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Lee students Everett Apple and Jen Condon, along with faculty Dr. Lorinda Roberts, received the Dr. Charles W. Conn Servant Leadership Award during a recent chapel service.

The Dr. Charles W. Conn Servant Leadership Scholarship, established in 2003, honors President Emeritus Charles W. Conn. He served as Lee’s president from 1970 to 1982, and a spirit of servant leadership marked his tenure.

As part of the university’s efforts to emphasize the importance of serving others, the award is given annually to rising seniors who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to service during their time at Lee.

Students who receive this scholarship give a portion of the proceeds to a charity of their choice. At the chapel service, each recipient was presented with a sculpture of Jesus washing Peter’s feet to commemorate the award.

Apple is from Marietta, Georgia. He majors in intercultural studies and has distinguished himself through service. He has held leadership positions such as president of Crossover Ministries, serving as a student worker in the Leonard Center, as resident chaplain in O’Bannon Hall, and on the Service Council.

“Integrity, empathy, and loyalty are the first three of many qualities that come to my mind when I think of Everett,” said Apple’s nominator. “He was often the first one to show up and the last to leave, staying behind to do the jobs that often no one sees.”

Condon is a sociology major from in Cleveland, Tennessee. At Lee, she has been a peer leader and served on the Student Leadership Council as the secretary for community outreach, as a Summer Honors resident assistant, and as a student worker for First-Year Programs. Through these roles, she has been instrumental in leading campus efforts in projects such as Deke Day and Operation Christmas Child. Condon also helped lead Urban Outreach and ensure it provided safe service alternatives in Cleveland and area communities for 228 students during the pandemic.

“Jen is the embodiment of a servant leader,” said Condon’s nominator. “She does not make service about her; rather, she serves the individuals and communities around her in a way that elevates them instead of herself. Her commitment to service has inspired many of her peers to become servant leaders as well.”

Roberts came to Lee in 2019. Since then, she has modeled the values of servant leadership in many ways on and off campus. As a professor of youth and family ministries, she has been involved in leading the local and international church, serving students and serving with them in meaningful ways on campus and in the community.

Her service has included contributing to the work of the Church of God International Youth and Discipleship Department and numerous state and regional offices, serving alongside her husband in youth and college ministry at Mt. Olive COG, teaching Gateway classes at Lee, and volunteering at events with students on projects such as Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ (FCA) Fields of Faith and the MLK Week march.

“Lorinda has shown to all her servant’s heart,” said her nominator. “She has served the university, church, and community faithfully in her brief time on Lee’s faculty.”

Apple and Condon are the 17th group of students to receive this award, while Roberts is the 14th faculty member to be honored.