Melania Trump was awarded “Woman of Distinction” by Palm Beach Atlantic University despite all the boycott and protests from the student bodies, who tried their best to stop her from receiving the honor.
In her address to the lunch given by the university as a part of the annual Women of Distinction ceremony, the First Lady said she was honored to receive the award, the Hill reported.
The award is given to the women “who cherish community and family and want to preserve these ideals for others.”
Mentioning her Be Best initiative, focused to put a stop to online harassment and drug abuse in children, Melania said: “As the First Lady of the United States, it is a great honor to serve the people of this incredible country.”
“When we teach our children to cherish our values and care for each other, they are better prepared to carry on Americans’ legacy of compassion, service, and patriotism,” she added.
The Women of Distinction event was started in 1991 and so far, Melania Trump is the first First Lady to have received the award.
During the event, the university said that her Be Best initiative is in line with their “emphasis on encouraging the potential of each person.”
On the other hand, students of the institution opposed the decision, making a point that the award is meant for women who charitably give to the community.
According to Tyler Whitehead, the president of the university’s College Democrat Group, a “vast majority” of faculty and students of the university were not happy with the decision.
“The vast majority of students and faculty that I have spoken to about the decision were disappointed by what seems to be a politically-motivated move on the university’s part,” said Whitehead, in her statement.
One student, Graysen Boehning, told The Hill that “this award has historically gone to women whose character and impact in Palm Beach has shaped the culture of our home, and I have not been convinced that the first lady’s character or impact here is worthy of that recognition, …
“While many students were excited that the school was bringing in the First Lady of the United States to speak, others felt that her character was not representative of the community of love for people of all backgrounds and beliefs that PBA houses and fosters.”
The vice president of the school’s College Republicans Group, Austin Gergen, raised the point that the decision of the university to award Melania was a bit too much “donor-oriented.”
“I’ve talked to other students who believe this will tank their chances at graduate school, and I definitely think they’re overreacting, but I understand their concern,” said Austin.
“Overall, I think this was most likely a donor-oriented decision rather than a moral one.”
There have been a number of instances in which students opposed awarding of honors to the Trump family as well as the Trump administration.
The examples include Mike Pence’s commencement address at Notre Dame, and when Supreme court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was asked by George Mason University to deliver lectures to a class in England in the summers.
Replaced!