Utah Conservation Corps wins Inclusion Champion Award

The Utah Conservation Corps (UCC) was recognized along with its national partner, The Corps Network, by the Mitsubishi Electric America Foundation (MEAF) with the organization’s Inclusion Champion Award.

MEAF bestowed the award as part of its 20th anniversary celebration for the UCC and The Corps Network’s development of the Inclusive Crew Project. The award included a trophy for the Corps Network along with a $1,000 grant for the UCC for its work developing the model and continuing to utilize inclusive crews in its programs. The Corps Network Executive Director Sally Prouty accepted the award on behalf of The Corps Network and UCC at MEAF's 20th anniversary celebration luncheon March 11 in Washington, D.C.

The Inclusive Crew Project began operation in 2007 through the efforts of UCC assistant director Kate Stephens and crew leader Andy Zimmer. In September 2005, Zimmer was involved in a bicycle injury that resulted in a C6 spinal cord injury, or paralysis from the chest down. At the time of Zimmer’s injury, he was within 300 hours of finishing a 1700 hour AmeriCorps term of service for the UCC. After rehabilitation, he was reinstated as an AmeriCorps member and served as a crew leader for the Inclusive Crew Project, finishing his term of service Aug. 17, 2007.

In the following years, the disability inclusive crew has extensively surveyed recreational facilities in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache and Manti-LaSal National Forests. Projects have been carefully developed to include crew members with disabilities in a significant and meaningful way. 

“We did not want to have members with disabilities sitting on the sidelines while those without disabilities completed project tasks,” said Stephens.

In addition to the MEAF Inclusion Champion Award, the Inclusive Crew Project has garnered multiple awards. In 2008, Andy Zimmer received both the Utah Commission on Volunteer’s AmeriCorps Member of the Year and The Corps Network’s Corpsmember of the Year awards. Another Inclusive Crew Project Crew leader, Quintin Williams, earned The Corps Network’s Corpsmember of the Year in 2010. Kate Stephens was given the USU Diversity Award in 2010 for her efforts to expand national service to diverse audiences and accepted The Corps Network’s Project of Year award in 2008.  

For information about the UCC and the Inclusive Crew Project, contact Sean Damitz, 435-797-8134.

UCC is an organization dedicated to improving public lands and the communities surrounding them through partnership projects, service and education. UCC has been a program in USU’s Division of Student Services since January 2001.

Contact: Sean Damitz, director Utah Conservation Corps, sean.damitz@usu.edu