SIT Student Keena Kaye Wins Commitment to Service and Civic Engagement Award
Friday, March 30, 2007
By: Jessica Smyser

Award is given for both the breadth and depth of community involvement

At a ceremony held in Montpelier, VT on March 29, 2007 Keena Kaye was presented with the Vermont Campus Compact / TD Banknorth Commitment to Service and Civic Engagement Award.

Keena Kaye is a graduate student in SIT's PIM program (Intercultural Service, Leadership, and Management) and is the lead organizer for SIT chapter of Net Impact's Race for a Reason. Keena has taken the lead on giving this year's Race for a Reason high visibility and co-sponsorship by SIT/World Learning.

"I really appreciate being recognized for chairing this year's Race for a Reason," Keena says. " Everyone is working very hard and particularly pleasing has been the level of participation from the Brattleboro community. This year it really isn't just a fundraiser but an educational and awareness series to bring attention to the atrocities being committed in Darfur, Sudan."

Race for a Reason has set a goal of $10,000 for the 5k/10k event, which is designed for walkers and runners of all ages and abilities. This year’s race will be held at the SIT campus on May 12, winding around the scenic landscape as runners raise money for the people of Darfur, Sudan. All proceeds will go to benefit Global Grassroots, which is a non-profit organization offering social entrepreneurship training and seed funding to help women launch sustainable, life-changing social ventures such as a peace library, a school cafeteria, and a women's market cooperative. Global Grassroots started in 2005 with refugees who had fled to Chad from Darfur. Global Grassroots has continued to work in the Darfur region, where the United Nations estimates the genocide has caused the deaths of over 400,000 and displaced approximately 2 million since early 2003. Funds raised by the Race for a Reason will help Global Grassroots fund new projects designed by the refugees themselves.

Vermont Campus Compact (VCC) is a statewide consortium of colleges and universities strengthening the civic mission of higher education. Each year VCC honors students, faculty and staff, and community agencies with whom they partner, for their contributions and impact on Vermont communities through campus service, service-learning and/or civic engagement.  All winners and finalists were honored at the VCC Gala on March 29th, 2007  at the Vermont State House in Montpelier. Marc vanderHeyden, Saint Michael’s College President and VCC Chair, presided, and TD Banknorth President Phil Daniels presented the Commitment to Service and Engagement Awards.