Distinguished Service Award
President Kennedy inspired people to follow their conscience and to work for the benefit of their communities, their country, and their world. He believed that each person can make a difference, and that everyone should try. At the close of his Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Profile in Courage, he wrote:
"In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience - the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men - each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient - they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this, each man must look into his own soul."
The Distinguished Service Award seeks to make citizens aware of the conscientious and courageous acts of their public servants who devoted their lives to serve humanity at Ricks Institute. The award seeks to recognize individuals who risked their careers, incurring the wrath of constituents or nay Sayers, by daring to be different and live out the dream. We seek individuals, acting in accord with their conscience; risking their careers by pursuing a larger vision of service to humanity in opposition to popular opinion. The need for this kind of leadership is especially important today. Too often, people are captives of their fears or opinion of others, reluctant to make the life changing moves that could impact themselves and their community at large.