The San Luis Obispo League of Women Voters named a Cal Poly student one of San Luis Obispo’s Action Heroes on March 11 for his extensive service in the community and his on-going role as coordinator of the campus conference “Change the Status Quo.”
Graduating business senior York Shingle, along with four other young adults from the San Luis Obispo area, received honors along with a $500 scholarship from the league. Shingle was among more than 100 people nominated by fellow community members to become an Action Hero.
“York really embodies what the SLO Action Heroes Award stands for: Younger people who are trying to make a change in the community, and he has done so much in the four years that he has been at Cal Poly. Much more than almost any of the students I’ve worked with,” said Dan Pronsolino, a Cal Poly employee and keynote speaker at the banquet, in honor of Shingle.
“It felt really good to even be nominated, but then to actually get the award was incredible,” Shingle said. “I felt amazed and proud.”
Every year, the League of Women Voters recognizes local students and community members who are working to better the San Luis Obispo area, Action Hero coordinator Bob McDougle said.
When asked why the League of Women Voters chose Shingle for his work with “Change the Status Quo,” McDougle said, “Because, my God, the guy is a fireball up there at Cal Poly. He gets involved with everything – and that convention was really a big deal, so when we saw the schedule of events, we thought, ‘Wow, these are all things that the league really stands for and supports.'”
“The main goal of the league is to get people to vote, and when we run the booths on campus, (during election time) York is always involved,” he said.
According to the group’s Web site, the League of Women Voters is a “nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy.” The organization sponsors many events in the surrounding community and puts on annual awards ceremonies to recognize people who the league feels have done an outstanding job promoting awareness in the community.
“It was great to see him get recognition from not only from the university, but from the community as well, because almost all of the work he’s done has been in the community,” Pronsolino said.