Students recognized with Wallenberg Scholar Award

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University of Toledo students Mary Page Dalrymple and Leah Sophia Mullen have been chosen as the 2011-12 recipients of the Raoul Wallenberg Scholar Award.

Established by Robert Karp, the award is presented to individuals who place the same value on the importance of social justice and commitment to serving others in times of need as Raoul Wallenberg. During World War II, Wallenberg, a native of Sweden, saved tens of thousands of Jews by providing documentation that identified them as Swedish nationals.

“It was truly an honor to be chosen for such a prestigious award. Everyone knows that it feels good to do service and to help others, but to be recognized for doing these things has certainly reassured me that I’m on the right track and that what I’m doing is important,” said Dalrymple, a junior majoring in nursing.
Dalrymple was nominated for the award by representatives from Corpus Christi University Parish. She is the vice president of outreach in the Catholic Student Association and sits on the relations committee for the Christian Service Project at the parish.

“Mary Page is a very committed person who is dedicated to the cause of working for justice and peace in the world, and she tries to put that commitment into practice,” said the Rev. James Bacik, pastor of Corpus Christi.

“I never thought that helping those who are in the most need could ever have affected my life as much as it has. It has made me grow into a more mature, well-rounded, spiritual woman,” Dalrymple said.

Mullen, who graduated from UT in May with a bachelor of arts degree in geography and planning with a concentration in urban planning and a minor in Spanish, was nominated for the award by Dr. Tom Barden, dean of the Honors College, who said she inspires him.

“She’s a great scholar, and she is able to maintain her high academics while doing a great deal of volunteer and community work. When she joins something, she is not content to be just a member; she will inevitably become a leader,” he said.

Mullen will start at the UT College of Law in the fall. She plans to stay involved at the University and continue to work for the Toledo Fair Housing Center, which is a nonprofit organization that works to combat discrimination that often affects low-income families.

“I hope to continue to work to fight discrimination in housing, lending and insurance in this community and, in the future, elsewhere,” Mullen said. “I am certain that if the right minds collaborate, they are more than capable of making contributions and changes in the community that can substantially improve the lives of their colleagues and neighbors.”