North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr presented Steven MacEachern, a senior in business management, with a Silver Congressional Medal at the E. Carroll Joyner Visitor Center Friday morning.
Chancellor James L. Oblinger attended the ceremony, along with many of MacEachern’s family, friends and professors.
According to MacEachern, the Silver Congressional Medal represents 200 hours of service to the community, including goals he set in other areas such as personal development and physical fitness.
Hugh MacEachern, Steven MacEachern’s father, noted that the award is designed to inspire students to be active in their communities.
“[The Congressional Award] was created by Congress in 1979 to inspire young people in community service,” he said.
U.S. Congressman David Price awarded MacEachern the Bronze Medal for 100 hours of community service in 2000. The gold medal requires 400 hours of community service.
MacEachern indicated he has already started his progress toward a gold medal, which according to him, is awarded on the floor of the U.S. Congress.
“Clearly, Steven is an individual that sets goals and has experience achieving those goals,” Burr said during the presentation. “[MacEachern] is an example of the type of commitment he makes to everything he does in life.”
Oblinger, who introduced Burr, said the senator planned his trip to Raleigh primarily for the award ceremony and “scheduled some other things” around it, which included visiting various colleges on campus.
During Burr’s short speech, he said nationwide, there are 20,000 bronze, silver and gold recipients of the award since its beginning in 1979.
“To date, we have 70 medalists from North Carolina,” he said. “It is an honor to be able to recognize one of those 70.”
He also said there are “over 500 individuals that are in the program and in progress towards medal qualifications [in North Carolina].”
Burr talked about MacEachern’s achievements as a student and as a person who is conscious of the community through his volunteer work at the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and his work on an outdoor classroom at Lake Wheeler.
He also mentioned that MacEachern did a summer internship at a bank, performing various job functions.
“[MacEachern] also improved his racquetball skills … our interesting little point of the day,” Burr said, drawing laughter from the crowd.
Burr expressed his confidence in MacEachern in taking the next step in the Congressional Medal program.
“It is no surprise he would get a silver [medal],” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind he will get the gold medal in Congress.”
Beverly Tyler, one of MacEachern’s professors in business strategy, who also attended the ceremony, used three words to describe her student.
“Respectful, hardworking, observant,” she said.
Burr echoed this sentiment.
“[MacEachern] won’t have a tough time in the job application process [after he graduates in May],” Burr said.
MacEachern said he plans on going straight into the workforce and then getting his MBA after three or four years of working.
He mentioned his respect and admiration for Burr as he said Burr came all the way from Winston-Salem for “the sole purpose” of giving him the award.
“It means a lot,” MacEachern said. “Senator Burr has been known for doing this stuff. He went way out of his way to do this.”
Following Burr’s presentation, MacEachern addressed the crowd of about 20 and reiterated his appreciation for Burr presenting the award in person.
“The fact that [he] took the time out of [his] busy schedule to be with me and my family – it is greatly appreciated,” MacEachern said. “This is a pleasant and memorable experience for me.”