On Friday, Oct. 24, Class of 1976 alumna Nancy Dering Mock received the Service Through Professional Achievement Award of 2014. The ceremony took place during the President’s Dinner held at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown.
The Alumni Council selected Mock as one of three recipients of the Educate for Service Awards. Rachel Jones Williams (’06) received the Service to the College Award for 2014, and James H. Buford (’80) received the Service to Humanity Award.
“In the eyes of the Alumni Council, [Mock’s] accomplishments and achievements throughout her professional life have been notable on regional and national levels,” Mark Clapper, the director of Alumni Relations, said.
Mock currently runs her own consulting practice, Nancy Mock, Inc. Mock founded the Dering Consulting Group, which worked with the United States government on local, regional and national issues for thirteen years, as well as in Argentina and Zimbabwe. In addition, she worked as Deputy Secretary for Human Resources and Management in the Governor’s Executive Offices for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2007 and has since worked in governmental human resources leadership positions.
Mock has served on the Boards of the Harrisburg Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Young Women’s Christian Association of Greater Harrisburg, the Harrisburg Symphony and Leadership Harrisburg Area. Recently, she served on the Board and Executive Committee of the United Way of the Capital Region, the Cultural Enrichment Fund Board, the Board of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities and on the Board of Advisors for Harrisburg Young Professionals.
In 2004, Mock became an honoree of the YWCA’s Tribute to Women of Excellence. She was also named one of Central Penn Business Journal’s 2012 Women of Influence. She is the 2013 recipient of the American Society of Public Administration’s Lifetime Achievement Award in the Central Pennsylvania chapter. Mock also received the United Way of the Capital Region’s Volunteer Leadership Award in 2013.
The Educate for Service awards are given to “alumni who exemplify the foundation of the Elizabethtown College spirit and legacy of education,” Clapper said. Starting in 1966, this honor is awarded annually to alumni of the College. It is considered the highest award given to alumni. The Alumni Council coordinates the awards so that they embody the College’s motto, “Educate for Service.”
Three awards are presented for three distinct areas of service: Service Through Professional Achievement, Service to the College and Service to Humanity. Consideration for the Service Through Professional Achievement Award comes from a list of criteria, including having published books or recognized journals in their field, achieving notable success in their profession or continuing their professional and personal growth through continued research and education.
The nominees are evaluated by the alumni who comprise the Awards Committee, which is a standing committee of the Alumni Council, the governing body of the Elizabethtown College Alumni Association.
The Awards Committee considers alumni who have been nominated for the awards, selects a number of candidates and presents these individuals to the full membership of the Alumni Council. The full Council votes on the final awardees during their Winter Meeting, held in early February. Alumni, faculty or staff can nominate qualified persons by submitting forms that are available on the College Alumni page.
Any alumnus is eligible for an award in any or all of the three categories, as long as they have not previously received an award in that category and are not part of the Alumni Council, Leadership Council or Board of Trustees. The nominations for this year are still open until Nov. 15.
