Ebonie Slade, a senior majoring in biobehavioral health at Penn State Greater Allegheny, is the recipient of the 2020 Jackson Lethbridge Tolerance Award.
Ebonie Slade
The award recognizes a junior, senior or graduate student for outstanding efforts to enhance the understanding of diverse cultures and create a community where all individuals are accepted and valued equally. The award is named for its benefactor, a Penn State alumnus.
Slade was honored for her commitment to volunteerism and for being an inspiration to others.
She is active with the health sciences club, represents commuter students as campus student government representative and regularly volunteers at the campus Free Store, which supplies food, clothing and other items to low income families. Additionally, she volunteers with the American Red Cross and Blue White Society.
In 2019, Slade organized a drive for the campus health sciences club to help the needy population of the McKeesport region.
“Ebonie’s volunteerism impacts the campus and community in positive ways, and it demonstrates her respect for diversity and her deep sense of civic responsibility,” a nominator said.
As an adult learner and mother of two with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.98, a nominator said Slade is an inspiration to several young African-American women.
“As a single mother with two young sons, she has much life experience to share and she does so with great kindness, warmth, and sensitivity, even on the days that are most difficult for her,” a nominator said. “She helps these young women understand what is possible, and she encourages them to persist and work to achieve bigger goals. She also encourages them to get involved with the campus and community in order to make a difference, and she sets a wonderful example for them.”
