BASW student Thomas Green receives the Rod Hagenbuch Award

UW Tacoma Chancellor Debra Friedman announced on May 15th that BASW senior Thomas Green is the recipient of the 2011-12 Rod Hagenbuch Award.

Rod Hagenbuch worked diligently to establish the UW Tacoma campus, and each year this award is given to the senior whom, through distinguished volunteer service to the community or UW Tacoma, best exemplifies the university’s ideal of service combined with learning.

Thomas’ nomination is due to his amazing advocacy on behalf of the homeless. He was very active in helping to bring about legislation to prevent the homeless from being attacked physically and verbally due to their homelessness. He was asked to testify before a legislative committee on more than one occasion about this legislation and when the legislation passed, he was asked to be present when it was signed into law by the governor.

Thomas now has a reputation among those in the community who work on issues related to homelessness as a strong advocate and articulate speaker for that population. He has just been notified that he will receive a full scholarship to the Washington State Low Income Housing Alliance conference in Yakima in May.

In addition, Thomas won the Bringing Washington Home Advocate of the Year award and has been asked to take a leadership role at Bringing Washington Home Advocacy Awards event this year on May 31st in South Seattle.

Thomas has just been hired by Access Point 4 Housing at Associated Ministries as a Housing Specialist. Congratulations Thomas!