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.
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
Now accepting nominations for the 2024 Richard E. Cone Award!
Application deadline is Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 4 p.m.
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. He provided a guiding spirit and voice in the development and evolution of LEAD California (formerly known as California Campus Compact) since its beginnings more than 30 years ago. In 1999, we presented Dick Cone with the first Richard E. Cone Award for Excellence & Leadership in Cultivating Community Partnerships in Higher Education.
Click here to read a personal reflection on Dick Cone’s contributions to LEAD California.
2022 RICHARD E. CONE AWARD FOR EMERGING LEADERS RECIPIENT
LEAD California selected Rochelle Smarr, Director, Department of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, CSU San Marcos, as the recipient of the LEAD California 2022 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.
To learn more, view the press release.

“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
RICHARD E. CONE AWARD FOR EMERGING LEADERS IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: HONOREES
Maria Silva
2020 Recipient
Director of Community Partnerships
University of San Diego
Fernando Enciso-Marquez
2018 Recipient
Assistant Director, Community Engaged Learning
University of San Francisco
RICHARD E. CONE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE & LEADERSHIP: HONOREES
Christopher Nayve
2016 Recipient
Director, Karen and Tom Mulvaney Center Assistant Provost
Community Engagement University of San Diego
Pilar Pacheco
2014 Recipient
Associate Director, Center for Community Engagement
CSU Channel Islands
Megan Voorhees
2012 Recipient
Director, Cal Corps Public Service Center
University of California, Berkeley
Gerald Eisman
2010 Recipient
Director, Institute for Civic and Community Engagement
San Francisco State University
Carol Wilkinson
2007 Recipient
Service Learning Coordinator
MiraCosta College
Tony Mueller
2005 Recipient
Director, Community Service Learning
University of Redlands
Jose Calderon
2004 Recipient
Associate Professor, Sociology and Chicano Studies
Pitzer College
Annie Bolick-Floss
2002 Recipient
Executive Director, Youth Educational Services
Humboldt State University
Judy Rauner
2001 Recipient
Former Director, Office for Community Service Learning
University of San Diego
Dick Cone
1999 Recipient
Former Director, Joint Educational Project
University of Southern California
Cheryl McKnight
2015 Recipient
Director, Center for Service Learning, Internships and Civic Engagement
CSU Dominguez Hills
Seth Pollack
2013 Recipient
Director, Service-Learning Institute
CSU Monterey Bay
Laurie Laird
2011 Recipient
Associate Director, Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education
Santa Clara University
Kevin Grumbach
2009 Recipient
Professor and Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine
University of California, San Francisco
Julie Fox
2006 Recipient
Coordinator of Service-Learning
California State University, Stanislaus
Kathy O’Byrne
2004 Recipient
Director, Center for Community Learning
University of California, Los Angeles
Nadinne Cruz
2003 Recipient
Former Director, Haas Center for Public Service
Stanford University
Maureen Rubin
2001 Recipient
Founding Director, Center for Community Service Learning
California State University, Northridge
Chris Fiorentino
2000 Recipient
Director, Students for Community Service
California State University, Fresno