Two Sul Ross State University men will receive the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in a ceremony on Dec. 1, a press release stated.
William Serrano, who graduated cum laude from SRSU in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and will receive his Master of Education in General Education at commencement exercises Dec. 9, will receive the Bronze Award.
Serrano is a graduate research assistant for the Noyce en la Frontera program, which focuses on STEM education. He is the president of the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society and a founding member of the Graduate Student Council.
He has completed 120 hours of service at the Museum of the Big Bend supporting activities and greeting patrons. “William has represented the museum and the university extremely well with his positive attitude and excellent communication skills,” said Museum Curator Matthew Walter.
Manuel Martinez is an undergraduate student and staff member. He will graduate with a General Studies degree on Dec. 9.
Martinez has completed 385 hours of service to various organizations in the Alpine community, earning him the Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award. He is an active member of the Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis Club, has served as a volunteer coach for the Big Bend Youth Soccer Association, Big Bend Amateur Softball Association and Epic Energy Cheer. In addition to these activities, Martinez has also volunteered to prepare and feed grieving families as part of a funeral meal ministry team.
This Presidential Volunteer Service Award is the nation’s premier volunteer award program, encouraging U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted permanent residents to live a life of service through presidential recognition. Recipients complete various hours of “unpaid acts of volunteer service benefitting others.”
The Presidential Volunteer Service award offers three levels of annual recognition and a lifetime award. Each level has a designated number of hours required appropriate to the age of the individual volunteer.
SRSU became a certifying organization to verify service hours and award the Presidential Volunteer Service Award in Fall 2022. This is the first time Sul Ross has participated in the Presidential Volunteer Service Award program.
The awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Dec. 1, at 11 a.m. at the Museum of the Big Bend.
