Biddeford, Maine — Maine Campus Compact has named University of New England juniors Man Ho and Danielle Demers as this year’s recipients of the Heart and Soul Award.

Ho, a medical biology major, through his work with the International Club, has put considerable effort into promoting diversity and acceptance of all students within the UNE campus community. Thanks to his efforts, the percentage of international and minority students at UNE has more than doubled.

Demers, a marine biology major, has been active on many fronts, most notably the Relay for Life, an annual event held by the American Cancer Society. Organizing UNE’s first ever on-campus event, she led an effort that netted over $20,000 to help raise awareness of and fight cancer. She notes that her work is not simply about community service, but also encompasses education, policy work, advocacy and community building.

Both Ho and Demers’ work exemplifies the ability of dedicated Maine students to be forces for positive change both on their campuses and within their communities. They will be presented with this award at a ceremony at the State House April 2nd.

Maine Campus Compact

Maine Campus Compact is a consortium of 18 higher education institutions dedicated to promoting community service, civic engagement, and service learning in higher education. The award, now in its seventh year, honors students who have demonstrated a commitment to using campus-based resources to address community needs.

Maine Campus Compact annually recognizes six undergraduate students who have been actively involved in turning their campuses and communities into places of democracy. Students chosen for this award have raised their voices on issues of local and global importance and have a wide variety of experiences in any of the following areas: service, service-learning, activism, or political involvement. They also demonstrate leadership through their successful involvement of others in their innovative approaches to social, educational, environmental, health, economic and/or legal issues facing their communities.