William Jewell College has announced the recipient of the John and Mary Pritchard Humanitarian Service Award for 2008. This year’s award winner is Brittany Edwards of Branson, Mo.
Edwards will work with Dr. Ruth Kauffmann, professor of languages at William Jewell, to research and develop a new perspective for the college’s Chicano Experience class. The planned updates to the class will examine issues specific to the border area between the United States and Mexico.
"Because of my passion for border studies and the human rights violations associated with the borderlands, I gladly accept the responsibility of planning the trip in order to raise awareness among my peers," Edwards said. Edwards plans to work through the United Methodist Border Area Mission in McAllen, Texas, and will assist with a Mission Academy for United Methodist youth groups while she conducts her research. She hopes that the project will enable future William Jewell students to approach the immigration question with increased compassion and understanding.
Edwards is the daughter of William and Deborah Edwards of Branson. She is currently pursuing a triple major in Spanish, English, and psychology at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. On campus, she is actively involved in Alpha Gamma Delta, American Humanics, service learning and Christian Related Vocations. She has dedicated much of her college experience to volunteering in the nonprofit field. Her volunteer activities include a disaster relief trip to New Orleans, work with Spanish-speaking junior high students, a Honduras construction and mission trip, co-teaching a class for Spanish-speaking permanent residents seeking citizenship, and an internship as a youth advocate with Synergy House, a shelter for homeless, runaway and abused teenagers in the Kansas City area.
The Pritchard Humanitarian Service Award is provided by and named for the founders and nurturers of Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City, a provider of affordable housing for low-income families. For more than two decades, the Pritchards sought strong and effective ways to interact with people in need. The award goes annually to William Jewell students who commit to engaging with people in need and developing relationships with people different from themselves in all fundamental aspects while learning about their own unique gifts and calling.