The Anschutz Medical Campus Student Senate and the Student Assistance Office recently announced the recipients of the 4th Annual Anschutz Medical Campus Student Service Excellence Awards. These awards recognized exemplary efforts by student organizations and individual students. Based on nominations, the honorees are:

Outstanding Leader of a Student Organization -- Andrew Henrichs, Vice President, Silver Society, Child Health Associate and Physician Assistant Program

Andy is a first-year CHA/PA student and vice president of Silver Society. His award explains, "From the beginning, he assumed a leadership role while working with his small group in the Cadaver lab as well as assisting neighboring students. Andy has played a key role in organizing various service and fundraising events including helping to plan the CHA/PA Alumni Event, which served as a fundraiser for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Andy rallied his classmates and attracted the vast majority of both first- and second-year students to attend, and he motivated students to seek out donations from the community. With genuine enthusiasm he further demonstrates his leadership while working in the rural track by volunteering for the leadership role in the National Western Stock Show health program. Andy participated in the training, as well as volunteered for several screening shifts, all while knitting together the interdisciplinary education aspects of campus programs with students from other programs. Andy is an exemplary leader on campus and helps make Silver Society a leader in student organizations."

Outstanding Service to the University by an Individual Student -- Tara Martin, Neuroscience Program and Medical Scientist Training Program (MTSP)

As a medical student, she served on the Curriculum Steering Committee for three years and represented the medical students at the two-day School of Medicine Curriculum Retreat, held in April 2011. Tara's honor states: "In her role as an MSTP student, she has been a valuable member of the Admissions Committee for two years and played a pivotal role in recruitment of top candidates. Tara has participated in community outreach at local high schools during Brain Awareness Week (2010, 2011); worked on the NSP Student Space Committee and helped remodel rooms so that they would better serve students’ work and rest needs. She has tirelessly helped interview and recruit applicants to NSP. Tara also plays a major leadership role in both the GSC and Student Senate on campus. During the past three years, she has served as secretary (2009-2010), treasurer (2010-2011) and this year as Co-president on GSC. Tara is truly committed to leadership and excellence for the university."

Outstanding Community Service by a Student Organization -- Silver Society, Child Health Associate and Physician Assistant program

This group of students has a strong commitment to service and engaged in many activities across our campus and community. Silver Society regularly participates in community events to help raise money for organizations throughout the metro area. So far this year, they have participated in Girls on the Run, the Denver Rock-and-Roll Marathon, Brides Against Breast Cancer, and Denim and Diamonds, all events supporting community organizations. During the past year, they organized silent auctions for Family Tree, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Hillside Clinic International in Belize. They raised more than $6,000 for the charities they chose to support this year. They coordinated volunteers as part of the 9News 9Health Fair and the AHEC National Western Stock Show Health Fair. They also participated in Camp Colorado, the American Diabetes Association’s childhood diabetes camp, where Silver Society members served as staff volunteers to help monitor the blood glucose levels of campers aged 8-16 years.

Outstanding Community Service by an Individual -- Elizabeth “Anne” Cloud, Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Anne is a “social justice star as service to others is a natural part of her being.” She serves on the student leadership team for the organization of health education programming for Urban Peak Homeless Shelter as well as facilitated Highlands Church adoption of eleven families, half included special needs children, providing for all of their Christmas needs. She organized a group of women to volunteer at Little Sisters for the Poor retirement home to run a once a month high-stakes bingo game with the senior residents and most recently worked on a fresh produce drive for the Beinvenidos Food Bank. Anne has set exemplary standards of professionalism in her discipline while breaking down the boundaries between programs here on the campus. She has contributed to interdisciplinary programming campus wide and her charming leadership qualities draws many to participate in community service activities both on and off campus.

Outstanding Student Organization-- CU Student Nurses Association, College of Nursing (CUSNA)

CUSNA continues to dominate in the field of student organization excellence. Their efforts not only support their CUSNA members, but often serve the entire campus student population and surrounding communities. This year they raised awareness for Love Hope Strength Bone Marrow Donation program, DaVita & the Kidney Trust, The Kempe-Center – Climb for Kids, Kids Against Hunger and Hardthaven HIV/AIDS Orphanage in Ghana. They sponsored 22 local and national events including but not limited to Project CURE medical supply packaging and distribution, National Western Stock Show Health Fair, Children’s Hospital Blood and Platelet Drives and the Nightingale Ceremony. They contributed more than 1163 hours of volunteer time within the community and over 600 additional hours on campus. CUSNA also worked with area high schools on health profession awareness.

Prizes for these awards include $500 toward continuing efforts by the group selected, and a $250 honorarium goes to the individual student award winners.