Senior tapped for Pearson Prize

Helping others is Patrick Wiggin's life goal
By Eric Gorton ('86, '09M)

Patrick Wiggins ('11) likes helping people who cannot help themselves, and he's become quite good at it. So good, in fact, that the Pearson Foundation is giving Wiggins a $10,000 scholarship. Wiggins is one of 20 students nationwide, and the only one from Virginia, to be awarded the scholarship that recognizes students for their leadership and community service. More than 10,000 students applied for the scholarship.

The Pearson Foundation is the nonprofit arm of Pearson, an international media company with 37,000 employees in more than 60 countries. Wiggins is a biology major who wants to become a physician. On Aug. 4-6, he joined the other Pearson Prize winners at the Pearson Student Leadership Summit in Boston. The scholarship provides $5,000 for this school year, and Wiggins will be eligible next fall for another $5,000, which he can use for graduate school.

The Richmond, Va., native says he thinks the scholarship award committee was particularly impressed with his efforts at organizing a weeklong shelter for homeless people in Harrisonburg last spring. Representatives from eight campus organizations hosted the homeless at the JMU Catholic Campus Ministry. The groups provided meals, companionship and laundry services. Wiggins spent a year organizing the week, signing up volunteers and assigning duties. The only time he spent away from the shelter that week was to attend class, and he had three exams.

Wiggins calls this his "greatest accomplishment." It's easy to get "trapped in the college atmosphere," he adds. "This served as a way to step out of our bubble and see poverty first-hand. The level of empathy increased so much." Wiggins had to write four 700-word essays in the first round of the Pearson Prize application process. For the second round, he had to produce a two-minute video about why he should get the award and post it on YouTube.

The shelter project was far from being Wiggins' first foray into community service. He spends part of every Tuesday interpreting Spanish at the Harrisonburg Free Clinic and works on Wednesdays in the soup kitchen at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. His parents introduced him to community service at age 7, taking him to work in a Richmond soup kitchen. "I love being able to help people who have trouble helping themselves," says Wiggins.

Creating a brighter future

Like many JMU students, Wiggins applied himself to community service that enhances academic knowledge while making a positive difference in the lives of others. In fact, many students choose to come to Madison to find their way to Be the Change.

JMU donors' generous contributions to scholarship funds are another way to Be the Change. After all, giving to scholarships provides a chance to build a brighter future by investing in the people who will shape it.