Nominations being accepted for 2018 Morris service award
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
Service has been a hallmark of the Lipscomb community since its founding in 1891.
Today, the university recognizes individuals who make an impact through their service efforts with the annual awarding of the Mary Morris Award for Exemplary Service to Society.
The Mary Morris Award for Exemplary Service to Society is conferred on a member of the Lipscomb “family” who has demonstrated a high level of service to the community and the church.
“This award is the highest recognition the university gives for service,” said Christin Shatzer, director of service learning, The SALT Program. “Serving others is an important part of the culture at Lipscomb, and we want to encourage those who serve by honoring those who are making a difference in the world.”
Shatzer said nominees should exhibit a spirit of volunteerism, engage in meaningful civic activities in the community that help spread God’s light, demonstrate a commitment to Christian missions wherever they may be, be an advocate for Lipscomb University and exhibit vision in creating new avenues to expand Christian principles in unconventional ways. Faculty, staff, alumni, current students and others who are advocates for Lipscomb University are eligible to be nominated. Individuals may nominate more than one nominee.
Nominations for the 2018 Morris award are being accepted through Jan. 24, 2018, at 5 p.m. CST. Anyone may nominate individuals for the award and may nominate more than one person. Click here for the nomination form.
Past recipients include: Ed Pack Global, founded by students Luke Benda, Macy Cottrell, Kayla Ford and Ben Siebold (2017); Carrie Thornthwaite, professor of education, Lipscomb (2016); Rob Touchstone, director of missional entrepreneurship, College of Business, Lipscomb (2015); Caleb Pickering (’03), volunteer coordinator, homeless ministry, Green Street Church of Christ (2014); Richard Goode, professor of history, Lipscomb (2013); Brett Flener, student at the time award was given, honored for his work with the homeless community of Nashville and helped create Open Table, a nonprofit interfaith community that disrupts cycles of povety, journeys with the marginalized and provides education about issues of homelessness (2012); Kim Tucker (’03), founder, I.C. White Stone Foundation (2011); Tom Burton (’68), then-executive director, AGAPE (2010); Lindsey (’07) and Andrew (’08) Krinks, honored for involvement with homeless community in Nashville (2009); Jon Lee (’95), president, Living Water Project (2008); Randy Steger, retired professor of marketing, Lipscomb; founder, Healing Hands International (2007); and Nancy Moon Gonzalez, alumna, for work with a school in South America (2007).
Morris, an associate professor of education at Lipscomb and an advocate for character education, died in September 2005 following a lengthy battle with cancer. A professional educator for more than 14 years, Morris founded the Center for Character Development at Lipscomb University, which resulted in the Character Counts! Nashville initiative. She also helped train hundreds of teachers as a faculty member in Lipscomb’s Teacher Education program.
A West Virginia native, Morris graduated from Lipscomb University in 1991 with a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education. She received a Master of Arts degree and a doctorate in education from West Virginia University.
She began her teaching career in 1991 as a fourth grade teacher at Williams S. James Elementary School in Abingdon, Maryland. While at West Virginia University, Morris was a graduate research assistant for the West Virginia University Extension Service and was a graduate teaching assistant at WVU’s Department of Educational Psychology and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.
In 1998, Morris joined Lipscomb’s education faculty as assistant professor of education. At Lipscomb, she taught reading methods courses for elementary education majors as well as classroom management for all education majors. In addition, she supervised student teachers in the Metro Nashville Public School System and managed and facilitated the materials and curriculum lab for educational use.