March 08, 2004
Greg E. Padesky wins Service to Southern Award
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Greg E. Padesky is co-president of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He volunteers in the Newman Catholic Student Center office and participates in a wide range of other organizations and activities, including Intervarsity Christian Campus Ministry, SIUC's Leadership Council, Circle K International, Student Programming Council, Humane Society animal shelter and the Poshard Foundation's women's shelter in Cairo.
Somewhere in the midst of all of his community service work, Padesky also finds time to keep up with his studies: His cumulative grade-point average is 3.88 (4.0 scale).
Padesky is this year's recipient of the Service to Southern Award, which includes a $1,000 scholarship. Established by the Beta Delta chapter of Theta Xi fraternity, the award is the highest honor a student can receive for involvement in co-curricular activities. The honor annually goes to a graduating senior. Padesky, the son of Mark and Vicki Padesky of Peoria, is majoring in photojournalism.
A committee comprised of faculty and staff makes the selection based on participation, achievement and excellence of service in campus and community programs, fraternal activities and residence hall or living area activities.
As for his motivation to participate in so many activities and organizations, Padesky said, "I've found that the more I put into it, the more enjoyment and satisfaction I've gotten out of all of it."
Graduating citizen-leaders is among the goals of Southern@150, the blueprint for the development of the University by the time it celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2019.