richard-e-cone-award - LEAD California

Richard E. Cone Award

Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging
Leaders in Community Engagement

The Richard E. Cone Award recognizes an exemplary early-career individual who is an emerging leader in the field of community engagement, whose work has had a positive impact on campus and in the community, and who is guided by the best practices of community-campus partnerships. It is the hope of LEAD California that this award will inspire all higher education institutions to consider ways to deepen their efforts to institutionalize and sustain authentic community-campus partnerships. As it often has been said, a community’s character is reflected in the people it selects to honor.

From 1999-2016, the award was bestowed annually upon an individual who made significant contributions to the development of partnerships between communities and institutions of higher education – partnerships through which student learning and the quality of life in communities are simultaneously improved. In 2017, we moved to honor Dick Cone’s work to support and mentor emerging leaders in the field.

Richard E. Cone

Dr. Richard E. Cone (simply and fondly called “Dick” by his colleagues) passed away on April 3, 2020. He was a leader in the national dialogue on experiential education, civic engagement and service-learning since the 1970s. A personal reflection on his contributions to California Campus Compact.

Dick’s vision and his dedication to education as a means of changing the world was a light and an encouragement to all of us to continue to try and emulate his example. His kindness and gentleness were what I remember most. He knew what was important and dedicated his life to using education as a tool to grow awareness and kindness. May he Rest in Peace for he left a legacy that can change the world.

Julie Fox, Director, Office
of Service-Learning California
State University, Stanislaus Honored
in 2006

The Richard E. Cone Award is important because it emphasizes the partnership. There are lots of awards out there for outstanding faculty member, outstanding community partner, outstanding student – but this award gives you a much broader perspective of the importance of partnership and the reciprocal benefit. It calls attention to the components and best practices of high-quality community-university partnerships.

Kathy O’Byrne, Former Director
Center for Community Learning
University of California Los Angeles
Honored in 2004

2026 Richard E. Cone Award
for Emerging Leaders Recipient

LEAD California has selected Jenny Fukunaga, MA, as the recipient of the LEAD California 2026 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement.

Jenny holds a Bachelor of Arts in Human Service Studies with minors in Business Administration, Leadership Studies, and Psychology from Elon University, and a Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Dr. Patrick Furlong, Loyola Marymount University Director, Pam Rector Center for Service and Action, shared, “Jenny Fukunaga is the kind of emerging leader our field needs. She brings a deep understanding of community partnerships from both sides of the work, having worked at one of our community partners for a number of years before joining us at Loyola Marymount University.She approaches every relationship with humility, curiosity, and care. Jenny invests the time to truly listen to students, faculty, and community partners, and because of that, the partnerships she builds are thoughtful, authentic, and lasting. She is a driving force for community engagement at LMU, and I am so excited to see what the future holds for Jenny and for all those who benefit from being in relationship with her in this important work.”

Jenny Fukunaga

“Jenny exemplifies the heart and soul of the award. In addition to the meaningful work that she is doing
with college students, Jenny’s commitment to building authentic relationships with community and campus partners is a quality that this award celebrates,” said Dr. Erica K. Yamamura, Executive Director of LEAD
California. “She has a bright future in the field of community engagement and we are honored to celebrate her with the Cone Award.”

Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging
Leaders in Community Engagement: Honorees

KATHLEENGUTIERREZ

2024 RECIPIENT

Assistant Professor of History
University of California, Santa Cruz

ROCHELLESMARR

2022 RECIPIENT

Director, Department of Service Learning and Civic Engagement
CSU San Marcos

MARIASILVA

2020 RECIPIENT

Director of Community Partnerships
University of San Diego

FERNANDOENCISO-MARQUEZ

2018 RECIPIENT

Assistant Director, Community Engaged Learning
University of San Francisco

Richard E. Cone Award for Excellence &
Leadership: Honorees

CHRISTOPHERNAYVE

2016 RECIPIENT

Director, Karen and Tom Mulvaney Center Assistant Provost
Community Engagement University of San Diego

CHERYLMCKNIGHT

2015 RECIPIENT

Director, Center for Service Learning, Internships and Civic Engagement CSU Dominguez Hills

PILARPACHECO

2014 RECIPIENT

Associate Director, Center for Community Engagement
CSU Channel Islands

SETHPOLLACK

2013 RECIPIENT

Director, Service-Learning Institute
CSU Monterey Bay

MEGANVOORHEES

2012 RECIPIENT

Director, Cal Corps Public Service Center
University of California, Berkeley

LAURIELAIRD

2011 RECIPIENT

Associate Director, Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education
Santa Clara University

GERALDEISMAN

2010 RECIPIENT

Director, Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
San Francisco State University

KEVINGRUMBACH

2009 RECIPIENT

Professor and Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine
University of California, San Francisco

CAROLWILKINSON

2007 RECIPIENT

Service Learning Coordinator
MiraCosta College

JULIEFOX

2006 RECIPIENT

Coordinator of Service-Learning
California State University, Stanislaus

TONYMUELLER

2005 RECIPIENT

Director, Community Service Learning
University of Redlands

KATHYO'BYRNE

2004 RECIPIENT

Director, Center for Community Learning
University of California, Los Angeles

JOSECALDERON

2004 RECIPIENT

Associate Professor, Sociology and Chicano Studies
Pitzer College

NADINNECRUZ

2003 RECIPIENT

Former Director, Haas Center for Public Service
Stanford University

ANNIEBOLICK-FLOSS

2002 RECIPIENT

Executive Director, Youth Educational Services
Humboldt State University

MAUREENRUBIN

2001 RECIPIENT

Founding Director, Center for Community Service Learning
California State University, Northridge