Volunteer USI celebrated its 2024 award recipients and dedicated volunteer community during the annual Volunteer USI Recognition Dinner on Wednesday, August 21. This year, more than 610 volunteers were invited to celebrate their involvement.
Volunteer USI recognizes three award recipients each year who have contributed outstanding service to USI and/or the community. The award categories recognized are Volunteer of the Year, Mentor of the Year and Student Volunteer of the Year.
Volunteer of the Year – Lauren Perigo ’13 M’24
Perigo graduated magna cum laude in 2013 with degrees in German studies, mathematics and a certificate in accountancy and earned an MBA in 2024, all from USI. She is a Director at Bridge Alternatives in Evansville.
A devoted alumna, Perigo served as a USI Accounting Circle Young Professional from 2019-21. While a member, she supported USI students, faculty, and staff in identifying objectives, strategies, goals, curriculum components and opportunities related to the Accounting and Professional Services Program.
She has used the skills she developed at USI to become a leader in the community. After serving as a board member for the Warrick Humane Society, she saw a need for more engagement between the dogs and the community. In 2019, she created the “Warrick Tails on Trails” program. Each Saturday morning, Perigo coordinates up to 50 volunteers to help dogs get the exercise they need, walking trails in Warrick County.
Her leadership has fostered an inclusive group of volunteers united by their love of animals. Often, dog walkers fall in love with their next family member and adopt a dog because of this program. Tails on Trails continued through the COVID pandemic, offering an opportunity for community members to socialize and exercise at a distance.
One of her five nominators writes, “Lauren’s contributions to USI and the community are a testament to her dedication and passion for making a positive impact on the world. Her volunteer work has not only improved the lives of animals and community members but has also promoted a sense of social responsibility as people learn more about rescuing animals and become advocates themselves.”
Mentor of the Year – Lindsey Mehringer ’10
Mehringer received degrees in radiologic and imaging sciences and health services from USI in 2010. She is a sonographer at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville and is credentialed in abdominal, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatric and vascular sonography. She is one of only 16 people credentialed in all four of these specialties in Indiana.
Mehringer has significantly impacted USI and the greater community through her mentoring activities. As a clinical preceptor at Ascension St. Vincent Evansville, she is responsible for coordinating clinical educational experience and communicating with the sonography faculty at USI. She graciously works with sonography students each semester, which allows the sonography program to provide quality clinical educational experience for its students.
She mentored 13 diagnostic medical sonography students in the past year, devoting more time than anyone else in the program.
Overseeing these students requires a substantial time commitment. Sonography students participate in clinical education for eight-hour shifts, three to four days per week. She does this in addition to her responsibilities as the department’s lead sonographer, which includes scanning patients, assisting the radiologists in performing invasive procedures, and creating work and call schedules. Lindsey has been instrumental in the sonography program’s national certification exam pass rate of 100%. She also has served as adjunct faculty for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.
Her nominator writes, “Lindsey is an alumna of the program of which she now serves as a mentor. This makes her an ideal teacher and role model as she has experienced the exact same educational journey as her mentees and is able to empathize with them in their struggles and triumphs.”
Student Volunteer of the Year – Tamia Smith
Smith is a senior psychology major with three minors: Africana studies, sociology and Spanish.
She is highly respected among her peers and is known throughout the campus community for the relationships she has built during her time at USI.
Smith joined the Student Ambassador Organization during the Spring Semester of her freshman year. Her work with this organization has been vital to the University’s recruitment efforts. In her first semester as an Ambassador, she was recognized as the Top New Member for her outstanding volunteer efforts, having donated more time to the program than any other Ambassador. For the past two years, she has been recognized as the Top Overall Ambassador. Smith is quick to provide extra tours to groups visiting campus.
As current President of the Student Government Association, she dedicates time to ensuring students have a voice on campus. One of her main goals for the 2024-25 academic year is to continue creating diverse spaces for students of all races, ethnicities, genders and sexualities to be seen and heard.
As a mentor for the Emerging Leaders program, Smith helped future campus leaders harness their strengths and identify ways to create a positive impact on our campus. She also assisted with coordinating social events, a retreat and a ceremony for graduating members. She planned weekly leadership sessions for 40 first-year students, all in addition to mentoring participants and attending weekly meetings.
In addition to these volunteer efforts, Smith is involved in USI’s Riley Dance Marathon, serves as an Orientation Leader for incoming new students and participates in the Black Student Union.
Her nominator writes, “Tamia exemplifies our culture of care on campus in her interactions with families as a Student Ambassador. During large scale events, Tamia is often one of the last Ambassadors to leave because as she is so engaged with the families; she ensures all their questions are answered and they have seen everything they want to see. She truly understands what it means to support her community and finds ways that set a positive example for all students on campus.”
