Outstanding Community Impact:
Kheli Faulkner
After performing significant research to find leadership and development programs for at-risk youth, Ms. Faulkner established the Youth Enrichment Program with the aid of a grant award. Since then, she has continued with the program and collaborated with several local nonprofits, including the Epiphany Dance Network, Single Parent Connection, and Boys and Girls Clubs. From summer camps to mentoring programs, this 23-year-old Georgia State student has helped hundreds of youngsters since 2003, when she brought her program to the Georgia State campus.

Outstanding Campus Impact:
American Medical Students Association
According to President Tarianna Stewart, "it takes more than medical school to make a doctor and what sets us apart is the goal to give students opportunities to better themselves and their community." To this aim, the student group has participated in both campus-based service activities as well as larger community projects. They have organized and volunteered with Project Healthy Grandparents, partnered with the Office of Community Service to host blood drives, and participated in the Pancreatic Cancer Walk, Breast Cancer Walk, and Diabetes Walks. AMSA has also collaborated with MedShare International, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and AIDS Walk to address a variety of health-related community needs.

Outstanding Faculty Member:
Dr. Marshall Kreuter, Professor of Public Health
Nominated by one of his students, Dr. Kreuter is the Principal Investigator in the "Accountable Communities: Healthy Together" project, funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The project's goal is to improve health conditions in low-income areas by addressing social and public health issues.

Dr. Kreuter is working with Neighborhood Planning Unit - V, a community body that advises the City Council on neighborhood issues. Additional collaborators on the project include NPU officials and other community-based organizations. "Accountable Communities" has completed the first of its three-year span, with researchers compiling data and working with residents to decide which issues should be the focus of the project. The community chose to concentrate their efforts on depression/mental health issues and awareness, youth programming and empowerment, and employment issues. Dr. Kreuter will continue with the project during the next two years, but he is also working to ensure that these efforts will have a long-term impact on the area after this project is over.

The project is supported by the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities.

Outstanding Community Partner:
Georgia Justice Project
The Georgia Justice Project is a law firm representing indigent criminal defendants and providing social services to address the issues that bring the clients into the criminal justice system. By focusing on the underlying causes of their clients' legal situations, the GJP helps them change their lives in order to prevent future problems. Because of this approach, less than 19% of the Project's clients return to criminal activity, compared to the national average of more than 60%.

The Project's internship program has a long history with Georgia State's School of Social Work and College of Law. Internships for Bachelors of Social Work and Masters of Social Work students integrate and facilitate classroom learning, while Georgia State Law School students have the opportunity to participate in research, courtroom procedures and direct client services. Not only does this process benefit the interns, but it also helps the GJP, which needs at least three social worker interns and five or more legal interns every year.

Outstanding University Program:
The Bio-Bus Program
The BioBus Program, developed by Biology faculty members, is dedicated to making exciting science experiences available to all Georgia school children free of charge. The program has been able to honor its commitment through the support of the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Education, the Office of the Provost, and the University System, plus several outside funders.

The BioBus is a 30-foot mobile instructional laboratory that travels throughout the state to present hands-on, inquiry-based science activities. Since 1999, the bus has made over 1000 visits to schools in 30 Georgia counties and has presented its learning activities to approximately 90,000 K-12 students.