Public Service Group Honors Volunteers

The Phillips Brooks House Association (PBHA) honored nine of its volunteers for their commitment to public service Wednesday.

Laura Clancy ’02-’03, Morgan E. Hall ’02 and Jan Hridel ’02 received the 2001 Donald W. Moreland Prize. The Neil J. Houston Award went to Ariadne G. Lie ’02 and Becky A. Windt ’02.

The five winning students will each receive $1,500.

The longtime PBHA volunteers come from a wide variety of service backgrounds.

Hall has worked for four years with the Mission Hill Afterschool Program, while Hridel spent several years with PBHA programs Best Buddies and Chinatown Afterschool.

For the past two summers, Clancy, the incoming PBHA president, has directed the Native American Youth Enrichment Program in Boston.

“One of the really cool things about this award is every year you hear about people who spend all day and Christmas Eve at shelters,” Clancy said. “I don’t think of myself as being that person. It was a really nice surprise.”

Clancy said she plans to donate most of the award money to PBHA’s Summer Urban Program.

Lie was honored for her work at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.

Windt, who just concluded her term as PBHA secretary, has worked with the Environmental Action Committee and the Academy Homes Summer Youth Enrichment Program.

“I’ve worked with so many incredible people in my time at Harvard,” Windt said. “The award made me think about the people I’ve met and how inspired I’ve been by them.”

Windt said she plans to give half the award money to a service program and save the other half for next year to help finance a career in public service.

Four students also received honorable mentions: Timothy K. Ruttan ’02, Kathleen L. Guico ’02, Margaret A. Nelson ’02 and Joshua E. Cogswell ’02.

The five award winners were selected by PBHA staff members from a group of more than 25 volunteers nominated for the awards. Current seniors received preference in the selection process, according to outgoing PBHA President Trevor S. Cox ’01-’02.

The winners were chosen from a “very competitive field,” Cox said. At Wednesday’s meeting, Clancy presented Cox with a card signed by PBHA volunteers. She praised Cox for his work this year in advocating strongly for volunteer programs.

“He leaves me big shoes to fill, both literally and figuratively,” Clancy said.