Sophomore Lauren Williams was recently awarded the Frank Newman Civic Fellow award for her community service efforts on campus.

Williams was nominated by University President Pat Long for this award for her service on campus, along with her leadership in starting Baker Serves, the community service organization on campus.

“It was a surprise to me,” Williams said. “I was nominated for all the community service and stuff that I have done on campus and just showing my civic leadership.”

While there was a community service group called Baker Serves long before Williams arrived at BU, she helped create the current Baker Serves organization during her freshman year. The group organizes community service projects such as the Big Event for students and faculty on campus.

Baker Serves has helped to make a foundation for Williams’s community service efforts on campus and she has taken pride in receiving this award.

“The award is really important to me just to know that what I do makes a difference,” Williams said. “I do community service because I enjoy it and I like giving back, but sometimes I forget that people actually take notice in my actions and realize that I’m actually making a difference, and it’s nice to know that the president of the university knows what I’m doing.”