A Davidson College graduating senior with a heart for helping the homeless and people in crisis received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for 2020.
Emily Duval earned her degree in Literacy and Multilingual Education at Davidson College, a Sullivan Foundation partner school. During her time at Davidson, Duval helped homeless women and children at the Crisis Assistance Ministries and the Salvation Army Center of Hope in Charlotte, N.C.
She also befriended and treated people in financial crisis “with dignity, listening to their struggles with compassion,” the nomination letter read.
Duval was a Bonner Scholar, a Davidson College honor based on a student’s commitment to enriching the community through volunteering. She was also a QuestBridge Scholar and helped raise awareness on campus about socioeconomic diversity while providing support for high-achieving low-income students.
Additionally, Duval taught children in the LEARN Works after-school program at the Ada Jenkins Center and as a summer servant leader intern with Freedom Schools. She has volunteered at the Lula Bell Houston resource center and was co-coordinator for Be the Match/Project Life and for Room in the Inn.
Related: Sullivan Scholar Sara Busaleh: Serving others “gave me hope when I was hopeless”
She also served on the leadership team of the Davidson ecumenical weekly college worship service, leading prayers and reflections and using “her amazing voice to lead music and to build a spiritual community of inclusion, kindness and grace,” a nominator wrote.
Among her many accolades, Duval received the George Gladstone Memorial Award in 2019. This award recognizes rising seniors “exhibiting high potential for service to mankind as indicated by leadership, service and academic record.”
Back to all News items.
