Emory & Henry Recognizes Those Who are Committed to Service with Hope Awards

The Hope Awards were recently presented by the Appalachian Center for Civic Life at Emory & Henry to six outstanding members of Emory & Henry College faculty, staff, a graduate and an undergraduate student, a community member and an organization or service project.

The recipients were honored by the Appalachian Center for Civic Life on Thursday, April 11, 2024 in the Copenhaver Lobby of the McGlothlin Center for the Arts. The Hope Award is presented each year to honorees who have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to their community through service and a commitment to the greater good.

“Each year, the Appalachian Center for Civic Life is pleased to honor individuals and community groups who embody in extraordinary ways a sense of civic commitment and who are engaged in work that leads to the common good,” said Director of Appalachian Center for Civic Life, Scott Sikes. 

The Hope Award for a member of the faculty was presented to Dr. Dennis Cobler (DC), Clinical Assistant Professor in Exercise Science. DC is a 1995 graduate of E&H where he received his undergraduate degree in Physical Education. After graduating from E&H, he attended East Tennessee State University where he obtained a master’s degree in Sport Science.  He returned to E&H in 1997 and served in the role of Head Athletic Trainer until 2004 when he then took over the role of Program Director for the Athletic Training Education Program. “Incorporating service-learning activities into my coursework has always been something I’ve tried to do when possible. Being a former Bonner Scholar myself, I understand the impact service can have on a community. It’s an honor to have my efforts recognized, but most of the credit belongs to my students, and particularly to Leah Wilson of the Appalachian Center, for making the placement connections.”

The staff recipient for the Hope Award was Terri Adkins, Facilities Dispatcher at Emory & Henry College. Terri has been working in Facilities at E&H for eight years.  Originally from Gettysburg, PA, she has been living in Southwest Virginia for 30 years, and in Damascus for about 15 of those 30.  From its inception, Terri has put in countless hours planning for building and maintaining the Damascus Dog Park. Terri is an active member of the Virginia Master Naturalists. To stay certified as a VMN, members must complete at least 40 hours of service and eight hours of continued education per year. To date, Terri has completed 282 hours of service. Additionally, she currently serves as the vice president of the Holston Rivers Chapter of VMN.  “Giving back to the community and the planet as a whole, is very important to me. We need to have a healthy, happy planet and that starts with healthy, happy communities.”

Haleigh Cooper, ‘24, was recognized as the undergraduate student recipient of the Hope Award. Originally from Knoxville, TN, Haleigh is a Bonner Scholar that has been deeply involved from day one. She has worked with various projects throughout her time at E&H including the E&H Garden, the on campus Thrift Store, and Bonner Leadership. Haleigh will be graduating in May with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Her future plans include applying to medical school and hopefully continuing to serve in the communities in which she lives. “I am deeply honored to receive the Hope Award. This award not only recognizes my personal efforts but also highlights the collective commitment of our community to civic engagement and the common good. Thank you for this incredible honor.”

Paul Pham was the graduate student recipient of the Hope Award. Paul is a Doctoral student in Physical Therapy (PT). He will be finishing his didactics for PT school at the end of this summer. Paul volunteers for a number of community events, such as the town of Marion cleanup, the Parkinson’s Support Group, and Falls Prevention Workshop. Paul’s professor of recommendation says, “He is a pleasure to work with and exemplifies what we hope to see in the future generation of health professionals.” In response to being selected for the Hope Award, Paul says, “Winning the Hope Award came as a surprise to me. I feel honored to have won this award and hope that future students of the School of Health Sciences continue to provide service to the community around the city of Marion. I just hope with the different service opportunities that I was able to attend, that I made an impact somewhere during it.”

The community member honored by the Appalachian Center for Civic Life with a Hope Award was Tom Hanlon, with River’s Way. Tom has been the executive director of River’s Way, a non-profit in Bristol, TN, for 31 years and is planning to retire this December. In Tom’s eyes, the world needs the skills and gifts that people with differing abilities are uniquely able to provide. It is up to communities to provide opportunities for this population. Through the years, that is what River’s Way has done. River’s Way has gardens, a café, an extensive walking program, a collaborative theater project and an exemplary fitness program at the YMCA of Bristol. River’s Way serves over 1,400 youth and young adults in the Bristol community through its work in schools and with other nonprofits. “Emory & Henry College has demonstrated a commitment to community service for many years so I am especially honored to be connected to the school through this award.”

The organization honored with a Hope Award was the Appalachian Independence Center in Abingdon, Va.  The Appalachian Independence Center (AIC) is a nonprofit organization that serves all of Planning District Three which includes the counties of Washington, Smyth, Bland, Wythe, Grayson, and Carroll as well as the cities of Bristol and Galax. AIC provides services free of charge to people with disabilities throughout the service area. The Appalachian Independence Center (AIC) became a nonprofit dedicated to serving people with disabilities in 1988 through the grass roots efforts of a group of concerned citizens that wanted to see people with disabilities have more options to be able to live as independently as possible. AIC Executive Director, Steve Halley says, “I would like to express the AIC’s appreciation and surprise for this wonderful award. The staff at AIC work hard to help people with disabilities be more independent, set goals and learn that life can be lived to its fullest despite living with a disability. The award means a great deal to us, and we are very honored to receive such a recognition.”

In addition to the Appalachian Center for Civic Life Hope Awards, the College Community Club sponsors a student project every year and awards that project with the Community Club Award which is worth $300. The student project awarded by the College Community Club was the  River’s Way student group. Emory & Henry’s partnership with the River’s Way organization is a long-stranding and robust one. E&H students organize and host on-campus events twice a semester for River’s Way participants. Each event provides students and participants with opportunities to connect, play games, engage in a craft, and enjoy the beautiful campus. River’s Way student leader, Amelia Terry says, “River’s Way Programming, to me, has been an incredibly liberating experience to meet new people and take a break from the college world. The members of River’s Way have given me the opportunity to organize two days per semester filled with volunteers and activities with my team and I would not trade their presence for the world. The energy they bring is truly freeing and I cannot wait to see what we do in the future. From painting to yoga, soccer to the Wax Museum, I am so grateful to have these experiences with members of the community with all abilities coming together, and I am so pleased to know the years long tradition of this partnership is something that I have been able to continue to do throughout my entire undergraduate career thus far.”

Learn more about the Appalachian Center for Civic Life at www.ehc.edu/civic-engagement