George B. Sweeney Endowed Campion Award for Service

In the spirit of St. Edmund Campion, the George B. Sweeney Endowed Campion Award for Service recognizes one sophomore student and one junior student each year with a demonstrated record of involvement in community service and social action, dedication to a faith tradition and/or spirituality, and strong evidence of leadership potential.

This is a one-year, $1,000 award given to one sophomore and one junior each year. The Center for Service and Social Action also administers up to $500 in additional funds to each Campion Award recipient for an approved campus-based service project.

Established in 1996 by JCU alumnus George B. Sweeney ’55, this fund honors John Carroll University students who have made significant service contributions, both on campus and in our larger community and who are committed to becoming leaders in social action. The award is named for St. Edmund Campion, an English Jesuit who was martyred in 1581. Campion rejected a life of prestige, power, and wealth to spend his life in service to others in most need.

2021 Campion Award Winners

Caitlin Drake '22

Caitlin is a junior Arrupe Scholar from majoring in Education and minoring in Spanish and Peace, Justice, and Human Rights. Caitlin has served as a Student Liaison with the Center for Service and Social Action for the past two years. Caitlin is the kind of leader who builds community and uplifts others by inviting and leveraging their gifts and talents.  She was described by the director of the Arrupe program as “an exceptionally strong leader and communicator who cares deeply about engaging others effectively. She sets clear goals while also giving freedom to groups she works with.” She has used this gift often working with the inmates of the Northeast Reintegration Center, a women’s correctional facility in Cleveland where she helped lead a women’s spirituality group. She broke down walls and stereotypes by building an atmosphere of trust and non-judgmental acceptance. When COVID-19 hit, Caitlin more than met the challenges of leading virtual service activities at Esperanza Inc. Despite being on Zoom, she was able to create a strong community among the participants. She also stepped up to the virtual challenge during Covid as the Arrupe Bonding Committee Chair. Her job was to think of creative and fun ways to build community for Arrupe. This task was no small feat, given there are 120 students with varying interests.

Caitlin possesses a deep commitment to social justice as a  leader and advocate. She served as a program intern at the Ignatian Solidarity Network as was described by the executive director, Chris Kerr as “one of our most dependable and committed interns he has worked with”. This year she took on greater responsibilities and the myriad of tasks related to the national Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice. Caitlin has also worked as an immersion student coordinator, and had the chance to participate in an immersion trip to Ecuador. Caitlin brings a spirit of enthusiasm and joy to any room, and especially to others. We are delighted to recognize Caitlin Drake as the 2021 Junior Class recipient of the Campion Award.

Kathryn Zoller '23

Kathryn (Katy) Katy has been involved in community service since grade school. Upon her arrival at John Carroll, Katy got to work blazing new trails, exercising leadership, and launching a new student organization to address gun violence.  As the founding president of Students Demand Action, Katy has been focusing her energy on reducing gun violence through education, , voter registration, and political engagement.  She has rapidly grown the organization to more than 60 active participants on campus and built a widening coalition off campus with other gun violence prevention activists across Ohio. The faculty advisor of Students Demand Action said of Katy, “This involvement speaks to Katy's dependability and communication skills , and her motivation to “lend a hand” and build community, even during these difficult COVID-19 months.

Katy has tutored students at St. Martin DePorres High School, Boy’s Hope Girls Hope, and now serves as a peer mentor with the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion supporting first-year students in their adjustment to college. Through learning the transformative nature of friendship and the power of empathetic listening, Katy has discovered the importance of simple gestures and building relationships with marginalized individuals. 

This past August, Katy won two Side Hustle Program Awards (August 2020) recognizing her creativity and rewarding her entrepreneurial leadership in developing an idea for a how-to book on activism for the common good. In a short time, Katy has already made a significant positive impact on the campus in the way she leads, engages others, and turns outrage into action for a greater good. She understands the power that effective communication holds in leadership and social change. We are delighted to recognize Katy Zoller as the 2021 Sophomore Class recipient of the Campion Award.