Morgan Markly
Equinox Staff
If any student lacks motivation to get more involved on campus, this year’s winner of the President’s Leadership Award at Keene State College will be one to kick them off the couch and into the swing of campus life.
Becca Lazinsk, a senior at KSC, is one busy girl. Lazinsk is a secondary education and social sciences major. Her greatest feat at KSC was the challenge she took on as a freshman to start Relay for Life on campus.
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The first Relay for Life event in 2010 at KSC raised around $18,000 and in 2011 the event raised even more at $24,000.
As Lazinsk concluded her junior year, she added winning the President’s Leadership Award.
The President’s award nominated her as one of 137 college students from around the nation to win the Newman Civic Fellows Award, according to Lazinsk.
Lazinsk’s efforts for working so hard at expanding Relay for Life is just one reason why she won these prestigious awards.
According to Campus Compact, an affiliated group with the Newman Civic Fellows Award, a winner is chosen for his or her leadership skills and dedication to his or her campus.
The work that Lazinsk contributes to campus does not go unnoticed; after she won the President’s Leadership Award, she won the Newman Civic Fellows Award, which goes beyond Keene onto the national level.
Lazinsk claimed spending time at school helping others is a personal choice when she said, “I want to get more out of college than just walking away with my degree.”
Lazinsk is also the Vice President of Circle K, a member of the Social Activities Council, and a student in the honors program. Lazinsk also works at the community service office.
According to Margaret Walsh, head of the honors program at KSC, Lazinsk is a motivational speaker, and helps mobilize students to make a difference.
In order to win to the President’s Leadership Award a student must be nominated by someone who believes they deserve the recognition. In Lazinsk’s case, it was Alyssa Day.
Day, who graduated from KSC in 2010, worked with Lazinsk in the community service office. Day said working with Lazinsk was fabulous and commented, “I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better student and, to be honest, a better friend.”
Day said she nominated Lazinsk because, “When I saw the awards come out to nominate students, Becca was the first person I thought of because she really takes everything and puts her whole heart into everything she does especially Relay for Life.”
After Lazinsk’s nomination, former KSC President Helen Giles-Gee personally selected Lazinsk.
On the subject of her wins, Lazinsk said,“I honestly don’t do anything that I do for recognition. I don’t need to be told good job, but it certainly is nice to be recognized for how hard I work. What means the most to me is that people think I do a good job.”
According to the Campus Compact, “The Newman Civic Fellows Award honors inspiring college student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country.”
Lazinsk said she was surprised to find out she won the President’s Leadership Award and even more surprised about being one of the students to win the Newman Civic Fellows Award.
She said, “It was definitely an extra honor to be chosen because all those people are amazing. It’s everyone’s awesome person from each campus in New Hampshire then from all over and to be on the level of some of those people blows my mind.”
A plaque was given to Lazinsk for her awards. Lazinsk said it was a special moment she will never forget.
Lazinsk has also made an impression on her peers.
Christy Nguyen, a KSC senior who works with Lazinsk on Circle K and Relay for Life also commented on Lazinsk’s wins.
Nguyen said, “She’s always easy going and optimistic, open to new ideas, she has a lot of leadership skills.”
When Lazinsk moves on to a different chapter in her life she makes one thing very clear, saying, “I don’t want it [Relay for Life] to leave when I leave.”
For Lazinsk now after winning these awards she stays humble while saying, “I just really want to go out on a good note leaving my mark here and I think I have in some ways, but there’s always more you can do, and my heart lies with relay and I just want to leave it in a very good place.”
Morgan Markley can be contacted at mmarkley@keene-equinox.com