每年，全国最成功的社区领导组织之一的大哈特福德领导力组织都会授予几位个人北极星奖，该奖项以北极星的名字命名，北极星为其他人照亮了道路。

2015年的三位获奖者中包括皇冠app学院人类服务专业的学生詹姆斯·蒂尔曼。

蒂尔曼被错误地囚禁了18年多，他有意识地决定不让环境摧毁他内心的自我意识。 把爱和宽恕作为一种生活方式，他寻求为他人服务的方式。 “I learned that you can take everything away from me,” he says, “but you can’t take away my smile, you can’t take away my love of life, and you can’t take away how much I love to encourage others to be the best they can be.”

最终，蒂尔曼洗脱了罪名。 He looked to education as a way of returning to the outside world and learned about the 人类服务 program at Goodwin College.

In June 2015, Tillman was selected as a student Commencement speaker when he received his 公共服务专业副学士学位. His speech, delivered six years to the day of his release, was published in its entirety in the 哈特福德报, which brought him to the attention of the 北极星奖s nominating committee.

Along with fellow recipients Galo Rodriguez, president and CEO of The Village for Families and Children, and Alice Pritchard, executive director of the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund, Tillman was celebrated at a gala at UConn’s Rentschler Field on October 14. Several hundred community leaders watched a video profile on Tillman’s imprisonment, his exoneration thanks to the efforts of The Connecticut Innocence Project, the publishing of his book, 信念的力量, and his life at Goodwin College, where he is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in 人类服务.

In addition to continuing his studies at Goodwin, Tillman has received the Ted Carroll Scholarship so that he can participate in Leadership Greater Hartford’s yearlong Quest program, which brings leaders and advocates together to address needs in the community. “I look forward to continuing to learn in my 人类服务 program at Goodwin,” he said as he accepted his 北极星奖, “and to trying as hard as I can to develop my leadership skills through the Quest program. I have dedicated my life to learning, growing, giving back to the community, and making a difference in the lives of others.”

皇冠app学院社区很自豪能与詹姆斯一起庆祝这一时刻。

点击这里观看视频。