2024 Leadership Awards

Liz has exhibited outstanding and compassionate leadership abilities and service to the Nashua Community College with a service project for the Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa. In fall 2023, she spearheaded a drive to collect coats and blankets to be distributed to two shelters for abused women and unhoused families. Liz not only thought up the idea, but solicited boxes and donations, helped to collect the items, cataloged them, and transported them to the two shelters. This spring, she is continuing with similar efforts to aid disadvantaged women and children in the Nashua area. Over a hundred cold weather items were donated to help the local community with more to come, thanks to her initiative, leadership, and caring efforts for others. Liz also volunteered in the teaching labs with the NCC lab manager and faculty for the entirety of the spring 2023 semester. She helped with prep and clean up, even troubleshooting difficult or broken equipment. You can ask her to do anything, and Liz searches up how, and does her best to complete it. This spring 2024 semester, Liz has become a research student for NCC's chapter of the NH INBRE where her leadership qualities have already shined while designing the research questions and getting quotes for new equipment. Liz is also NCC's greatest biological ambassador, going to colloquiums and presentations at the local universities, bringing her inquisitive mind and pleasant personality. Liz is on track to be a TriBeta Biology Honor Society recipient and continues to lead in all her classes.

Ganapuram Sri Subhakar is a very motivated and energetic individual. He put forth full effort into all work and activities he participated in, and his contributions were genuine and enthusiastic. Subhakar consistently illustrated professionalism and dedication throughout his program, and he served as the President of the Student Council and Entrepreneurship Club, creating a strong community among domestic and international students. Subhakar consistently showed his intellect, experience, perspective, and a strong work ethic to the program as well as put forth the required effort and dedication the program seeks.

A Women's and Gender Studies and Sustainability Dual Major, Suzanne Scharff has made significant contributions to social justice and sustainability both on the UNH campus and in the larger community. In the summer of '22, she was a GRISL Fellow at Rain for the Sahel and the Sahara, working to raise funds for community-based, women-led organizations in Niger that create resilient livelihoods and access to education and opportunity. As part of the Social Justice Leadership cohort, Suzanne and colleagues researched the barriers to students accessing mental health services at UNH and made recommendations to campus leadership and PACS about how to improve access. As a Summer Sustainability Fellow in '23, she developed a training for advocates and bankers focused on meeting the needs of underserved populations who also may be survivors of interpersonal violence. In her final semester, Suzanne is participating in Semester for Impact, working with the Freedom Café in Durham to create a resource guide of ethical and sustainable local businesses to encourage conscious consumption. As the Sustainability Dual Major intern, Suzanne helps to organize community building events and advises capstone students about how to incorporate equity into their projects. These are just a few of the ways Suzanne has used her voice and leadership to advocate for a more just and sustainable world.

The Rivier Student Nurse Association has made significant contributions to the campus as well as to the surrounding community. On campus, the group started a peer mentoring program, arranged group study nights, and coordinated a Nurse Panel to engage alumni and current students while highlighting available local opportunities for Rivier graduates. In the community, the group has sponsored a Red Cross Blood Drive and a toiletry and sock drive for the Nashua Soup Kitchen and Shelter. Together, they made cards of encouragement for the local Girls Inc, as well as making and delivering holiday cards for local nursing homes for those without family or visitors. Finally, the group sent Valentine surprises to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The group will continue to participate in and coordinate service opportunities both on and off campus throughout the spring semester.

Faith is a psychology with a minor in counseling and substance abuse. Faith is a BOLD scholar, a Wesson Honor's student, a student ambassador, resident assistant, and a member of the women's track and field team. Faith has also served on service teams during alternative spring breaks and is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity. Faith's vision is to rid the world of unnecessary homelessness; a vision she has pursued in her internship and various service projects. She's a dedicated worker and wonderful student whose personal dedication to service and the community has had a lasting effect on those around her.

