Kim Carrell-Smith

Nominated by:
Emma Lewis

Comments from nominator:
Kim would move mountains for her Community Fellows. And in a year that's as unusual and challenging for both students and faculty as 2020 has been, the degree of support that Kim provides is truly incredible. Even though I don't feel connected to or a part of the Lehigh community during this first semester of my graduate studies, my relationship with Kim has made me feel seen, heard, and cared for. And she should be recognized and celebrated for that.

Mentor comments:
Mentoring Community Fellows means guiding students through a matching process in which they find a good fit for their yearlong placement with a nonprofit or local government office, and then helping students understand and navigate the world of nonprofits or local government as they develop constructive community engagement skills, and learn to work in professional settings where passion, time, and energy are at a premium. Fellows also juggle a full-time grad school courseload, so I encourage and support them as they seek personal and professional balance, learn from the challenges, and celebrate triumphs, large and small. I love that mentoring is not a one way street: over the last 20 years I've found my life enriched by each student's experience because I learn new things through their questions, observations, and discoveries. And I continue to learn from them, as Community Fellow alums go on to become nonprofit and government leaders who foster systems change and social justice in the Lehigh Valley, as well as nationally and globally.