2023 2023: Leduc Center honors during 2023 Civic Leadership Awards

The ceremony featured students, faculty, and trustee winners

On October 5, 2023, the Leduc Center for Civic Engagement presented its annual Civic Leadership Awards and the Jonathan Blake Waxler Memorial Prize for Social Justice.

The Community Member Civic Leadership Award went to University of Massachusetts Trustee Julie Ramos Gagliardi MBA '87. The award, which recognizes a community member who has demonstrated a sustained commitment to civic engagement, was given to Ramos Gagliardi for her dedication to the SouthCoast community. As the Director of Programs at the SouthCoast Community Foundation, Ramos Gagliardi oversees various programmatic initiatives and grantmaking efforts, including the Creative South Coast Initiative, Leadership Equity Fund, SouthCoast Emergency Response Fund, and the scholarship program. In addition to her role at the foundation, Julie was First Vice President of Corporate Giving and Community Relations, managing the Bank's Corporate Giving program and various financial literacy and education initiatives.

Next, the Student Civic Leadership Award was given to current MBA student Joshua Keith, who received his B.S. in Accounting in 2023. Keith was chosen for the award that honors a student's contribution to campus and community life because of his leadership positions in UMassD's Collegiate DECA and Beta Alpha Psi chapters and the university's Student Alumni Association. Keith's contributions to DECA were noteworthy, with his teams achieving significant success in financial statement analysis competitions at the state and international levels.

Kevin Stokesbury, Dean of the School for Marine Science & Technology and Commonwealth Professor of Fisheries Oceanography, won the Faculty Civic Leadership Award. This award recognizes faculty members' dedication to creating a bridge between learning and community, which Stokesbury has demonstrated in his multi-decade collaborative research effort with the fishing industry. This research has significantly impacted the recovery of the sea scallop fishery and economic growth on the SouthCoast. In addition to his community-focused research, Stokesbury's dedication to mentoring diverse students in his laboratory has resulted in numerous successful graduates who have excelled in various scientific positions, including academia, research organizations, and governmental agencies.

The night's final award was the Jonathan Blake Waxler Memorial Prize for Social Justice, established in 1996 to honor the memory of the beloved son of UMass Dartmouth English professor Robert Waxler and his wife, Linda. The $500 annual prize recognizes a student who has exhibited a dedication to social activism, advocacy, community organizing, or civic engagement to enhance the dignity of all people. The spirit of the prize is founded on Jonathan's belief and vision for a democratic society and his commitment to social justice, especially for those less fortunate than himself.

This year's winner was senior political science major Zoi Burns. Burns was chosen because of her leadership as a Peer Mentor, Student Representative in various committees, Chair of UMass Dartmouth's Diversity, Social Justice & Inclusion Committee, and Senator of the UMass Dartmouth Class of 2024. Last year, Zoi was actively involved in the UMass Dartmouth Voter Coalition, successfully increasing the student voting rate during the General Election. Burn's ongoing work includes participating in a social justice project focused on racial equity in civic learning engagement outcomes at higher education institutions.