Fall 2012 Graduate Student, Meryl Ironson Receives Shirley Chisholm Award

Caption: Meryl Ironson has been named the Fall 2012 recipient of the East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania Shirley Chisholm Award for her ongoing demonstration of excellence in learning, sensitivity to social issues, and commitment to activism. Meryl Ironson is seen in the above photograph displaying her award. Dr. Rhonda Sutton, Ed.D., who nominated her for the honor, is seated next to her.    

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania recently bestowed graduating graduate student, Meryl Ironson the fall 2012 Shirley Chisholm Award.  This award is sponsored by ESU’s Commission for Women, Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity, The ESU Graduate School, the Women’s Studies Concentration and the Women’s Center. The Shirley Chisholm Award was established in 1991 after Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman to be elected to congress and the first to run for United States President, was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from ESU.  The award honors graduating female students who, like Shirley Chisholm, are dedicated to academic excellence, are sensitive to issues of social justice, and committed to activism.

Meryl Ironson will receive her Master’s Degree in Education from ESU on December 15, 2012.  She was named the Shirley Chisolm Award recipient based on her academic accomplishments and her involvement in improving the lives of others.  Meryl has achieved an impressive grade point average of 4.0.  She was honored at the Bragg Intermediate School in Chester, N.J., because of the work she has done on behalf of children in Chester and in South Africa.  Through the Global Literacy Project, Meryl Ironson and her students were linked with South African children attending the Randfontein Primary School.  Meryl and her students responded to the South African children’s need by conducting two book drives which resulted in 44,000 books being sent to them.  The NJ and South African students participate cooperatively in international literacy events and publish a joint Poetry Anthology entitled: Teaching Minds, Reaching Hearts.   As a result of this success, Meryl has become a representative for the Global Literacy Project.  In this capacity she has traveled toSouth Africatwice on behalf of the Bragg School’s ongoing bond with theRadfonteinPrimary School. Meryl Ironson’s achievements clearly demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence, sensitivity to issues of social justice, and a concern to engage in actions to advance those causes.

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