Marisa Taney, Dartmouth Class of 2009, is the latest undergraduate to win the Meleie Willis-Starbuck Award for public service. This honor is awarded annually to an undergraduate who has completed a Dartmouth Partners in Community Service internship and embodies a sustained commitment to citizenship and social justice.

Said Taney, “The Dartmouth Partners in Community Service program was a pivotal part of my Dartmouth experience.  It afforded me the opportunity to participate in an internship which drastically  altered my views on social justice and what I imagined myself doing after graduation.  The incredible hands-on experience that I had during my DPCS internship was truly invaluable, and I am incredibly grateful for having had the opportunity to benefit from such a worthwhile and important program.”

This award is given in honor of Meleia Willis-Starbuck, a member of the class of 2007 who was active in the Dartmouth Afro-American Society, the Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color, and the Dartmouth College Greens.  When she died in her hometown of Berkeley, CA, Meleia was serving as a DPCS intern for the Women’s Daytime Drop-In Center, where she helped provide social and health services to low-income women.  In addition to her dedication to helping others, Meleia was a double major in Sociology and African American studies.