Emily Burns Perryman received a 2018 Student Service Award at the college’s Student Wellness Retreat, April 5-7, in Albany, N.Y.

With concern for social issues such as systemic racism, fear of immigrants, poverty, pay inequity, misogyny and violence against women and others, Perryman stepped up to respond to the needs she saw by co-founding a nonprofit called Unite by Night. This nonprofit, now a year in operation, celebrates diversity and encourages “frank but respectful conversations about difficult and contentious topics.” The organization partners with local nonprofits that share similar values and missions, including its first community partner, the National Federation for Just Communities of Western New York (NFJCWNY), for which she is now an active board member. The NFJCWNY is a human relations organization dedicated to overcoming racism, bias and discrimination by building understanding, respect and trust through education, advocacy and community.

Perryman is earning her master’s degree in Social and Public Policy.

Unite by Night focuses on getting young professionals involved in advocacy and social justice issues. Perryman is proud of her work on behalf of Unite by Night, especially having been invited by SUNY, along with a representative of the NFJCWNY, to be a non-academic presenter at the SUNY Diversity Conference held in Albany in late 2017.

As director of marketing and public relations for Trocaire College, a small Catholic institution with 80 percent female enrollment, Perryman has taken to heart the Sisters of Mercy values, although she describes herself as “non-religious.” Those values dovetail with those of Unite by Night and other community projects

Another important area of service for Perryman includes her membership in the Allentown Village Society, a nonprofit organization that produces an annual arts festival in Buffalo and funds numerous arts-related scholarships and grants for students pursuing education in the arts, as well as local K-12 arts educators. The group primarily comprises older adults and has taught Perryman the value of cross-generational friendships. She believes that “human beings have so much to learn from one another and stand to become better people by appreciating and attempting to understand other people’s experiences, values and opinions.”

Recipients of the Service Award must be a matriculated student at the college and have a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA. They also must list up to three organizations in which they have significant service and involvement.