CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Penelope Soskin, senior assistant dean and director of honors, scholarships and experiential learning initiatives in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of the 2009 Medallion of Honor, the most prestigious annual award given by the Moms Association at the University of Illinois.
Soskin will be recognized for her contributions April 18 at the Moms Association annual board meeting.
The Medallion of Honor Award was created in 1966 to recognize those people who, by example and services, have used their talents to enrich the lives of others. Two men and eight women were honored between 1966 and 1976. Since 1977, the award has been given to women affiliated in some way with the U. of I.
Among Soskin’s duties are administering the college’s scholarship-selection program, serving as the primary support to out-of-state LAS students, and organizing the LAS Senior Thesis program. Her main charge is the oversight of the Edmund J. James Scholar Honors Program for the college.
She sends frequent e-mails to her students, making a large-scale program such as the James Scholar program feel more personalized and intimate.
In his letter of support, a class of 2008 James Scholar described Soskin as “a continual source of encouragement and insight” who helped him work through his intellectual and personal aspirations with a “tireless work ethic.”
Her co-workers echo the sentiments of her students. John Hedeman, an assistant dean in the College of Business, has noticed the effect her support has had on her students. “By encouraging young undergraduates to set the highest possible standards for themselves, she inspires her James Scholars to … pursue undergraduate research, apply for the most prestigious scholarships … and to give back to the world through positive civic engagement.”
Soskin has served on the Community Needs Committee of the United Way of Champaign County, and since 2006 she has been on the advisory board for Sinfonia di Camera, a campus-based chamber orchestra.
The Moms Association, established in 1923, is believed to be one of the nation’s oldest parent organizations. The association supports programs, services and activities that promote the health, safety and well-being of the university community and serves as the parent liaison to the campus.
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