Philip Canady, a senior business major, won this year’s Ichabod Honors during Washburn University’s 2023 Homecoming Celebration.

“Everyone nominated was deserving of it. It was surprising for me that I got it,” Canady said.

Canady has been active in various organizations. He has volunteered with organizations like Harvesters, Boys and Girls Club and the Kansas Students Discovery Center. Out of all these, he especially recalls his high school years when he used to spend his summer vacation in YMCA summer camp.

“A lot of the kids in [the] YMCA came from families that were going through difficult times. Seeing how they deal with hardships that I never had to deal with allowed me to see things I normally would not see,” Canady said.

Volunteering is not just an activity; it’s a commitment to making a positive difference in the community. Canady supports the idea of becoming a passionate volunteer activist who embodies this spirit of service. He recommends everyone to try volunteering in something.

“If everyone expected payment for everything, I think the world wouldn’t be as good,” Canady said.

Canady shared his experience volunteering in the past. He spent his holidays and school days working for different organizations and social engagement.

“All I did before getting a job two years ago was volunteer work. I think such opportunities allow us to be more human,” Canady said.

Kristine Hart is the director of Learning in the Community which is a Washburn center for community and civic engagement. She wrote the recommendation letter for Canady to be the Ichabod of Honor this year.

“I was very happy to write that letter because Philip is really unique in the way that he looks at the community,” Hart said. “He is social but he does not brag about some of the things that he does and I think that is really something special.”

Hart mentioned that Canady participates in the LinC Bonner Scholar Program, which is where students commit at least three years and do at least 1,000 hours of community engagement with a non profit, a public or a governmental organization.

“When you think of what we would want in a student to become, I think Philip really exemplifies that,” Hart said.

Isaiah Bryant-Collier is the director for Office of Student Involvement and Development. He shares his experience of getting to know Canady through the years.

“I have known Phil for over two years. He is passionate about working in the organization,” Bryant-Collier said.

Collier said that Canady worked for the Multicultural Intersectional Learning Space which is under the umbrella of OSID. Canady has planned and implemented most of the programming as it pertains to the MILS.

Canady wants to continue giving back to his communities and working in Topeka in the future.

Edited by Sydney Peterson and Jayme Thompson