Claudia Hardy, center, was presented with the UAB MPA Program's 2015 Hall of Fame Award. Melissa Kendrick, the recipient of the 2014 award, was not present because she was out of the country.At this year’s luncheon the program awarded the MPA Hall of Fame Award for 2014 and 2015, which is given to an alum with at least ten years of experience in a public service career who has exemplified public service values. The 2014 MPA Hall of Fame Award was presented to Ms. Melissa Kendrick, and the 2015 MPA Hall of Fame Award was presented to Ms. Claudia Hardy.Melissa received her MPA in 1993, and is currently the owner of Sojourns Fair-Trade; a store specializing in handmade, fairly traded items from around the world which enables under-served populations to make a living wage and be self-sufficient. While a student in the MPA Program, Melissa’s graduate project was a little-known idea about food reclamation from local restaurants and stores. Today, Melissa’s project has blossomed into Magic City Harvest, an organization that moves over a million pounds of food a year from local restaurants and stores to food kitchens, nonprofit food pantries, and shelters across the Metropolitan Birmingham area.
Claudia received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies in 1992 and her MPA in 1994. Currently Claudia is Program Director of the Deep South Network for the UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she is instrumental in providing health care education, particularly cancer, in rural areas. She has been a voice for those suffering with cancer in remote areas without proper health care, empowering them with the knowledge to make cancer care choices that are best for them. Claudia has worked tirelessly to ensure that under-served populations know the benefits and risks associated with their medical care needs, and that they have access to the type of care providers needed for each patient’s individual needs.
