Dr. Joyce Middleton (College of Business, Department of Accounting) is the recipient of the 2007 Outstanding Service-Learning Faculty Award for her dedication to the Volunteer Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Dr. Middleton has supervised the VITA initiative since the early 1990s, training and placing students from her ACCT 425 and ACCT 420 classes in the program. In 2005 alone, 278 federal and 264 state returns were completed for low-income, elderly and student taxpayers.

Viktoria Kendall, Hansford Harrison and Dwayne Mason are the first-ever joint recipients of the Outstanding Service-Learning Student Award. These students were nominated and selected as this year's student winners for their commitment and service to the READ TO SUCCEED! program. Each student is involved with READ TO SUCCEED! as part of the HallSTARS! program, which is designed to engage students in a total of 300 hours of combined service, educational coursework and training activities. The students have shown tremendous dedication and leadership to the READ TO SUCCEED! program by agreeing to take on additional responsibilities as site leaders and mentors for the program's other volunteer tutors.

Finally, Dr. Jason Edwards (Psychology) is the 2007 winner of the Unsung Hero Award. This award recognizes members of the FSU community who give selflessly to promote change. Dr. Edwards was selected as this year's Unsung Hero for his PSYC 489 service-learning program, which requires students to complete 12 or more service hours with an area youth initiative. Since the beginning of his placement program, over 300 of his students have served with area children at various social and educational organizations.