UMaine Student Receives Citizenship Award

Contact: Nory Jones, 581-1971; George Manlove, 581-3756

ORONO — UMaine Master of Business Administration student Brenton Murray of Orono has won the 2009 Active Citizenship Award in Community Service from the Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism for his work organizing a UMaine chapter of Habitat for Humanity and other charitable work.

The Active Citizenship Award is given to a student, student group or campus organization that has dedicated many hours to volunteering, community service projects, or service to the University of Maine.

An individual recipient must: be enrolled full-time at UMaine; involved in community service as a volunteer in a variety of community service projects and events; demonstrate evidence of leadership and ongoing commitment to service; demonstrate dependable and enthusiastic qualities, and be of good moral character.

Murray was nominated by Nory Jones, business professor and director of the graduate business program in the College of Business, Public Policy and Health.

In her nomination letter, she cites Murray’s founding of a UMaine chapter of Habitat for Humanity and his leadership in organizing several campus fundraising events, including the “There’s Snow Place Like Home” sleep-out and a community rock concert to benefit Habitat, in addition to the April 25 Care A-Fair, organized to recognize UMaine student volunteers and the organizations they support.

“In these events, he worked with the UMaine community as well as many people in the greater Bangor community,” Jones writes. “In addition, he works well with everyone regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic background. He has the ability to bring people together to work collaboratively and achieve great results.”

Jones adds that Murray “selflessly uses his superb creative, technical and artistic talents to help all of these causes. He consistently demonstrates qualities of dedication, leadership, teamwork and a commitment to helping society.”
 
Murray also has been involved with working for the homeless in his home town of Tempe, Ariz. He received the Bodwell Center award at the Community Engagement Gala, held April 2.