Quehl-Engel ’89 to receive ‘Neighbor’ Award

Cornell College Chaplain Catherine Quehl-Engel ’89 has been chosen to receive the 2016 Percy and Lileah Harris “Who is My Neighbor” Award.

The award is given annually by St. Paul’s United Methodist Church of Cedar Rapids in conjunction with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. She will receive the award at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids.

“In light of the deep and grave international challenges confronting all of us as human beings, Catherine has increasingly become central to the vital conversations about what it means to express our love for, and understanding of, everyone,” wrote Cornell College President Jonathan Brand in his letter nominating Quehl-Engel for the award. “Catherine is deeply committed to interfaith understanding, not just as a core learning goal for our students, but as a central way of life. She lives the culture we aspire to maintain and is recognized and respected for the ways that she selflessly serves others.”

The award is named for Dr. Percy and Lileah Harris, longtime residents of Cedar Rapids. Both of them were very active in the community, working for civil rights, education, and social justice. Dr. Harris practiced medicine in Cedar Rapids for 40 years, and also served as the longtime Linn County medical examiner. He was the city’s first African-American doctor and was the first African-American to serve on the Iowa Board of Regents.

The award is given annually to a Linn County resident who acts out of a religious faith base, is caring and compassionate, is community oriented, is a good neighbor and seeks justice for all.