PALM Student Group, Farha Ternikar Honored at Peacemaker Awards Ceremony

Published: 

At the annual William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Peacemaker Awards program sponsored by Peace Action Fund of New York State (PAFNYS) in New York City earlier this semester, the student group Peace Action Le Moyne (PALM) and Sociology Professor Farha Ternikar were honored for their work.

PALM received the Don Shaffer Student Peacemaker Award – named for New York peace activist Don Shaffer – that recognizes a campus Peace Action chapter for exceptional organizing work. Le Moyne’s PALM chapter was recognized for its outstanding organizing work in the 2024-2025 school year. Among the activities PALM was involved with was a presentation by Dr. Mohamed Elfar, who discussed his work with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza and held an interactive event to educate students about the dangers of nuclear weapons. The group also led a workshop and campus-wide walkout for a Day Without Immigrants. Accepting the award was PALM President Syd Kellogg ’26, second from left, participating in a panel discussion at the event.

Honored as a “Teach Truth Educator” was Sociology Professor Farha Ternikar. Inspired by Jesse Hagopian’s book, Teach Truth: The Struggle for Antiracist Education, PAFNYS asked members of its network to submit the names of educators “who defend the right to learn and think critically, including teaching the truth about structural racism and sexism.”