SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Evangel seniors, Charisse Green and Joel Manzi, are the 2016 honored recipients of the Anne Spence Award for Meritorious Christian Character and Service.
Each year, faculty and staff members nominate students for the Anne Spence Award and join the students for an award ceremony. One male and one female graduating senior receive the award based on attaining the highest scores in the selection process.
Previously called the Silver Shield Award, it was renamed the Anne Spence Award by the Board of Directors in 2013 to honor the wife of Evangel’s former president, Robert H. Spence.
The award gives special recognition to graduating seniors that display a commitment to character and service.
2016 Recipients
• Charisse Green is elementary education major from Brea, Calif. She is the daughter of Evangel alumni, Doug ’85 and Brenda (Swint ’84) Green.
Green serves as a resident assistant in Spence Hall and has been a member of Evangel’s Concert Choir. Green has also served as a floor council president, and a residence floor devotional leader. In addition to Green’s campus involvement, she is a kindergarten Sunday school teacher at Central Assembly.
While at Evangel, she was granted a scholarship through the Assemblies of God Alliance for Higher Education that sponsored a 2-month internship to East Africa.
“Through a combination of incredible faculty and staff, as well as leadership opportunities and academic courses, I feel prepared to step into my calling after graduation,” said Green.
• Joel Manzi is a triple major in biological chemistry, environment science and Spanish. He is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is the son of Mark and Katherine Manzi.
At Evangel, Manzi served as a chemistry lab assistant, the honor floor resident assistant in Scott hall, and a host for prospective students. His extracurricular involvement also included ESGA Senate, Students for a Sustainable Future and the Sigma Zeta honor society.
Manzi came to Evangel to pursue the path of being a doctor. While being heavily involved on campus, Manzi also made time to volunteer with Convoy of Hope in the International Programs Division. His post-graduation plans are to attend medical school.
“I came to Evangel knowing that I would like to be a doctor, but being at Evangel has helped to centered my vocation on a missional basis for serving others,” Manzi said.