Kent, OH – Kent State University School of Theatre and Dance alumna Tracee Patterson, ’13 MFA was presented with the Ambassador Tony P. Hall Student Advocacy Award on Sept. 17 at the first annual Ohio Hunger Dialogue held at Walsh University in North Canton. The award recognizes students and universities addressing the issue of hunger in new and innovative ways in Ohio.
The award included $1,000 to support travel and participation in an Advocacy Day experience with Ambassador Hall in Washington D.C. at a future date. Patterson graciously donated the $1,000 prize for use by a committed and enthusiastic student in the fight against hunger.
Patterson received the award for her integration of service learning in the Art of Theatre course she taught in the fall of 2013. Patterson’s students each completed ten hours of volunteer service in the Kent area and participated in the production of an original work, “I Am More Than I Appear To Be.” The work highlighted the realities of hunger and homelessness for those living in the Kent area and demonstrated the transformational and informative nature of theatre.
The Tony P. Hall Student Advocacy Award is named in honor of Tony P. Hall, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Missions on Food and Agriculture. Prior to his service as ambassador, Hall represented Ohio’s 3rd congressional district for 20 years. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger.
To view a video about Tracee Patterson’s project and her class’s original work, please access the following link: http://faculty.jmc.kent.edu/glhanson/BBR/ShowVideo.asp?IDScript=2603
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Media Contact:
Joni Koneval, jkoneval@kent.edu, 330-672-0116