A life of service

Student Darius Felder receives civic leadership awards

In recognition of his commitment to service, Darius Felder, senior electrical engineering major, was awarded both the President’s Student Civic Leadership Award and the Governor’s Student Civic Leadership Award through Campus Compact, an organization that focuses on supporting and recognizing students who exemplify civic leadership. This is the first year that Walla Walla University participated in Campus Compact.

Jonathan Simons, associate director of the Center for Humanitarian Engagement, works with Felder and nominated him for the president’s award. WWU President John McVay then chose Felder, along with junior theology major Mitchel Powers, to receive the award. 

Forty-three different colleges and universities in Washington participate in Campus Compact, and each of their president’s awardees are also nominated for the governor’s award. Out of all student nominees, Felder was chosen as one of only three winners of the governor’s award, which came with a $1000 financial award conferred at an award ceremony in Seattle on April 15. 

Felder exhibits generosity in  service in many different ways: he participated in WWU’s student missionary program by spending a year teaching math and social studies in Micronesia; he serves as treasurer for the Black Christian Student Forum; he has been a member and leader of the Global Humanitarian Engineering Emphasis Program; he has been involved in the WWU chapter of Engineers Without Borders and has worked on many of their projects; he currently serves as the club president for His Kids in Action, a club that brings positivity to young people in the vulnerable neighborhood surrounding the Walla Walla Penitentiary; and recently completing an internship with HyperSciences, a company that contributes to renewable energy. 

Felder gives this advice to those that want to get involved in service: “Service has been the focus of my education. I just did it without understanding what it would lead to, but taking that first step of volunteering at His Kids one Sabbath turned into, down the road, me being the president. Take advantage of those little opportunities to serve, and serve within your interests.”

 

Posted on May 11, 2022

Darius Felder (right) accepts the governor's award with Jonathan Simons by his side (left)
Darius Felder was surprised and grateful that his many service activities were recognized.
Darius Felder kneels in the front row second from the left with the other governor's award winners.