President Harry Truman once said that “Men and women make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.”
An anniversary is a time to reflect on and celebrate the past and consider a vision for the future. At our tenth anniversary, the Gephardt Institute chose to shine a light on partners who have devoted their life’s work to cultivating engaged citizens and strong communities.
The institute awarded its inaugural Achievement in Community Engagement Awards on September 2 at an event on the WashU campus. Congressman Richard A. Gephardt reflected on the early days of the institute and its impact on campus. Joined by Provost Holden Thorp, they recognized one faculty member, one alumni, and one community partner who exhibit excellence in community engagement and value community voice, assets, and partnership. They are:
Brian D. Carpenter, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology
Leroy D. Nunery II, MBA ’79, EdD
United Way of Greater St. Louis
Read the full information on our awardees here.
The awardees shared the institute’s vision for strong communities. For Dr. Carpenter, that means greater care for aging populations; for Dr. Nunery, it means fighting for educational equity and attainment in urban schools; and for the United Way, it means helping the people in St. Louis live measurably better lives.