From left are Josephine Esteban, Brian Wreckler, Nicole Archibald, Jessica West, Ingrid Johnson, Amanda Cavanagh, Ashley Hahn and SHU President A. Gabriel Esteban.
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Five Seton Hall University students were honored for their exceptional service and dedication as servant leaders in areas throughout the world, including Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Guatemala, Colorado, West Virginia and local New Jersey communities at Seton Hall’s 12th annual Servant Leader Awards on April 12. These servant leaders include Servant Leader Award recipients Amanda Cavanagh of Raritan and Ashley Hahn of Hackettstown and recognition for Distinguished Service recipients Nicole Archibald of Franklin Lakes, Jessica West of Chalfont, Pa., and Brian Wreckler of Elizabeth.
“The Servant Leader Awards call our attention to the amazing work our students do locally and globally,” Michelle Peterson, director of the Division of Volunteer Efforts and Servant Leader Awards Committee co-chairwoman, said in a press release. “This year’s recipients were so outstanding that in addition to two Servant Leader Award winners, we honored three students with Distinguished Service recognition.”
Members of the Servant Leader Awards Committee, formed by nine faculty members and administrators from throughout the university community, reviewed dozens of nominations before inviting a select number of students to participate in an interview process and eventually recognizing these inspiring individuals.
The evening included a dinner, with remarks from university leaders, including the Rev. Esterminio Chica, chaplin of DOVE’s service trips to El Salvador and former Servant Leader Awards honoree, and Servant Leader Awards Committee co-chairpersons Peterson and Daniel Nugent, assistant vice president of advancement services and campaign manager.
Humanitarian and advocate Ingrid Johnson, a SHU alumna, delivered the evening’s keynote address. While offering her thoughts on servant leadership, and sharing her own experiences serving human trafficking victims, Johnson encouraged all those present to lead with compassion.
In the spirit of servant leadership, DOVE was honored with a state of New Jersey legislative resolution and congressional letter from Rep. Donald Payne Jr. to honor 25 years of teaching students to be compassionate, responsible citizens. Peterson and DOVE founder Jeanine Cavanagh were presented the honors by Nugent and Fahim Abedrabbo, associate director of government relations. Jeanine Cavanagh is the mother of honoree Amanda Cavanagh.