partner program, the Council for International
Educational Exchange (CIEE). She is also a committed athlete on the Birmingham-Southern swim team and an academically
strong student.
Nancy & Billy McDonald Servant Leader Award – Raven Knowlton (’16)
Raven Knowlton, a senior from Decatur, Alabama spent this year leading the Blueprints Mentoring Program. Blueprints matches
college and high school students as the high school students move through the college search process. For the last two years,
using technology in the blended learning classrooms at Birmingham-Southern and Locust Fork High School, Birmingham-
Southern student mentors have worked with Locust Fork juniors and seniors on the Blueprints curriculum. The classroom
technology was made possible by a Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham grant. On May 17 at Locust Fork High
School, a program was held to celebrate the accomplishments of the junior class and to recognize Raven for her hard work
coordinating the program. (PICTURE – Locust Fork)
“When I return home, I will have spent six weeks living in
Cochabamba, Bolivia where I volunteered at Harry William’s
Salvation Army Hospital observing the practice of international
medicine. Embarking on this journey was harder than I could have
ever imagined. All of a sudden, I found myself dropped into an
entirely unfamiliar world surrounded by new cultures and unknown
people. Throughout this internship, I was pushed out of my comfort
zone and forced to adjust to the unfamiliarity. I found that the deeper
I dug into my new world, the easier it was to keep my head up. Not
only did I develop a deeper understanding of the world around me,
but I discovered within myself that I am stronger than I thought,
braver than I once believed, and more determined than ever to take
on the world.”
–
Hannah Hudson, recipient of the
Koinonia Scholarship