Media Relations
William Woods University

Four William Woods University students received the Academic Service-Learning Award at the recent Academic Convocation for outstanding commitment to an on-going service-learning project.

 

The Academic Service-Learning Award is awarded to the student or group of students who have best exemplified an exceptional commitment to service-learning during the year. Professors may nominate any full-time William Woods student or group of students who hold a 3.40 GPA or better. In addition to fulfilling the course's academic service-learning requirement, the students also must have made an exemplary contribution to the project or to their community as a result of the project.

 

The four students, Michael Brown of Columbia, Mo.; Tyler Hozie of Wendell, N.C.; Alicia Jones of Waverly, Mo., and David Ridenour of Montgomery City, Mo., were nominated by Dr. Linda Davis, professor of management information systems at WWU.

 

During what they called the “Giving Back” project, the group of students designed and developed a time-consuming and intensive project to help former public speaker and stroke victim, Lewis Baumgartner, regain his ability to give presentations.  Known as the “World’s Worst Farmer,” Baumgartner gave humorous speeches to various audiences prior to his two strokes.

 

Students extensively interviewed Baumgartner and his wife, transferred his old speeches onto a CD, inserted pictures and re-recorded audio that he can now take with him to presentations. The project took more than 50 hours to complete. 

 

“It has been a life altering situation for the man,” Davis said. “The students sat for approximately six hours interviewing and talking (as best they could) with Mr. Baumgartner and he looks forward to returning to the profession he loves–talking and telling jokes to the public.”   

 

She added, “The students put their heart and soul into the production, often coming in during evening hours–on their own time–to make sure the production was just right.  This type of learning cannot take place in the books.  It has to be through a generous heart and dedication to service-learning.”