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Atlanta, GA | Posted: April 8, 2022
Communications Officer
School of Public Policy | Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Summary Sentence:
Medford is a fourth-year public policy major and social justice minor.
Full Summary:
Medford is a fourth-year public policy major and social justice minor.
Lisa MedfordLisa Medford, a fourth-year public policy major and social justice minor, was awarded the Ivan Allen Jr. Legacy Award for undergraduate students. The award is given to an undergraduate student who embodies the spirit of Georgia Tech alumnus Ivan Allen Jr. (Commerce 1934). Medford is the first public policy student to win the award since 2017.
“The criteria for this award are ‘leadership, engagement, and academic achievement.’ Medford has excelled in all of these categories, working tirelessly to improve the campus culture by bringing creativity, dedication, and knowledge to her tasks,” Richard Barke, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies in the School of Public Policy, wrote in his nomination letter.
Medford came to study public policy at Georgia Tech because of the opportunities she saw on campus and in the greater Atlanta area. During her first semester, Fall 2018, Medford worked for the Democratic Party of Georgia and Stacey Abrams for Governor. She sought to continue her advocacy work while pursuing her bachelor’s degree.
“The Institute's location and stated dedication to serving the Atlanta community drew me into the public policy program,” Medford said. “My time as a public policy student and experiences at Georgia Tech have instilled in me a love for higher learning and have taught me to lean into all opportunities where one can support and lift up another.”
In her time at Tech, Medford has been involved in a number of campus organizations, including Grace House and Pride Alliance. While serving as president of Pride Alliance, she supported the creation of the LGBTQIA Student Emergency Relief Fund, the LGBTQIA Mentorship Program, and the Klaus Progress Pride Staircase at Klaus. She also helped change housing policies on campus to make gender-inclusive housing more accessible.
“I was drawn towards Grace House and Pride Alliance because they vocally practice and value inclusive justice,” Medford said. “I am grateful to be in community and surrounded by the amount of intelligence, curiosity, love, and justice-seeking that occurs on Georgia Tech’s campus.”
Medford also worked with the Office of the Provost and Division of Student Engagement and Well-being, and she is also a Georgia Tech Student Ambassador.
As Medford prepares to graduate this spring, she looks back on her time at Georgia Tech and hopes her work will have a lasting impact.
“I hope my ‘legacy’ at Georgia Tech is a reminder for others to hug their friends often, look up more than down, be your full self, live into kindness, love more, and care for all those around you at the Georgia Institute of Technology,” Medford said.
Medford received the Undergraduate Student Legacy Award at the 2022 Ivan Allen College Distinguished Alumni Awards on April 7. A full list of awardees is available on the Ivan Allen College website.
