Coe student and faculty member awarded 2023 Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards
Coe College is proud to announce the recipients of the 2022-23 Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards. Max Gorden Mercer has been selected for the Presidents’ Award in Student Leadership. John William King Professor of Literature & Creative Writing Gina Hausknecht has received the President’s Award in Civic Engagement in recognition of her involvement with the Prison Learning Initiative.
The Presidents' Awards honor outstanding contributions to the community through service learning projects and other community engagement pathways. The awards recognize exceptional students and faculty who have incorporated community engagement into their endeavors while pursuing innovative solutions that address community needs.
Gorden Mercer, who served as Coe’s student body vice president and president of CoeVotes, has been a tireless champion of service during his time at the college. As student body vice president, Gorden Mercer established a clothes library for students to access professional attire. Through his leadership at CoeVotes, he organized voter registration drives and served as an active volunteer when the college became a voting satellite site. Max has also served with Coe's Board of Trustees, participated in United Way's Board Orientation Leadership Development program, is the Coe Student Activities Committee treasurer and was named a 2023 finalist for the Truman Scholarship.
"Max is more than deserving of this recognition. His passion and dedication towards student leadership and civic engagement is evident to all who know him, and his hard work serves as an example of how individuals can help promote positive change within our communities — something Coe College is honored to be a part of," said President David Hayes '93.
Hausknect leads Coe’s Prison Learning Initiative (PLI) which provides hands-on, high-impact experiences for students and community members to learn about and get involved with the criminal legal system in Iowa and the Midwest. Supported by an Associated Colleges of the Midwest grant to develop sustainable community-based learning opportunities, PLI builds on interest in the carceral system among Coe students, capitalizes on the college’s strategic geographic location in Cedar Rapids (administrative home of the Sixth Judicial District of Iowa) and extends the capacity of Coe’s popular and growing social and criminal justice program by partnering with a range of local, regional and national organizations.
"At Coe College, we are proud to lead the way in creating innovative and meaningful experiences for our students and community members. Through the Prison Learning Initiative, Coe is providing an invaluable opportunity for individuals to learn more about the incarceration and legal systems in our community. Gina’s involvement, along with several other faculty members, is invaluable to our community,” Hayes said.
In addition, Coe has named The United Way of East Central Iowa as the recipient of Presidents' Community Partner Award in conjunction with Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact. The United Way of East Central Iowa was selected for creating the opportunity for students to develop their leadership and civic engagement skills through the Board Orientation Leadership Development program (BOLD). Since 2021, 13 Coe students have participated in a range of activities designed to equip them with the knowledge required to serve on a board of directors. Students hear from community leaders, receive a BOLD program mentor, audit board meetings and participate in an experiential learning component. Current and past graduates of the BOLD program have continued their engagement both on campus and in the community through internships, research, community based service projects and as AmeriCorps members.
Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact is a statewide association of college and university presidents providing leadership for the civic mission of higher education and strengthening the capacity of its member colleges and universities to prepare all students to become engaged citizens.