Foundation IUP ScholarshipLisa McCann, a sociology graduate student from Indiana, has been selected for the 2015 Foundation for IUP Community Volunteer Service Award.

The award recognizes both student volunteerism at IUP and the volunteer commitment of the Foundation for IUP board of directors. It was established in June 1998 in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Foundation for IUP. To be eligible for the award, students must be engaged in volunteer community service that exceeds any requirement for a class project, organizational membership, scholarship or other obligatory circumstance.

McCann is the recipient of the 2014-2015 Graduate Student Scholarship from the School of Graduate Studies and Research, won the 2014 Anthropology Chairperson's Award for academic achievement and applying anthropology for community service, the 2014 Fearless Diamond Leadership Award from the African American Cultural Center.

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Delta sociology honor society, Tiacullo, Lamda Alpha anthropology honor society and Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society. She is a McNair Scholar.

She is the primary organizer and curator for the “Walk Through Latin America” exhibition in the University Museum planned for October 31-December 12. In this role, she provides leadership and direction in the combined efforts of more than 13 departments and programs at IUP. She also is planning the 2015 Day of the Dead Festival and was active in the planning and organization of the 2014 and 2013 Day of the Dead Festivals. She is an advisory board member for the Center for Northern Appalachian Studies and is the founder and a member of the advisory board for the Northern Appalachian Seed Bank and was a consultant and coordinator for the 2014 Community Seed Swap. She is a volunteer and mentor for Caring About Latino Student Achievement Program.

She is a volunteer with The Seedling Project, providing seedlings, growing supplies and gardening knowledge to low-income clients of food pantries. Since 2014, she has been a Penn State Cooperative Extension certified master gardener, presenting and applying research-based horticultural information in the community. Since 2013, she has been involved with the Indiana Community Garden as a steering committee member, consultant, outreach assistant, coordinator of the Cempazuchiti Project and Latino student garden plots.

From left, Rich Caruso, FIUP Board of Directors president; Regina Stover, FIUP Board of Directors member and Scholarship Committee member; scholarship recipient Lisa McCann and IUP President Dr. Michael Driscoll.