LIVONIA, MICH. - Madonna University student Julianne Annika Elipse recently received the Ambassador Award (2018-2019 and 2019-2020), and the Zero Hero Award (2019-2020) from the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) and InnerView. Now in its second year, the National Community Service Awards program connects student community service activities to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to transform our world. Elipse’s Ambassador Award recognizes the more than 100 hours of community service she has invested in SDG 16-Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions.
“Youth efforts and voices are essential to achieve the SDGs. These awards allow us to share our appreciation for youth leaders who have invested talent and effort in the causes they care about,” says Rachel Bowen Pittman, Executive Director of United Nations Association of the USA. “With a decade remaining to deliver on the SDGs, we are thrilled that these students will be entering the workforce with meaningful community engagement skills and socially aware experiences. We are encouraged that educators are including community service and cultural engagement in the educational experience of their students.”
In addition to her outstanding community service, Elipse has been quite active at Madonna in the TRIO program, Franciscan Symposium, Girl Power Art Exhibit, Painting Escape, BWellMU, the MLK Kick-Off, creating thank you cards for veterans, and making the Dean’s List for her academic achievements. Her service to the community demonstrates how she, and many other Madonna University students live out the school’s Franciscan core values.
In the last ten months, thousands of students devoted more than 557,000 community service hours to causes and community needs. “The close of this school year, will be a moment in time, never forgotten by current students. Every aspect of life has been affected by COVID-19, and there has never been a better personal understanding of the connectedness between people, local, and global challenges,” says Kristine Sturgeon, CEO of Inner View Technologies. “We are delighted to amplify and honor the incredible work of students who are changing the world, one action at a time. In the last few months we have seen student transition their passions for causes to safe remote pathways including virtual tutoring, organizing local food collections, recording music performances for senior centers, digital connections to advocate for voter registration, unique appreciation for HealthCare heroes and so much more.”
A key artifact students gain through this program is the development of a digital service resume for use in job and college applications to demonstrate personal commitment, 21st century skills, and key areas of interest. The three tier award program recognizes a range of student achievement: Merit for 20 hours, Honor for 40 hours and Ambassador for 100 hours of service this school year.
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Liberal arts education, career preparation and service-learning have been the hallmarks of a Madonna University education for 80 years. In addition to the beautiful main campus, conveniently located at I-96 and Levan Road in Livonia, Madonna offers academic programs in Gaylord, Macomb, and online in China, Haiti and the United Arab Emirates. Michigan’s most affordable, independent, Catholic, liberal arts university, Madonna offers more than 100 undergraduate and 35 graduate programs in the colleges of arts and humanities, natural and social sciences, education, and nursing and health, as well as the School of Business.
The United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) is a membership organization dedicated to inform, inspire, and mobilize the American people to support the ideals and vital work of the United Nations. For 70 years UNA-USA has worked to accomplish its mission through its national network of Chapters, youth engagement, advocacy efforts, education programs, and public events. UNA-USA is a program of the United Nations Foundation. UNA-USA and its sister organization the Better World Campaign represent the single largest network of advocates and supporters of the United Nations in the world. Learn more at UNAUSA.org
InnerView is the leading youth social responsibility platform to help students, groups, and schools highlight community service impact, passion for causes, skill development, and connect local effort to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. All college and high school aged students are welcome to join thousands of 14 to 24 year olds who have discovered ways to get involved and developed dynamic visual service resumes through my.InnerView.org. InnerView Technologies is a social impact organization working with students, groups, schools, nonprofits, and committed & compassionate institutions. Learn more at InnerView.org