Health Care Advocates for Sustainability (HCAS), an interdisciplinary student organization, was established by students from the Physician's Assistant Program in 2022. The group's endeavors encompass a range of projects and outreach activities aimed at promoting sustainability. Notably, they launched a successful campus compost program, which kicked off with a farmer's market raffle designed to raise awareness about composting. The collected compost is earmarked for donation to the NH Foodbank, an organization dedicated to supplying food to over 400 entities in New Hampshire with the aim of addressing food insecurity statewide. In addition to their compost initiative, HCAS members have actively engaged in community service. They have volunteered at the NH Foodbank Garden, participated in tree planting initiatives, distributed sustainability pledge pins, and hosted speakers to raise awareness about climate change and sustainability issues. The group's community contributions are centered on highlighting the potential impacts of climate change and sustainability on future food insecurities faced by families.

Tim has led the Equinox comeback from the Covid Pandemic by re-instituting first an 8-page print version, and then expanded it to twelve pages so the paper could accurately cover both the Keene State community and the community surrounding the campus as it affects KSC. This year, to date, he has successfully managed an e-board and staff of over fifty students to regularly produce a weekly news platform that between website, print and social media, reaches over 10,000 recipients every week. Additionally, Tim's capability as a leader and a journalist has benefited the community through his ability to uphold free speech and bring issues of campus to light and inspire a call to action.

Darrell Caudill started as a student at Manchester Community College in the Fall of 2022 in the Advanced Manufacturing program. The Veterans Club had disbanded through covid, and Darrell began to cultivate community the minute he arrived on campus. Knowing the transition to civilian life can be challenging, Darrell knew the importance of bringing together fellow Veterans to build relationships and reestablish the Veterans Club. Darrell was a lead point person in working with Red River Foundation on a complete renovation of the Veterans Center space, which made the Center much more comfortable, accessible, and welcoming. He has also initiated many conversations with community organizations and Veteran-serving institutions to build pathways for resources for MCC Veterans, including but not limited to Blue Star Mothers, Wounded Warrior Project, Senator Shaheen's office (who presented a flag that was flown on the USS Manchester), Manchester VA, NH Dept of Military Affairs and Veteran Services, and many more. He helped run a career fair that included Veteran-specific job opportunities and resources and coordinated a Black Hawk helicopter to land during the fair. Every time Darrell enters the building, he has a new idea or thought to better improve the experience of MCC Veterans, and his philosophy is that all resources should be available, but that Veterans also need a place just to relax and be without the frequent reminder of the barriers they may have. He has positively impacted not only the Veteran Center but the campus community as well as the relationships with the larger Manchester community.

Paige's journey to Southern New Hampshire University traces to her upbringing at the Manchester Boys and Girls Club, where she spent her childhood. The Club kept her focused, provided some stability, and showed her that she had a bright future. In her senior year of high school, Paige received the prestigious Club Member of the Year award. In the same year she attended the 500 Degrees program at the Club. This program worked with high potential young people to explore the path to college. Her hard work paid off- she was one of two students to receive the prestigious Wolak scholarship. She works on campus as an RA, is the president of the Student Government Association, continues to work with the Boys and Girls Club, volunteers as a softball coach in the community, coordinates multiple service-learning sites, is an alternative break trip leader, and serves on the national Student Leadership and Advisory Council for Swipe Out Hunger. Her pride in hailing from the West Side of Manchester is unmistakable, and her experiences navigating its economic and racial diversity have fueled her desire to give back. Her experiences with children in the city have made her want to give back and use her privilege for good. She has a deep-rooted aspiration to work with children who have experienced trauma; the kids most have given up on. Her empathy and understanding make her exceptionally well-suited for this challenging yet profoundly rewarding work. Upon graduation, Paige intends to continue her journey of service by joining AmeriCorps and participating in a restorative justice program for children in Maine.

