Eldridge Hawkins Jr. ’01 could have started small, but he refused to ignore the call of opportunity and a struggling community’s need for sweeping change. As a result, the 28-year-old political neophyte was elected mayor of Orange, N.J., last year, and immediately put his signature on the city.

E. Yvonne Baskerville ’74 received the Gordon E. Prichard Award for Volunteer Service, United States Marine Corps Maj. Mark E. Slusher ’90 was given the Harold L. Conover Leadership Award, and Gary Pruden ’83 was presented the Rider University Distinguished Alumnus Award for exceptional professional achievements during the Alumni Awards presentation.

In an effort to raise awareness of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Arthur-Kalala Katalayi held Congo Day: Giving Back to Africa Fundraiser.

Vincent Padalino captured first place in the New Jersey Student Entrepreneur of the Year for 2009 awards at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards, sponsored by Edison Venture Fund, at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison on May 5.

The entire Rider community is invited to attend the Congo Day: Giving Back to Africa Fundraiser on Thursday April 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. in BLC Theater.