Philip E. Sharpe, Jr. Community Engagement Award
The Western Washington University Philip E. Sharpe Community Engagement Award, named in honor of former WWU Board of Trustee member and active community volunteer Phil Sharpe, is given annually to a staff member, faculty member, or group of Western employees involved in outstanding community service, including outreach and engagement activities that benefit the well-being of the community at large or individual(s) in the community.
Examples of service:
- Participates in volunteer work, service organizations, or community advisory boards
- Organizes forums or community programs
- Volunteers for local non-profits or service organizations
Nominations for the 2026 Philip E. Sharpe Community Engagement Award are now CLOSED.
Selection Criteria
- Current Western faculty, professional, or classified staff
- Minimum one year of WWU employment (this criteria is not applicable to a group nomination)
- The work they do is not a primary function of their position at Western
Award/Recognition
Award Administration
Nomination Process
2026
Kate Stevenson - Honors College
Kate Stevenson is the program manager for WWU’s Honors College, responsible for many of the activities that build community among Honors students. Over the past year and a half, Stevenson has established a flourishing, on-going volunteering partnership between the WWU Honors College and the Bellingham Senior Activity Center. Working closely with the senior center and the Whatcom Council on Aging, Stevenson built the infrastructure and partnerships for 10-plus Honors students to volunteer at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center each quarter. Students love the opportunity to build meaningful intergenerational relationships by engaging in shared conversations, serving meals and coffee, offering tech assistance and playing occasional games of ping-pong. They say volunteering at the senior center is one of the highlights of their week, and it has changed the way they see older adults. Stevenson’s values of community engagement and service have been a theme throughout her work in several roles at Western, including the Dance Department, Catering, Event Services, Family Outreach and the Faculty/Staff Wellness Program. Stevenson has been a dedicated contributor to the local arts community, including 10 years as a volunteer dancer with the Bellingham Repertory Dance Company, with ongoing involvement. She also fosters social connection as a beloved fitness instructor in the WWU Employee Wellness Program.
Past Awardees
1 awardee(s) for this year
2025 Awardees
Kristin Anderson - Sociology
Kristin Anderson is a professor of Sociology in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. She studies how the legal system treats survivors of abuse, the effectiveness of verbal self-defense strategies against gaslighting and coercive control abuse, and connections between intimate partner abuse and inequalities of genders and sexualities. Along with her students, she partnered on research with community organizations including Skagit Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services and the Bellingham-Whatcom County Commission Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (BWCCADV).
As a volunteer legal advocate for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services of Whatcom County (DVSAS), she worked to keep survivors informed about what was happening with criminal cases. She attended civil protection order hearings to support survivors, who often do not have access to attorneys to represent them. She serves on the board of directors of DVSAS and was a member of the Womencare Shelter board and the Domestic Violence Risk Assessment Team of BWCCADV.