Alicia Lenon didn't mean to walk into the Alonzo A. Crim Center for Urban Educational Excellence located in the College of Education, but when she did, she saw a familiar face on the wall behind the reception desk.

"I was actually looking for another department and I saw Dr. Crim's portrait on the wall," she said. "He was the superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools when I was a student in grade school. As soon as I walked into the Crim Center and saw the images of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his mentor, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, I knew I was at home. I was in a place where I could carry the torch that Dr. Crim lit for us to carry and share in our present communities."

It wasn't long before Lenon became a fixture in the center, working on grant proposals and awards, sharing her insights on urban issues in education and making a difference for students with disabilities - all while continuing her studies in the college's Department of Educational Psychology and Special Education.

Lenon is studying deaf education with Susan Easterbrooks, a COE professor who specializes in language, literacy and learning in deaf children. This subject hits close to home with Lenon, who herself is deaf.

Through her work in the Crim Center and in her program studies, Lenon has worked with a number of teachers, parents, faculty and students, gaining insight not only into how to work with children with disabilities but also how to advocate for their rights.

It's her attitude and dedication to her work that won Lenon the 2011 Sparks Award from Georgia State University. Named for Dr. George McIntosh Sparks, the university's first president, the Sparks Award is given to a faculty, staff or student who exemplifies a willingness to go the extra mile with good humor and perseverance.

To continue reading about Lenon and her work in the COE, click here.  

Photo caption: Alicia Lenon's work in the Crim Center and her degree program earned her the Sparks Award from Georgia State University.