ALFRED, N.Y. – Alfred University Assistant Athletic Director
Jessica Hurlbut was honored with the Spirit of Service award, as part of the college's 10th annual Celebration of Service Award Ceremony on Tuesday, Jan. 28, held at the Union University Church Fellowship Hall in Alfred.
The celebration, a collaborative event hosted by the
Gary Horowitz Service Learning Program at Alfred University and the Alfred State College Center for Civic Engagement, recognized the community service and social justice work of all the Spirit of Service Award nominees and presented the 2020 Spirit of Service Awards to winners in five categories: AU and ASC Student, AU and ASC Faculty/Staff, and Alfred Community. The award is intended to honor people who are actively living out the principles that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood for, including equality, social justice, community, and service.
Hurlbut has shown a devotion to some of the tenets of Dr. King's legacy, serving the university in a variety of roles. Serving as AU's head athletic trainer, Hurlbut tends to the needs of over 450 student-athletes while overseeing a staff of over 30 assistant trainers and students. Hurlbut also spends time coordinating a liaison program with the AU Wellness Center, which connects a member of the Wellness Center with each of AU's varsity teams to make sure that student-athlete health and wellness is always a top priority.
Serving as the Senior Woman Administrator in AU's athletic department, Hurlbut constantly works to make sure that the Saxon Athletics goals of diversity and inclusion are paramount as we continue to strive for growth and excellence in the department. Among Hurlbut's many duties, she also serves as the coordinator of our Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, to make sure our student-athletes have a strong and active voice. She also serves as one of AU's Title IX deputies, adding to the lengthy list of positions she occupies to make sure our student-athletes' health and welfare are prioritized. Hurlbut volunteers her time on the AU SAVE Committee, bringing important issues such as sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and sexual harassment into conversation and supporting campus-wide efforts to build a safer and more inclusive environment for all.
"Jessica's everyday duties are almost all implicitly tied to equality and service to others," said
Paul Vecchio, Director of Athletics. "Jess is that rare someone who is eager to take on the behind-the-scenes work of making Saxon Athletics and the AU campus a place where everyone can feel seen and valued for who they are and what they have to contribute. She quietly works for justice every day, seeking no other reward than making a difference. I can think of no one more deserving than her in receiving this award."
"I am very humbled to have receive the Spirit of Service award and it was a privilege to be in the company of such deserving nominees," Hurlbut said. "I am extremely excited, as an Alfred community member of 11 years, to see and be a part of the continued growth and progress in our community. A special thank you to the committee for my selection. I look forward to continuing to serve the University and community to impact positive change."