TJSL Adjunct Professor and Alumna Marquetta Brown ’11 is one of more than 3,000 AT&T employees nationwide listed in the March 13, 2013, print edition of USA Today to receive a 2012 President's Volunteer Service Award.
“The full page ad has 3,301 AT&T employees’ names on it,” explains Brown. “Which is still a small percentage and I consider it to be an honor because AT&T is over 300,000 strong internationally.”
In addition to Brown’s adjunct position at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, she is a full-time employee at AT&T in the Government Solutions department. Brown manages a team that writes the technical responses for Federal Government RFPs and proposals where her primary role is editorial and administrative.
Each President's Volunteer Service Award recipient volunteered over 100 hours of their time to help build better communities. “My volunteer activities included my work as a Small Claims Court Mediation Volunteer and serving San Diego's youth through a leadership enhancement program for African-American male high-school seniors with the San Diego Chapter of The Links, Incorporated,” Brown said. “Last year, through our fundraising efforts, the San Diego Links awarded 21 young men over $55,000 in scholarships. Additionally, each graduating high school senior received a laptop computer and printer to take with them to college.”
Brown said she was “thrilled” to receive an email from her employer at AT&T indicating that she was one of the honorees.
“This prestigious national honor recognizes your exemplary volunteer service in your community,” wrote Kara Devita, Director-Community Programs. “We are proud of your achievement and inspired by your dedication. On behalf of the President of the United States, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation issues this honor in recognition of sustained community service over the past year. By recognizing employees like you, the award also serves to encourage every American to improve their communities through volunteer service and through civic participation.”
There are three President's Volunteer Service Award categories: gold, silver and bronze. By volunteering 364 hours Brown earned silver. According to the President’s Volunteer Service Award website, any individual, family, or group can receive Presidential recognition for their annual commitment to volunteer service as long as they meet the hourly requirements.
“This award is a reminder that people matter – to each other and to our communities,” said Devita. “And because of people like you, our communities will be stronger.”
Additionally, this month, The Catholic Diocese of San Diego appointed Brown to serve a 3-year term on the Board of Directors for Catholic Charities of San Diego and Imperial County.
For more information about the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, visit www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov.
