Andy Walker, a prominent community leader and Allegheny College’s inaugural executive director for economic, civic & community engagement, has been named with honors to the 2024 Pennsylvania Impact Award List. The award will be presented by Susan Tomlinson, publisher of City & State Pennsylvania, the sponsors of the annual Impact Awards program, at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Old City in Philadelphia tonight. Matthew P. Stinson, vice president for institutional advancement at Allegheny College, will give remarks about effective collaborations that strengthen communities and introduce the presentation of the awards to an audience of 200 high-impact leaders and institutions.
The Pennsylvania Impact Awards honor 57 socially responsible Pennsylvanians across a wide range of sectors as selected by the editorial staff of City & State magazine. All have business or affiliates in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and demonstrate one or more of the principles of social responsibility including: Charity, Community Engagement, Customer Service, Diversity & Inclusion, Equity, Ethics, Transparency, Sustainability and Volunteerism.
Andy Walker (left) and Matthew Stinson, Vice President for Institutional Advancement (right)
Building on a successful record as former city manager and city clerk of the City of Meadville, Walker has provided leadership and strategy for the College’s robust investment in Meadville, Crawford County and the region. Walker is being recognized for his collaborations to develop strategies and programs that generate greater economic development opportunities. This year, he was instrumental in the stakeholder engagement and planning process that resulted in the formation and launch of the Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation (MCRC). The MCRC is an independent nonprofit organization that aims to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing Meadville’s Central Business District and to develop a vision and multi-year strategy to improve and advance a vibrant downtown.
“Andy Walker’s energy and dedication to Allegheny College and the Meadville Community Revitalization Corporation reinforces just how much can be accomplished when campus and community leaders come together to address shared interests, which is the embodiment of the Pennsylvania Impact Award,” said Allegheny College President Ron Cole. “We are proud of Andy’s commitment to facilitating Allegheny College’s Strategic Pathway goal to grow local and regional economic development that continues to meet the needs of current and future residents and businesses, draws talent to our region, and serves as a destination for our students, families and visitors.”
Walker was recently appointed to the HUD + Higher Ed Engagement Think Tank, a group of 30 strategic professionals who lead activities and provide guidance for a new higher education-focused collaboration announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Campus Compact. The HUD + Higher Ed Engagement Network’s goals include worker empowerment, maternal and infant health, eviction prevention, landlord outreach, housing security and access, broadband access and digital literacy and cultural competency.
He joined the Allegheny College staff in April 2021 following previous experience with the City of Meadville as city manager and executive director of the Redevelopment Authority. He is a 2000 graduate of Allegheny College with a B.S. in environmental science and a double minor in political science and German.
Walker’s award comes as Allegheny College just launched its $250 million comprehensive campaign, In for Allegheny: Our Pathway Forward, the College’s most significant campaign in its 209-year history, to support and achieve the goals of its Strategic Pathway. This roadmap into the future will guide and ensure that the College and its graduates positively affect their communities, the workplace, and the world around them. To date $130 million has been raised towards this campaign.
