Recently, Elizabethtown College honored the 2020 and 2021 Educate for Service award recipients at the institution’s annual President’s Society Dinner.
The awards are among the most distinguished presented to alumni of the College who demonstrate a commitment to the institution’s mission, Educate for Service. The awards are categorized in three unique areas which include, Service Through Professional Achievement; Service to Humanity; and Service to the College.
The 2020-21 alumni Educate for Service award recipients include:
- Mary E. Schmidt ’79: Service Through Professional Achievement Award 2020
- Melanie G. Snyder ’83: Service to Humanity Award 2020
- Jay H. Lutz ’57 P’92: Service to the College Award 2020
- Alan Vernon ’76 P’21: Service to Humanity Award 2021
“Our newest Educate for Service award recipients truly exemplify their lifelong investment to our mission by sharing their knowledge, energy, and resources to make positive impacts in their communities and beyond,” Elizabethtown College President Betty Rider said.
Presented annually since 1966, these awards are intended to recognize alumni who exemplify the foundation of the Elizabethtown College spirit and legacy of education. Learn more about Elizabethtown College alumni awards and the recipient’s profiles.
Educate for Service Award Recipients
Dr. Mary E. Schmidt ’79: Service Through Professional Achievement Award 2020
Dr. Mary E. Schmidt ’79 serves as President of Schmidt & Libby Health Advisory Group, LLC. She is an
expert in healthcare relations. Her focus includes innovative health technology, public health, and infectious disease-related problems. Dr. Schmidt served as an Associate Trustee of Elizabethtown College from 1990 to 2002 and was honored by the Biology Department on Homecoming Day 2014 for her generous scholarship endowment. She created the Dr. Frank P. Polanowski Prize for Excellence in Faculty-Student Advising and Mentorship in 2018 to honor Dr. Frank P. Polanowski for his inspirational service to countless students at Elizabethtown College.
View Dr. Mary Schmidt’s Educate for Service Video
Melanie G. Snyder ’83: Service to Humanity Award 2020
Melanie G. Snyder ’83 currently serves as Trauma Informed Specialist with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. Widely known in the region and beyond for her leadership,
vision, and expertise in restorative and trauma-informed practices, Melanie is a certified trainer, facilitator, and practitioner, and has also become a successful consultant, speaker, educator, and writer who has dedicated her life to alleviating the conditions of those who have needs. She previously served as Executive Director of the Lancaster County Reentry Management Organization, a strategic, collective impact partnership of more than 30 agencies that improved community safety by helping released prisoners become productive citizens and remain crime-free through holistic, evidence-based, trauma-informed practices. She was a featured TEDx speaker at the first TEDx event in Lancaster, and she is the author of the book, “Grace Goes to Prison: An Inspiring Story of Hope and Humanity.” Melanie served as a member of the Elizabethtown College Peace Fellowship (ECPF) Governing Board and was named an ECPF Peace Fellow in 2016.
View Melanie G. Snyder Educate for Service Video
Jay H. Lutz ’57 P’92: Service to the College Award 2020
Jay H. Lutz ’57 P’92 retired as an insurance broker with Jay H. Lutz and Co., Inc., based in Columbia, Pa. He and his wife, Nancy Jo Lutz ’59 P’92, have two daughters, one of whom attended the College, Amy Jo
Lutz-Phillips ’92. Jay is a loyal and dedicated Blue Jay who has devoted himself to supporting Elizabethtown College through his time, talents, and treasures throughout the course of many years. He is currently a member of the Leadership Council and had previously served as a member of the College’s Alumni Council. Presently, Jay serves as a member of the Blue Jay Athletic Association Council of Leaders. In the past, he was a member of the Elizabethtown College Sports, Fitness, and Wellness Campaign Steering Committee and Athletic Facilities Campaign Committee. Jay consistently volunteers to help with the student Thanksgiving Dinners and has served as a Power of One Day Ambassador. During his time as a student at Elizabethtown College, Jay was a member of the Blue Jay Men’s Basketball Team and was President of the Student Council during his senior year.
View Jay H. Lutz’s Educate for Service Video
Alan Vernon ’76 P’21: Service to Humanity Award 2021
Alan Vernon ’76 P’21 is the former Lead for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Connectivity for Refugees Program. Prior to this, he was the Deputy Director for Business
Relationship Management within the Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Alan previously served as the UNHCR Representative in Malaysia, the Director for Organizational Development and Management in UNHCR Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, and the UNHCR Representative in Sri Lanka as well as field assignments in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Thailand. Alan graduated from Elizabethtown College in 1976 and also earned a master’s degree from Temple University. During his time as a student, Alan was a member of the Blue Jay Men’s Soccer and Wrestling teams. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in Urban Affairs, Environmental Design and Planning at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He is also the parent of Elizabethtown College alumnus James Vernon ’21.