Dr. Prudence Pollard of Oakwood University Received the President's Volunteer Lifetime Award
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HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - Michimich -- Dr. Prudence LaBeach Pollard of Oakwood University received the President's Volunteer Lifetime Award at a military-style ceremony held at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C, on March 20, 2022. Dr. Pollard currently serves as Vice-President for Quality Assurance, Research, and Faculty Development at Oakwood University, a 125-year-old HBCU located in Huntsville, Alabama. The award is the highest honor given by President Joe Biden for volunteer service, and Dr. Pollard is the first Oakwood employee in Oakwood's history to receive this award.

"I am humbled to receive the President's Volunteer Lifetime Award from President Biden. My commitment to volunteer service was nurtured and developed while attending and now in my professional life at an HBCU. Oakwood University's role as an HBCU is vital to producing leaders who understand the value of contributing as volunteers to move society forward. It is an honor to be recognized with Brigadier General Terrence A. Adams, Dr. Kimberly Jeffries Leonard, and Dr. Calvin B. Rock. I am deeply touched that LCRCP nominated me for this award. Volunteering is a labor of love for me," said Dr. Pollard.

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The Executive Director of the Lowcountry Rice Culture Project, Dr. Kim Cliett Long, presented the awards to the honorees. "The Lowcountry Rice Culture Project is honored to have played a part in recommending these four highly esteemed individuals for the president's recognition of their volunteer service," she said. "Their collective commitment and sincerity to public service is highly commendable. The award reflects the more than 4,000 hours Dr. Pollard has volunteered in service to her community."  The Project looks for individuals who deliver extraordinary service and recommends them for the President's Volunteer Lifetime Award.

Dr. Pollard, Ph.D., MPH, RD, SPHR, serves as a Vice President and Dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Oakwood University. Oakwood University, a 125-year-old historically Black university (HBCU). Pollard has twice served the HBCU as a Vice President, first in the 1990s and returning in 2011. Dr. Pollard's 40-year service career is a celebration of the achievement of HBCUs in producing leadership talents in service to underserved communities locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Pollard is a double STEM professional with advanced degrees in nutrition science and evaluation, measurement, and research design. While a university professor since 1986, Dr. Pollard has maintained a portfolio of community service that reflects the motto of her university "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve."

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Dr. Pollard's career and service has been diverse and impactful, first as a public health professional for the counties of Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren in Michigan; the City of Inglewood in Southern California; and as a volunteer member of service organizations in the State of California: notably the cities of Pasadena, Riverside, and San Bernardino. Dr. Pollard has served as a volunteer with the Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, city and county agencies, and the community surrounding Oakwood University. Regardless of organization or location, the focus of Dr. Pollard's service is to address chronic risk reduction of the comorbidities of hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.

The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President's Volunteer Lifetime Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America's strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action.