UTSA's Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award recipients announced

Clockwise from top left are Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award recipients Celeste Chavez, Hayley Diamond, Shane Jones, Zacharia Grami and (center) Brianne Moore.

(Nov. 19, 2012) -- The UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center announces the five winners of the Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award for fall 2012: Celeste Chavez, Hayley Diamond, Zacharia Grami, Shane Jones and Brianne Moore.

The winners have demonstrated a commitment to service-learning and are actively giving back to the community. Each awardee receives $500 provided by Wells Fargo. The award may be used at each recipient's discretion in support of travel, project supplies and time dedicated to projects.

The Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award was created to support students completing community service as a part of a UTSA course, degree program or certificate program. Wells Fargo has a corporate goal of social responsibility and community involvement, and a commitment to invest in the future of communities.

The winners of the fall 2012 awards are:

• Celeste Chavez, a senior taking HON 2201 taught by Alegra Lozano, assistant director for student recruitment in the UTSA Honors College, is completing her project with Sky Harbour Elementary School as a volunteer cheerleading coach. The program teaches young girls about responsibility and commitment as well as the value of hard work and team building.
• Hayley Diamond, a senior taking HON 3223.005 with Associate Professor Kolleen Guy, is reaching out to UTSA students in an effort to better their health and the health of our ecosystem. She is leading several hunger awareness week events on campus including weighing food waste at Roadrunner Cafe and Demo Kitchen programs featuring vegan dishes.
• Zacharia Grami, a freshman taking HON 2201 with Alegra Lozano, is completing a service-learning project with the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Department of Psychiatry. He is assisting with research on issues surrounding alcohol abuse and assisting clients facing alcohol dependency.
• Shane Jones, a senior taking HON 3223.005 with Associate Professor Kolleen Guy, is partnering with the nonprofit organization Alpha and Omega Sports to conduct sports clinic camps. He also worked with classmates and led awareness events on campus on hunger and abundance issues. He is considering a profession as an occupational therapist.
• Brianne Moore, a senior participating in the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance with Denise Orozco, program coordinator with the UTSA Center for Policy Studies, is completing her service project as a child advocate for Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA). With CASA, she serves as a court-appointed advocate for a child who is separated from his or her guardians because of allegations of child abuse or neglect. She plans to attend law school after graduating from UTSA.

For more information about this and other service-learning and community service efforts, visit the UTSA Inclusion and Community Engagement Center website, go to University Center Suite 2.01.04 on the Main Campus or call 210-458-4770.

>> The Wells Fargo Community Leadership Award also is presented in the spring semester. Applications will be available in January.