Committing to the Common Good: McKeen Center Holds Its Annual Awards Ceremony

Community Impact Award 

Mukudzei Seremani ’28 presented the first awardee, Harpswell Aging at Home (HAH), with the McKeen Center Community Impact Award.

“HAH connects residents with the services and relationships they need to live safe, engaged, and comfortable lives,” Seremani shared. “This award recognizes the impact that Harpswell Aging at Home has on so many people of all ages by building a mutually supportive, multigenerational community powered by eager volunteers and strong partnerships.”

Bowdoin Employee Awards 

Megan Birnbaum ’21, McKeen Center department coordinator, recognized Amy Morin with the Employee Award for Commitment to Community.

Morin is the associate director for finance and operations at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art. “This award is in recognition of Amy’s admirable effort and compassion in service of the Drop-In Center in Auburn, Maine,” Birnbaum said. “Amy’s service as a volunteer and board treasurer has been an invaluable addition to this volunteer-run organization that serves the unhoused community of the Lewiston-Auburn area.”

Allen Irving, a full-time groundskeeper at Bowdoin, also received an Employee Award for Commitment to Community. Tom Ancona, associate director of the McKeen Center, spoke to Irving’s commitment to lifting up the Brunswick community.

“Allen’s nominee highlighted his tireless work over the last few years on a holiday wreath fundraiser for the Brunswick Junior High girls ice hockey program, in which he handcrafts wreaths and sells them to benefit the team to help offset costs for families,” shared Ancona.

Eloquence in Service 

Ancona and Birnbaum then presented the next award, the General R. H. Dunlap Prize, to Mateo Pacelli ’26 and Selima Terras '26. 

“Mateo’s Dunlap essay traces a clear transformation in how he understands service—from a tally of ‘hours logged and items donated’ to a practice rooted in presence,” said Ancona. “Mateo wrote: 'I noticed how my being there had nothing to do with expertise and everything to do with the simple act of showing up and choosing to stay.'”

Birnbaum shared Terras’ reflections on working with PeaceWorks Brunswick. Terras said, “Over three months, I attended every vigil, collected interviews, photographs, and anecdotes to record the history unfolding in Brunswick and make sense of what made PeaceWorks activities so meaningful. Through our friendship, I learned that true meaning lies in relationships, consistency, and community.”

Student Leaders

 Ellen Salovaara ’26 received the Leadership for the Common Good Award.

“As a program coordinator for Bowdoin Votes, her witty emails, posters, and social media have made compelling messages that resonate and connect with students,” shared Wendy Van Damme, associate director of public service at the McKeen Center. “Over the last four years, Ellen’s leadership, her thoughtful and brave approach to democracy, and her motivated spirit have unquestionably strengthened the common good here at Bowdoin.”

The Spirit of Service Award was presented to Noemi Guzman ’26 for her consistent dedication to serving Maine communities.

Sam Cogswell, associate director of the McKeen Center, said, “Noemi’s involvement began in her sophomore year, when she participated as a Student Community Action Network (SCAN) student to build a new curriculum for the organization. In every endeavor since, Noemi has exemplified the spirit of service, demonstrating that true leadership is defined by the impact one makes in the lives of others.”

Moana Gregori ’26 received the Lydia Bell Award for Initiative in Public Service from Ancona. 

“In spring 2025, Moana became a program coordinator for the What Matters dialogue program and has been a spirited and vocal advocate for curious conversations on campus ever since,” he said. “This year, Moana has brainstormed, planned, and co-led seven faculty conversation dinners, all of which have sold out. Moana is valued within the McKeen Center because she is fearless and eager to create community, all in equal measures.”

Gary Hernandez ’27 was awarded the Henni Friedlander Student Prize.

“With humility, rigor, and care, Gary models what sustained, community-focused leadership looks like,” said Sarah Seames, director of the McKeen Center. “As a Maine Community Fellow with the Portland Housing Authority, Gary created a scholarship and postsecondary resource database, coordinated with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine to advance youth pedestrian and bike safety, and mentored teens on a community improvement project.”

Faculty Award 

Cogswell also presented the Community-Engaged Curriculum Award to Eileen Sylvan Johnson, senior lecturer and program manager in environmental studies at Bowdoin.

“Her teaching has consistently connected classroom learning to real-world challenges, including mapping gaps in food access, researching mobile home vulnerability, and helping Maine's coastal communities build capacity for climate adaptation,” Cogswell shared. “As Eileen prepares for retirement, her legacy is one of deep reciprocity—a career spent ensuring that student learning serves communities and continues to build bridges between campus and community.”