NEWBERRY — Newberry College student Steven Joseph Arango was nominated this past semester for the 2015 South Carolina Student Service Achievement Award.
The award is presented to a student or a student organization who has exhibited outstanding leadership and innovative approaches in their community service or service learning endeavors both on their campus and within their community, that addresses public issues, effective community building, and integration of civic engagement into the college experience
The awards ceremony was held at Benedict College where Arango and Dr. Susan Shurden, Newberry College faculty member, were recognized for their community service.
Arango has coordinated several community and campus events at Newberry College, including organizing a sport camp where area youth were invited to participate. College athletes supervised games and activities that involved physical activity and rudimentary sports skills.
Arango also organized and participated in numerous charitable events in his hometown of Clearwater, Fla. Each event has been specifically geared toward service to others. Under Arango’s guidance and through multiple fundraising efforts and activities, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) was able to raise approximately $5000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Also through SAAC, Arango aided in the design of two T-shirts that were sold to raise approximately $1,500 for Operation Homefront, a non-profit which provides emergency assistance for those in the armed services, their families, and wounded servicemen once they return home.
Arango, a rising senior, currently holds the office of president for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is vice president of the SAAC. Arango is also a catcher for the Newberry College baseball team. Most recently he played a major role in the organization and planning of the first ever mission trip for FCA to the Dominican Republic.
Arango was instrumental in fundraising efforts, coordination of travel, and communication with the SCORE International, which stands for Sharing, Christ, Our, Redeemer, Enterprises. SCORE is the organization through which FCA traveled. As president,
He is currently completing an independent research study involving student spending. His question is geared toward improving both student awareness and participation in charitable giving.
During the summer of 2015 he will complete an internship in Panama City, Panama, where he will be involved with a unique learning experience. Kalu Yala is an innovative new approach to sustainable living on multiple levels. Located near Panama City, interns spend several months on location refining and testing products and ideas that can be duplicated to the larger population. Part of his goal is to refine his current plan for student involvement to bring back to Newberry College in the fall.