Allegheny College junior Tipton wins Davies Award

Meadville Tribune, The Meadville Tribune, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 25—SAEGERTOWN — An Allegheny College junior earned the Lew and Ellie Davies Award for Outstanding Community Service during Wednesday night's Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce 2024 Diamond Awards.

The award, which includes a $500 cash prize, is given to an Allegheny student who has made a significant, demonstrable contribution to the Meadville area, according to Andy Walker, the college's executive director for economic, civic and community engagement.

Students must be nominated by their host community organization in order to be considered.

Ashley Tipton, a junior from Florida, was nominated for her service with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mentoring Program at Meadville Area Middle School (MAMS). Tipton has worked with the Tamarack Wildlife Center and as a tutor with Operation Reads and the MAMS Saturday Study Help program. Tipton also has volunteered with the Fourth Graders as Scientists program and Crawford County 8th Grade Career Awareness Fair.

Tipton was one of two nominees for the award.

Bianca Sanchez, a senior from New Jersey, was nominated for her service as a four-year project assistant with Creek Connections, a program that supports regional K-12 schools in turning their local waterways into outdoor environmental laboratories. Sanchez is active with the Green Students of Color Society and with the Center for Political Participation as an Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassador. Sanchez formerly served as the director of sustainability and environmental affairs for Allegheny Student Government. She received a $250 cash prize.

Initiated in 2003, the Lew and Ellie Davies Award is given by the Davies family in honor of the couple.

The late Lew Davies, a 1940 graduate of Allegheny, worked his way through college and, as a result of his connection with Meadville, returned following his service in World War II.

As a successful businessman and community leader, as well as an active alumnus and trustee of the college until his death in 2003, Davies continually sought to build cooperation between the college and the community.

In 2015, in honor of the late Ellie Davies' 95th birthday and in recognition of her own contributions to the community, the family changed the name of the award.

Together, the couple organized the original Meadville Area Industrial Commission fund drive and two United Way campaigns along with myriad other community activities.