Winners of Community Partnership Awards, Roland Volunteer Service Prize named

The Office of Public Affairs will present Community Partnership Awards to representatives from three local organizations -- East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT), Partners in Caring (PIC) and the Stanford Community Law Clinic (SCLC) -- at a luncheon at the Garden Court Hotel in Palo Alto on March 31. This is the first year that the university has presented the awards, which include a cash prize of $1,000 and recognize individuals and programs that benefit the local community and represent successful community partnerships between Stanford and its neighbors.

Community Partnership Awards recipients were chosen from a group of 37 programs or individuals nominated for the awards.

"When I first came to Stanford, I realized there were literally hundreds of strong Stanford and community partnerships that were serving the local community. Through these awards, we want to recognize some of the most outstanding examples that deserve special recognition," said Gordon Earle, vice president for public affairs.

The March 31 luncheon also will honor Boyd C. Paulson Jr., the Charles H. Leavell Professor of Civil Engineering, and Milbrey McLaughlin, the David Jacks Professor in Higher Education, as the winners of the Miriam Aaron Roland Volunteer Service Prize. The award will be given annually to a Stanford faculty member who has demonstrated a personal commitment to community service and who engages and involves students in integrating academic scholarship with significant volunteer service to society. (Because of the excellence of the nominations, the committee agreed to award two prizes in 2004.)

The Roland Prize was established by alumna Miriam Roland of Montreal, Canada, as a new endowment at the Haas Center for Public Service.

"We are especially pleased to combine into one event the awarding of both the Miriam Roland and Community Partnership awards. My hope is that by recognizing a few examples of outstanding town-gown partnerships we will raise awareness about many other programs that provide tremendous benefit to local residents," Earle said.

The awards luncheon is being held in conjunction with Stanford's Community Day on Sunday, April 4.

More about the 2004 Community Partnership Award winners:

• East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT) was founded by Jeff Arons and is directed by Dave Higaki. EPATT matches approximately 100 East Palo Alto students with more than 140 volunteer tutors, most of whom are Stanford students. Tennis and tutoring are essential program components, but the participation of parents in EPATT helps build family and community relationships as well. EPATT started at what is now the Cesar Chavez Academy in East Palo Alto with staff and volunteer tutor support from the Stanford student community through the Haas Center for Public Service. Following a fire at the school, the program moved to the Taube Tennis Center at Stanford. EPATT is made possible through a partnership between Stanford, the participants' schools, the participants' parents and EPATT staff.

• Partners in Caring (PIC), directed by Candice Mindigo, RN, BSN, matches 90 volunteers from ages 16 to 65 with approximately 100 homebound residents in communities from Los Altos to Redwood City to provide a variety of services at no cost. Services include transportation to appointments, shopping assistance, meal preparation and light housekeeping. Volunteers come from many local communities and include members of several campus groups. Volunteer service exceeds 6,000 hours a year. PIC is a joint project between Stanford Hospital and Avenidas Senior Center in Palo Alto.

• Stanford Community Law Clinic (SCLC) is directed by Peter Reid. At the clinic, three full-time attorneys, one paralegal and numerous Stanford Law School students participate in clinical community law courses and provide free legal assistance and advice to East Palo Alto residents. SCLC provides its services to 450 clients a year and refers 450 more clients to the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo. The clinic operates through a partnership between Stanford University, Stanford Law School, the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo and several local law firms.

More about the 2004 Roland Prize winners:

• Professor Boyd C. Paulson Jr., a volunteer with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity and Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition, has provided pro bono consulting and personal service for nearly a decade to help provide low-income communities with housing. Through courses like the multidisciplinary Design and Construction of Affordable Housing, Paulson also has provided opportunities for numerous students to put their engineering training to work toward the goal of creating affordable housing in communities.

• Professor Milbrey McLaughlin is the founder and director of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. The center, founded in 2000, is actively working to create alliances among community leaders, schools and organizations to better serve the needs of urban youth. The center also is pioneering new courses and research to increase knowledge in the field of youth development.

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