Kat Lange
Teagan Lenox
Dr. JoAnn Higginbotham
At a Lee University chapel service, students Kat Lange and Teagan Lenox were presented with the 2020 Dr. Charles W. Conn Servant Leadership Award, and Dr. JoAnn Higginbotham received the Dr. Charles W. Conn Service Learning Faculty Award.
The Dr. Charles W. Conn Servant Leadership Scholarship was established in 2003 to honor President Emeritus Charles W. Conn. He served as Lee’s president from 1970 to 1982, and his tenure was marked by a spirit of servant leadership.
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.
Ms. Lange is an accounting major and is involved in Best Buddies, the Lee University Caribbean Association, and Lee Boxing. She has also served as a Gateway peer leader and a resident assistant. Ms. Lange helped to start Imago Dei, an initiative to promote conversations on campus about racial issues.
“Kat exemplifies what it means to be a servant leader,” said her nominator.
Mr. Lenox is a business administration major. He has been a resident chaplain, senior RA, Summer Honors resident director, and a group leader for Be the Bridge, a book study on campus. Mr. Lenox has also been a member of Lee’s track and field team.
The person who nominated Mr. Lenox said, “One thing that stands out to me about Teagan is the way he leads with a heart of service. He doesn’t seek to be in the spotlight; rather, he strategically finds ways to recognize others ahead of himself. His leadership truly elevates those around him.”
Dr. Higginbotham joined Lee’s faculty in 1981 and currently serves as a professor of education in the Helen DeVos College of Education. She has led numerous cross-cultural trips, sponsored several clubs, worked with a local women’s safe house, and supported her local library.
“For Dr. Higginbotham, service is not a professional requirement but a lifestyle,” said the colleagues who nominated her. “She models Lee University’s core values of redemptive service, ethical action, and global citizenship.”
Ms. Lange and Mr. Lenox are the 16th group of students to receive this award, while Dr. Higginbotham is the 13th faculty member to be honored.