The Tennessee Higher Education Commission honored a UT Martin faculty member for outstanding community service work, April 23, in Nashville. Dr. John Schommer, a mathematics professor, received a Love Community Service Award after being selected from a group of Tennessee college and university nominees.

Schommer, who has taught at UT Martin since 1994, was honored for his work with Habitat for Humanity and the Catholic Diocese of Memphis’ Jackson Deanery Development Committee for Social Ministries. Ten individuals, including five faculty/staff members and five students, received the awards during a reception at the Tennessee Higher Education Commission offices.

“Concern for others clearly defines John Schommer’s ongoing volunteer efforts to make our community and our region better places in which to live and work,” said Dr. Tom Rakes, UT Martin chancellor. “His unselfish volunteer work is appropriately recognized by this prestigious award.”

Schommer began his work with Habitat for Humanity in spring 1999. Since then, his service to the organization includes assisting with home construction, forming and advising a UT Martin student Habitat chapter and serving as board treasurer for the Weakley County Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Possibly his most noteworthy Habitat for Humanity achievement is securing and administering a $25,000 grant for the construction of the local affiliate’s first ADA-compliant house.

His service with the Jackson Deanery Development Committee for Social Ministries involves the committee’s mission to award grants to charitable organizations throughout West Tennessee. Many ecumenical organizations have benefited from the committee’s work, and in 2005, Schommer was elected committee chair. Ongoing work with the committee includes trying to solve a common problem experienced by many charitable ministries – assisting needy clients with utility bills.

Schommer expressed “surprise all the way around” at both being nominated and then receiving the award. Reflecting on his own experiences, he urges others to become involved in community service, even if for no better reason than “because it makes you feel good.”

“The hard truth, though, is that the deeper you wade into community service, the more challenging, exasperating and frustrating you’ll find it,” he said. “At the same time, it’s also remarkably rewarding to be part of a team solving problems.

“You’ll never be busier, and you’ll never be happier. You sleep hard, you wake up, and the community is already a better place in which to live, just because you’ve been working at it.”
Schommer’s recognition brings the total to 25 students, faculty and staff members from UT Martin recognized by the THEC Love Community Service Awards programs.