The Spirit of Service Award was presented to six volunteers from California State University, Fresno by President John D. Welty during the annual Service Recognition Reception.

The reception at the president’s residence, the University House, honors university employees for their volunteerism and support of the university’s engagement efforts.

Welty recognized six individuals with the Spirit of Service Award for the exemplary commitment to community engagement: Provost Jeronima Echeverria, Dr. Matthew Jendian and Kate Henry of the American Humanics Program, Aleta Wolfe and Mao Monica Yang of the Community Service Scholarship Program, and Ray Sever from the SMILE Center.

Additionally, Welty acknowledged 113 Fresno State students, who will receive the President’s Volunteer Service Award. This national honor is issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation on behalf of the President Bush.

Also acknowledged at the reception April 24 was Fresno State student Patrick Cary who, earlier in the day, was presented the University Student Volunteer of the Year Award at the Volunteer of the Year Award Luncheon hosted by the Volunteer Center of Fresno County.

Among volunteers from the community honored during the luncheon were the other University Student Volunteer of the Year finalists: Adriana Garcia, Deborah Napoleon, Veronica Carrillo and Melissa Dittmar.

Fresno State programs represented at both the Volunteer of the Year Award Luncheon and the evening Service Recognition Reception are Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, the Community Service Scholarship Program and the American Humanics Program.

For more information, contact: Chris Fiorentino, director of Civic Engagement and Service-Learning, at 559.278.7079.

President John Welty, left, with some of the 119 students and faculty recognized.

For more information contained in this release, please go to the following Web sites:

Fresno State Volunteers

Student Community Service Contributions