Since 2018, Samuel Habib has been a Liberal Arts major at NHTI-Concord's Community College, and in his time as a student, he has had a profound impact on the college community, and even a national impact. In 2023, Samuel, along with his father Dan, won an Emmy award for his film ``My Disability Roadmap,`` in which Samuel starred and co-directed. The film powerfully provides viewers with an intimate entry into the daily life, full of hopes and challenges, of someone experiencing cerebral palsy and epilepsy. Samuel and Dan take us on a journey across the country, as Samuel asks questions of disability activists on what it is like to transition into adulthood. Samuel says, ``I want other young adults with disabilities to have the same opportunities that I have had for healthcare, inclusive education, college assistive technology, making friends, and independent living.`` On campus, Samuel's participation in classes and on-campus activities, and his collaboration with NHTI's instructors, students, and support professionals has enriched the culture and the inclusive excellence of NHTI.

Lauren Oliver is a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology. Lauren holds a number of leadership roles on campus including: the President of the Criminal Justice Club, Peer Tutor, and Peer Leader, in addition to being a member of Psi Chi and Alpha Chi honors societies. Lauren has made outstanding contributions to community service and civic engagement by taking the lead of the successful campus community toy drive to benefit the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth. Working in collaboration with the CHaD team and members of the Concord NH Police Department by ``filling cruisers`` with toys, this event produced thousands of dollars’ worth of toys, books, and more than $2500.00 in cash donations, for the benefit of more than a hundred ill or injured children and their families over the 2023-2024 holiday season. In her role as an engaged student leader, she has helped countless new students to integrate into our community and get connected to valuable campus resources. She is an advocate for other student leaders and pushes people to do their best and get involved in their own way. Lauren strives to put community service and civic engagement into her daily life for the betterment of New England College and our community at large, both on and off campus.

River Valley Community College is thrilled to honor Camille Chamberlain with the 2024 Presidents’ Leadership Award. Camille is a natural classroom leader and is a high performer in clinical settings. She is currently serving as the President of the Student Government Association and President of the Radiologic Technology Club.

Keller Grissom, the esteemed recipient of CCSNH's Leadership Award, has left an indelible mark on the LRCC Culinary Arts Program, resonating throughout the campus and across the state. Keller's journey is marked by a series of remarkable achievements, reflecting his dedication and passion for the culinary arts. With the successful completion of his Culinary Arts associate degree and his forthcoming Culinary Co-op at The Bank of NH Pavilion, Keller demonstrates not only his academic prowess but also his practical skills in the culinary field. His leadership within the Hospitality Club, serving as Vice-President for a year, showcases his commitment to fostering a thriving community within the program. Keller's prowess in culinary competitions is unparalleled, earning the Culinary Arts Gold Medal at the Skills USA New Hampshire in 2023 and proudly representing NH and LRCC at the national level in Atlanta the same year. Amidst these accomplishments, Keller has maintained an impressive GPA and generously served as a Residential Assistant, embodying excellence in both academics and leadership. Keller Grissom's unwavering dedication, outstanding achievements, and exemplary character undoubtedly make him a deserving recipient of the CCSNH Leadership Award.

Ceci Keddy’s passion for community engagement and helping others has been an integral part of her undergraduate experience. She knew she wanted to be engaged and applied to be a community engagement leader at the Meelia Center for Community Engagement. Ceci joined the Meelia Center at the start of the pandemic when engagement was still remote. Ceci’s leadership role was part of the Remote Tutoring Collaborative that was created with the Manchester School District to address the challenges K-12 students were facing because of the pandemic. As a tutor for elementary school students in Manchester, she was able to build relationships with students remotely and worked well with teachers and community partners. As a result of her dedication and compassion, Ceci quickly became a mentor for the other tutors, helping them develop the skills and knowledge required to do the work and participated in community engaged learning as part of her nursing classes. In her freshman and sophomore years, she worked with aging nuns living in a skilled nursing facility and with preschool students with intellectual and cognitive disabilities. This led to her becoming the Community Partnership Coordinator for both Saint Joseph Residence and the Selma Deitch Early Learning Program in her junior year. As a senior, Ceci has continued to be a mentor and leader among her peers and is a Student Support Manager, helping other Community Partnership Coordinators. She continues to be the Community Partnership Coordinator for Saint Joseph Residence and the Selma Deitch Early Learning Program.