CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Three individuals and one unit were honored by the Moms Association during Moms Weekend at the University of Illinois.
Edith Matesic, of Champaign, has received the second annual Amelia Alpiner Stern Mom of the Year award.
The announcement was made at the Moms Association's Moms Weekend kickoff event, "Explore Illinois," on April 17. She received an engraved plaque.
The Moms Association established the award as a means for Illinois students to honor the support, encouragement and inspiration that their mothers provide.
Matesic, nominated by her son, Brian, a senior in engineering, was selected from a pool of more than 20 nominees.
In his nomination essay, Brian described his mother as both passionate and caring, and said he appreciates the values that she instilled in him. He wrote: "My mother has always taught me to aim high and put 100 percent of my efforts into everything I do. She has not only encouraged me to do so, but she leads by example, as demonstrated by her own work ethic and continual personal development."
Sharifah McDonald and Lynetta Jones, both of Chicago, were honored as finalists.
The 2009 Illini Spirit Award recipient, the Division of Public Safety, was honored at the Moms Association annual meeting on April 18.
The Illini Spirit Award was created to provide financial support to programs and projects that contribute to a positive Illinois experience for students at Urbana-Champaign. The award is in its second year.
The Division of Public Safety will use the award to improve its Web site to better convey timely and critical safety information.
Barbara O'Connor, the new executive director of Public Safety and chief of police, and campus risk manager Mark Briggs accepted the award on behalf of their department.
Zenobia Ravji, of Westmont, Ill., a graduate student in political science, and Ashley Soriano, of Rockford, Ill., a junior in Spanish education, are the graduate and undergraduate recipients of the 2009 Moms Association Humanitarian Awards, which also were awarded at the Moms Association annual meeting.
Each recipient will receive a $250 cash award and a matching donation will be made to a charity or organization of their choice.
The recipients were selected for their initiative to develop innovative approaches to community service work and the ability to translate their ideas into practical results. Recipients also will be recognized as part of the Vice Chancellor's Student Leadership Awards ceremony on April 25.
Described by her nominator as "an avid crusader for cultural understanding," Ravji became involved as an undergraduate in Together Encouraging the Appreciation of Multiculturalism (TEAM) and has continued her involvement during her graduate career. Through TEAM, Zenobia has planned campuswide multicultural events, facilitated workshops on racial tension and mentored her younger peers toward becoming champions of diversity. Aware of the importance of an international perspective, Zenobia has led students on volunteer trips to Latin America to provide aid in the areas of community development and health care. During her tenure with the Illinois Student Senate, Zenobia worked with the university's Division of Housing to revamp the residence hall assignment method, replacing an outdated system that she believed led to unintentional segregation among students.
Soriano was honored for her courageous ability to turn tragedy into triumph. She is described by her nominator as a young woman who shows "leadership and grace in the face of challenge." Years ago, Soriano learned that her mother had been diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that would cause her mother to lose her sight. Soriano and her two siblings had inherited the disease and would one day face the same blindness. Determined to meet this prognosis head on, Soriano adopted the same strength and resolve that her mother had shown and decided to combat the disease.
At Illinois, Soriano has created an organization called iWalk, in an effort to raise funds for research and create awareness for degenerative eye diseases such as RP. On April 25, iWalk will host its first "Experiential iWalk and 5K Run" on the U. of I. campus. Not only will this event serve as a fundraiser, but participants also can elect to complete a portion of the race wearing goggles that simulate vision loss, so that they can experience what people with degenerative eye diseases deal with. Soriano's dedication to raising awareness and providing innovative education about a relatively unknown medical condition exemplify the qualities that the Humanitarian Award was designed to recognize.
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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