February 18, 2009

Nominations sought for prestigious Sturgis award

by Andrea Hahn

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Lindell W. Sturgis Memorial Public Service Award Committee at Southern Illinois University Carbondale seeks nominations for this prestigious annual award before the deadline of March 26.

The award goes to current SIUC faculty or staff members who demonstrate outstanding commitment to public service to their community -- whether that community is local, area, statewide or even national. Evidence of this public service includes time committed to service and positive impact of the service. The public service must be unrelated to University responsibilities.

Nominations should come from either an SIUC employee or a member of the community. The nomination should include a statement describing the nominee’s contribution, two to three letters of support, and a list of public service contributions including notations of time involved and positive impact.

The Sturgis Memorial Public Service Award was the first public service award of its kind at SIUC when family members established an endowment in 1979. Sturgis, an SIU Board of Trustees member from 1949 to 1951 and from 1953 to 1971, had a long-standing history of commitment to the University pre-dating even his association with the Board of Trustees. Sturgis, who was from Metropolis, served as board chair from 1969 until his retirement.

Current board Chair Roger Tedrick was a student at SIUC when Sturgis chaired the board, and remembers him as a “larger-than-life figure” because of his commitment to the University and to public service.

“The prestige of this award goes far beyond its cash value,” Tedrick said. “This award, established to honor a man whose commitment to this University and to public service were extraordinary, salutes an individual who pursues the goal of making this world a better place.”

The award includes a $750 cash gift, a plaque, and a reserved parking space for a year. The Board of Trustees announces the award recipient at the May 2009 board meeting. A special luncheon, attended by members of the Sturgis family, trustees, the SIU president and SIUC chancellor, and past award recipients.

An online nomination form is available at www.siu.edu/~crse/forms.htm. Send nomination materials to Cynthia L. Miller, Committee Chair, Constituent Relations and Special Events, Kesnar Hall, Room 207, Mail Code 6525, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1225 Douglas Drive, Carbondale IL 62901. For more information, visit http://www.siu.edu/bot/lwsturgis.html.