Lecturer Receives President’s Volunteer Service Award

Susana Cisneros has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the Corporation for National and Community Service in recognition and appreciation for her volunteerism in the Charlotte region.

Cisneros is a lecturer in the Department of Languages and Culture Studies. She was recognized at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s annual volunteer appreciation banquet. “I was not expecting this amazing recognition,” Cisneros said.

With her volunteer work in the community, Cisneros has been able to provide students in her course, Spanish for Criminal Justice, with current and relevant content. She has worked on various activities in the community ranging from patrolling as a member of “Citizens on Patrol program” (C.O.P.) in different areas of Charlotte, to assisting officers as an interpreter between English and Spanish languages.

“Bringing real situations to the classroom creates a challenging learning environment,” Cisneros said. “I have revised my course curriculum every semester to make sure to include current vocabulary and real-world context to prompt students to discuss social issues that they see in our community. As a result, students in my course not only learned Spanish grammar, but they also update their vocabulary with understanding of context, and most importantly, they gain cultural awareness.”

Her hope is that students will create personal contacts through community activities and participate in activities such as the police Ride Along Program, Spanish Legal Panel and the Bilingual Tour to the Charlotte Courthouse.

The President’s Volunteer Service Award program is a way to honor individuals who have demonstrated commitment and inspire others to engage in volunteer service. The award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard of hours of service during a 12-month period or over a lifetime.

Awards are given to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. A Lifetime achievement is recognized with a special President’s Call to Service Award. This honors those who have provided more than 4,000 hours of service during the course of their lifetime.

Words: Michael Eccles, Student Communications Assistant
Pictured: Cisneros with her students