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Liz Gauthier '10 (center) of Macon Peer Response accepts the award from Stuart and Pepper Laughon '59. |
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MPR members chose Hanover Safe Place as the recipient of the $1,000 donation given by Stuart and Pepper Laughon. |
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Shalise Bates-Pratt, left, serves as the adviser for
Macon Peer Response members. |
Macon Peer Response, a Randolph-Macon College student organization, was presented with the Pepper and Stuart Laughon Commitment to Community Award on Friday, May 1, 2009. The award was presented at the Student Affairs committee meeting of the R-MC Board of Trustees, which took place in the Brown Campus Center Yellow Jacket Conference Room.
The award is presented annually to a student organization or an individual making significant contributions that enrich the lives of others. The award was created to honor the dedicated service of trustee Frank E. “Pepper” Laughon Jr. ’59 and his wife Stuart, whose presentation of the award to the members of Macon Peer Response garnered enthusiastic applause.
Pepper Laughon formerly served as chair of the Student Affairs Committee and currently serves as trustee and chair of the Greek Alumni Advisory Board. Stuart Laughon's steadfast support of R-MC activities further exemplifies the Laughon's dedication to enriching the lives of students.
Nominations came from faculty, staff and students and the selection process was highly competitive. The award includes a certificate as well as the opportunity to select a charity for the $1,000 donation award amount. The Macon Peer Response group chose Hanover Safe Place as their charity.
The Macon Peer Response student group was selected for its dedication to the Randolph-Macon student body and to the larger community. As trained sexual and relationship violence educators, Macon Peer Responders promote educational awareness on the issues of sexual and relationship violence. They also support survivors of violence and provide guidance to students by educating them about healthy relationships.
“Macon Peer Response members are proactive students whose energy and initiative have helped to educate their peers and the community on some very important topics,” said R- MC President Robert Lindgren. “Their dedication and drive are admirable, and I join faculty, staff and students—as well as the larger community—in congratulating them on receiving this fine award.”
Shalise Bates-Pratt, director of Student Leadership and Gender Resources, serves as the adviser for Macon Peer Response. Also in attendance at the meeting were trustee Anne McDougall ’79, chair of the Student Affairs committee, and Dean of Students Grant Azdell.