(Posted 2-25-00)
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News Service Contact: Natasha Ashe, 336-334-5371

POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR RECEIVES MLK  AWARD

GREENSBORO—  Robert Earl Randolph Jr. says he simply wants to "make a difference" in his community. And he has through numerous public service efforts to help the blind, tutor young children and speaking to adolescents about racism and discrimination.

"I truly believe public service is the highest form of spiritual enlightenment," Randolph says of the many volunteer hours he spends each week.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro senior political science major's hard work hasn't gone unrecognized. Randolph, a Pinetops, N.C. native, recently received UNCG's 2000 Martin Luther King Jr. Service Award.

The honor was presented on Feb. 11 by Dr. Carol Disque, UNCG vice chancellor for student affairs, who cited Randolph's work on campus as well as in the community.  Randolph, who was among five student nominees, received a plaque and a $200 cash award. His name has been added to the wall display in Elliott University Center among other names of King Award recipients. The presentation followed an address by David Dinkins, who served as New York's 106th mayor from 1990-94, and is currently a professor of public affairs in Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. He also is a senior fellow with the Columbia Center for Urban Research and Policy. Dinkins also hosts a public affairs radio program, "Dialogue with Dinkins."

As a result of his community service efforts, Randolph was named in a recent issue of the MELANiE, the mini-magazine for the African-American. The article mentioned several of his public service works including tutoring students at Greensboro's Dudley, Smith and Page High Schools since his freshman year at UNCG. In addition, he also reads to kindergarten children hoping to instill the importance of love and respect for the written word, and records books for the blind. He finds these activities challenging and a welcome opportunity to gain experience in his chosen profession — politics.

The citation, read by Disque, said Randolph could be characterized "as a person of spirit, action, and understanding, who works for the common good of the community. He gives physically, mentally and emotionally without regard to personal time or gain,  with energy that comes from some unseen place."

Randolph also finds the time to serve as a mentor and role model to a young man through Campus Sidekicks, a sub-group of Big Brothers and Big Sisters; NC Star, where he speaks to middle and high school students on discrimination and racism; informs males between the ages 12-15 years of age about teen pregnancy prevention and sexuality through Wise Guys; a member of the Advocates for Multicultural Education (AME) Committee, where he serves as an advisor for multicultural planning for UNCG campus; member of Multicultural Resource Planning Committee; serves on executive board of Neo-Black Society; member of Students of Color Conference Committee; and works within the Student Government Association's Attorney General's Office as a student justice.

The Martin Luther King Award was established at UNCG in 1986 and was first presented in 1987. It recognizes outstanding attributes in the areas of human relations and public service by a UNCG student, faculty or staff member. Last year's award went to Dr. Patricia Bailey, who is director of disability services at UNCG.

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