Congratulations to Alex Rutherford from the Department of History, who has been awarded the University of South Carolina’s prestigious Martin Luther King Day Social Justice Award. Alex, who is currently on exchange from Warwick, was nominated for the Social Justice Award by his Gospel Choir professor, Dr. Carl Wells, for his positive impact on the organization.

According to the nomination form for the award, its objective is “to recognize individuals who have exemplified the philosophies of Dr. King through random or ongoing acts of community service, social justice or racial reconciliation. Social justice endeavors to work for a world which gives individuals and groups equal treatment and an equal share in the benefits of society. It also can refer to the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society.”

Alex’s energy and enthusiasm for Gospel Choir have attracted almost ten new members for the semester. Not only is he a vocal advocate for Gospel Choir, he has extensive community service experience, both here in South Carolina and even more so back in London.

Alex’s community service efforts are wide-ranging, working with both children and the elderly. He has served as a class mentor, a teacher’s assistant for severely disabled children (mental and physical), and a tutor for children with severe learning difficulties. He has also worked in a senior citizens home and participates actively in church services.

As a history major with a focus on African American studies, Alex has taken numerous courses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and says he hopes to “ensure social justice just like him” in the future.