The University of Central Florida recognized U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Florida Sen. Andy Gardiner among others Wednesday night with 2016 Public Service Leadership Awards.
The awards are designed to honor elected officials, public-service professionals, nonprofit leaders and volunteers who have demonstrated leadership in and commitment to the field of public service.
“These awards recognize some incredible people in our community who have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place for all of us,” said Michael Frumkin, dean of the College of Health & Public Affairs. “They truly embody the college’s mission of Strengthening Communities: Changing Lives, inspiring our students as role models for the future careers.”
Many of the honorees attended a ceremony Wednesday evening at the Morgridge International Reading Center on the main UCF campus.
The 2016 winners are:
Exemplary Public Service Lifetime Achievement Award: Nelson
Exemplary Public Service Leadership Award, elected official: Gardiner
Exemplary Public Service Leadership Award, nonelected official: Ajit Lalchandani, Orange County administrator
Exemplary Public Service Organization Award: Central Florida Commission on Homelessness
Public Service Career Achievement Award: Pamela Landwirth, president and CEO of Give Kids the World
Young Public Service Professional Award, Jessica Schwendeman, assistant director of Volunteer Resource Center at Heart of Florida United Way
Several UCF graduates also were honored with Alumni Achievement Awards during Wednesday’s ceremony:
Public Administration, John Titkanich, ’01, city manager of Cocoa
Nonprofit Management, Anna Eskamani, ’12 and ’15, senior director of public affairs and field operations, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida
Urban & Regional Planning, Erin Sterk, ’08 and ’14, city planner III, Osceola County
Research Administration, Winona Ward, ’15, director of research, Management Services, University of California
Emergency Management and Homeland Security, Michelle Cechowski, ’12, emergency preparedness manager, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
The annual recognition is part of UCF’s Public Service Recognition Week. UCF’s School of Public Administration, the College of Health and Public Affairs alumni chapter, and the Central Florida Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration hosted the celebration.