An assistant professor at the University of Alabama, Suzanne Horsley, will be honored at the White House on Friday.
She's one of nine people being recognized as "Champions of Change" for the time and effort they have devoted to the American Red Cross.
A White House spokesman said Horsley is a long-time volunteer and she spent many days working at a Red Cross shelter in Tuscaloosa after the killer tornado in April 2011 even though her own home was damaged She and her public relations students launched a fundraising effort for Red Cross disaster relief. They also continued to serve after the tornado by managing her chapter's public relations and social media presence.
Horsley said she's honored that the award recognizes the service-learning projects that she does in her classes.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.