Messiah College News Archive

he Congressional Award challenges students ages 14-23 to set and achieve personal goals in the four areas of Voluntary Public Service; Personal Development; Physical Fitness; and Expedition/Exploration. According to the issued press release, Messiah graduate Amanda McMillan `08 “exemplifies the cornerstones of the Congressional Award: initiative, service to others, and achievement.”

McMillian’s application addresses her commitment to each of the four criteria. “My most significant Voluntary Public Service project was initiating and organizing my college’s first International Rural Development Conference. This national conference engaged 150 college students and 23 speakers in conversation about urgent international development concerns. I spent hundreds of hours coordinating logistics and volunteers to mature a ‘good idea’ into reality. For Personal Development, I volunteered at urban and community gardens in Harrisburg, learning hands-on lessons about the importance of local, sustainable agriculture in our cities. I shred my newfound knowledge with student volunteers as the Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer Coordinator through my college’s community service program. I completed over 300 hours of Physical Fitness through horseback riding. I improved by competing in judged trail rides and dressage competitions. For my Gold Expedition, I traveled solo to Swaziland, Africa. For two months I studied the language, attended several cultural dance competitions, ate new foods, and talked to many Swazi people. Throughout my Congressional Award experience, I have been challenged to venture in to challenging, fulfilling, and life-transforming territory.”

Read more about Amanda McMillian.