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A UT milestone — trustee, associate VP set to receive YWCA awards |
| By
Deanna Woolf |
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Mar 14, 2006 |
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Susan Palmer, a member of the UT board of trustees, and Dr. Ardenia Jones Terry, UT associate vice president of student services, are among seven women chosen to receive 2006 Milestone Awards from the YWCA of Greater Toledo.
The awards will be presented at a luncheon fund-raiser Thursday, March 16, at SeaGate Centre.
This is the 11th year for the Milestone Awards, which "recognize women in seven categories from all walks of life," said Lisa McDuffie, YWCA executive director. "There are women who are popular nationwide to folks locally who have made wonderful contributions to the community ... It's a great way to let the community know how great northwest Ohio is and what we're doing."
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| Palmer |
Palmer will receive her award for the volunteerism category. "It's truly an honor to be awarded — it's certainly not something I thought would happen," she said.
Palmer is coordinator of docent education at the Toledo Museum of Art and the former board president of the Toledo Children's Hospital. "It's important to me to make a difference to improve the community in which I live and work," she said about volunteering. "It started with my parents who really were role models for me on how to work hard, but how to always be aware of your community."
UT was the setting for some of her early volunteer experiences, when, as a student, she chaired a sorority and the Student Government's Freshman Week. "Reaching out to people was always something I enjoyed," she said. "It's more about the service, reaching out to others, improving the world around us."
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| Jones Terry |
Her commitment to helping others is shared by Jones Terry, who is honored in the social services category. "I was shocked and surprised — I didn't know I had been nominated," Jones Terry said. "I was ecstatic someone had recognized my contributions to the University and the city."
Jones Terry is president of the Adelante Community Center and a board member of the Chinese Association of Greater Toledo and the Toledo Sister Cities Foundation.
"I've always been an advocate for girls and women. In recent years, I've broadened that focus. I'm always working for justice, social equality, elimination of oppression, and tolerance for individual differences," she said.
Jones Terry believes her social conscience is a product of the civil rights, black power, Vietnam War and women's rights movements. "I think living through those times made me understand what the priorities needed to be for me and how important people are," she explained. "It's important for me to lift others up."
McDuffie said each winner will receive a white gold piece that can be worn as a pin or as a pendant. "It's an infinity symbol, and it stands for a woman's work is never truly done — it's ongoing and changing," she said.
Tickets for the awards luncheon fund-raiser are still available. Costs are $40 per person. For tickets, contact the YWCA at 419.241.3235.
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