N.C. Wesleyan College senior Meghan Herd was recently honored as a recipient of the Community Impact Student Award presented at a conference of the N.C. Campus Compact at Western Carolina University.

The award recognizes Herd for making “significant, innovative contributions” to efforts by the Wesleyan campus to address local community needs.

Herd also received a Volunteer Certificate of Appreciation from Gov. Bev Perdue and a congratulatory letter from U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-11th District.

Wesleyan joined the N.C. Campus Compact group last summer as part of its effort to increase campus-wide participation in local community service activities. Campus Compact is a statewide coalition of higher education presidents and chancellors that encourages and supports campus engagement in the community.

Herd received her award before an audience of more than 220 college students and guests representing 25 higher education institutions. She came to Wesleyan from Boulder, Colo., and is majoring in sociology, with minors in English and journalism.

Herd is active on campus as president of Ladies of Character, a group dedicated to empowering women on Wesleyan’s campus and in the local community. As a peer leader advisor for incoming freshmen, she assisted with Wesleyan’s freshmen orientation programs and was a mentor for students.

Herd also served as a leader with the N.C. Leadership Conference, offering Wesleyan students a one-day intensive leadership development experience. As a member of Wesleyan’s tennis team, she became an ambassador for Tennis Shoes 4 Africa, an organization headed by Wesleyan’s tennis coach and dedicated to giving children in Africa the resources they need to play tennis and build self-esteem.