Unity College to Hold Women’s Environmental Leadership Program Awards at Unity Centre for the Performing Arts on April 15

     The Women’s Environmental Leadership Program (WE LEAD) and Lapping Lecture Series at Unity College will host the annual women’s environmental leadership program on April 15 from 6 p.m. – 7:15 p.m. at the Unity Centre for the Performing Arts.  The event is free and open to the general public, with a reception for the award winners immediately following the ceremony.

     The Unity Centre for the Performing Arts is located at 42 Depot Street (off Route 202) in Unity, Maine.

     WE LEAD is a woman-centered leadership program that educates female students, faculty and staff to become socially conscious environmental stewards and proactive members of the community, offering courses, speakers, mentors, and activities that enrich the Unity College experience.

     The awards categories include:

     Women’s Environmental Award: Honors a professional woman who is an outstanding leader in an environmental field and is a model for future generations of women environmental leaders.  Author Martha Dolbin will receive this award. In addition to writing books about spiritual strength, she began a women’s college in Uganda to inspire conservation at the grassroots level, empowering women in the country to engage in sustainable agriculture and conservation efforts.  She also supports primary and secondary schools for girls in Uganda.

     College Leader Award: Honors a Unity College female student who has demonstrated Leadership skills in a science or environmental field and has a positive impact on the college community.  Unity College student and WE LEAD member Hannah Brzycki ’08 of Lynchburg, Virginia, will receive this award.

     High School Leader Award: Honors a young woman who shows a serious commitment to better the environment, as well as demonstrate an interest and involvement in activities that foster environmental stewardship and who shows the promise of being a future leader in the environmental field.  The recipients of this award will be:

Winner:       Kristine Gutierrez
                   Blacksburg, VA
                   Blacksburg High School
                   Nominated by Patricia Colatosti, AP environmental science teacher

Honorable Mentions:

            1)  Megan McClelland
                   Portland, OR
                   Madison High School
                   Nominated by Suzanne Setterholm, teacher

             2)   Katrina Karlsen
                   North Andover, MA
                   North Andover High School
                   Nominated by Merry Beninato, teacher        

     “These awards symbolize the strides that women have taken in the environmental field,” explained WE LEAD member Amanda Walker ’09. “So many women are deeply passionate about the environment and playing a significant role in protecting the natural world for future generations.  These awards recognize both the aspirations and achievements of women in the environmental field.”

     Unity College is a small private college in rural Maine that provides dedicated, engaged students with a liberal arts education which emphasizes the environment and natural resources.  Unity College graduates are prepared to be environmental stewards, effective leaders, and responsible citizens through active learning experiences within a supportive community.