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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted July 6, 2006   Text © 2006 Heart and Hands Committee (information provided by Karla Korpela, nominator). Photo  © 2006 Michele Anderson.

Shalini Suryanarayana awarded 2006 Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw

HANCOCK -- Shalini Suryanarayana, director of Special Academic Programs in the Department of Educational Opportunity at Michigan Tech University and chair of MTU's Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC), received the 2006 Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw award during the Churning Rapids July 4th Celebration Tuesday.

"Shalini Suryanarayana is the warmest, most thoughtful, genuine and altruistic person I know," writes Karla Korpela, coordinator of MTU's Special Academic Programs, who nominated Suryanarayana for the award. "She is truly an advocate for the well being of others."

Shalini Suryanarayana, center, director of Special Academic Programs in the Department of Educational Opportunity at Michigan Tech University and chair of MTU's Environmental Sustainability Committee, accepts the 2006 Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw award during the Churning Rapids July 4th Celebration. Pictured also are Kurt Paterson, left, Heart and Hands Society Board member, and Terry Kinzel, former Heart and Hands president and host of the Churning Rapids event. (Photo © 2006 Michele Anderson)

As Korpela notes, Suryanarayana has had a significant impact on the Keweenaw, both in her work at Michigan Tech and in her community involvement. Each year, through MTU's Department of Educational Opportunity, she promotes programs that provide scholarships, encouragement and access to higher education for more than 1,500 under-represented students, especially women and minorities. Lifelong learners from the age of 12 (pre-college) to 80 (elder-hostel) participate in these educational programs. 

In addition to her career in advocating for education, Suryanarayana cares passionately about environmental stewardship. A charter member and chair (since 2001) of MTU's Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC), Suryanarayana organizes such events as Lunch ‘n Learn workshops, Drop and Shop Booths intended to reduce traffic to the landfill and to promote recycling and reuse, sustainability information booths at university events and Make a Difference Day and other clean-ups at road sides, parks, beaches and other public areas. She directs the ESC and works tirelessly to educate the public about sustainability through Earth Week celebrations, special speakers and workshops for high school and college students.

Some recent examples are her presentation at GET WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) Day, a youth workshop on sustainability issues for high school students from Flint, and her current work with colleagues to create a Summer Youth Exploration course focused on Green Building Design. Other MTU environmental groups she has worked with are Students Against Violating the Environment (SAVE) and Students for Environmental Sustainability (SfES).* 

At Churning Rapids on July 4, 2006, Suzanne Van Dam, second from right, Heart and Hands Society president, reads nominations of candidates for the 2006 Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw award. Applauding are other Heart and Hands Board members, from left, Kristin Tepsa, Michelle Morgan and Kurt Paterson and (far right) Terry Kinzel, former Heart and Hands president. (Photo © 2006 Michele Anderson)

Ezekiel Jackson Fugate, a student at the University of Virginia, who is doing research on sustainability through Michigan Tech's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program this summer, has this to say about Shalini Suryanarayana, who is co-director, with Prof. Jim Mihelcic, of the REU in Sustainability: "Shalini is an amazing individual whose sincere ebullience infects everyone around her. I don't think I have ever met another individual who is so graciously molded by their concerns and compassion."

Suryanarayana is presently chair of the Board of Directors for the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter Home for Abused Women and Children. She has served on their Board since 1992. In addition, she has been working for two years to organize a collaborative project between the BKG Shelter Home and the Copper Country Humane Society (an event to focus on preventing all family violence, whether against people or pets). On July 19, 2006, they will be running the first area “Walk Against Violence” event. The $1000 Heart and Hands award will go to the Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter home in support of this collaborative project with the Humane Society.**

Suryanarayana's community service also includes advising the Superior Search and Rescue Training Association (they assist local authorities in searches for missing persons) and the Michigan Tech Indian Student Association, where she is instrumental in coordinating Diwali, the Festival of Lights, which brings the culture of India to the Copper Country. 

"In addition to this work, Shalini is personally committed to making the world a better place," Korpela writes. "She has an extremely large heart! Anyone who knows Shalini remembers her great smile, friendly demeanor and her warm hugs. She naturally looks for the best in all people and situations, is patient with others, and by her own example, teaches us how we can leave a footprint on the hearts of others without leaving an ecological footprint." 

In 1998 the Martha and Floyd Heart and Hands Society was founded with a small endowment from the estate of Martha and Floyd Kinzel. Each year the task of the Board of Directors is to solicit nominations for the Heart and Hands of the Keweenaw Award. The intent is to recognize a person who has given of his or her heart and hands in the service of peace, justice or the environment.

Editor's notes: * See Keweenaw Now's articles on past ESC and SfES projects: "MTU groups clean up Princess Point, Hancock Beach" (April 2005) and "MTU Earth Week (Mar. 27-31) events begin with film Mar. 16" (March 2006). ** Watch for more information on this "Walk against Violence" event, coming soon.