Prioress Sister Stephanie Schmidt, (left) presented Dr. Alice Edwards, (right) chair of the department of Anthropology and World Languages and Professor of Spanish at Mercyhurst University, with the Benedictine Sisters' 2024 Prophet of Peace Award on Sunday, September 21 during a special evening prayer. Oblate Mary Hembrow Snyder, longtime friend and colleague of Alice, nominated her for the award writing, that "Alice is the epitome of someone who listens deeply with the ear of her heart, a practice foundational to Benedictine spirituality. To whom does she listen? Anyone in need of her compassion, her honesty, her wisdom. That includes family, friends, colleagues, students, refugees, abused women, those grieving the loss of a loved one, and many more. She is a beloved inspiration to all who know her."
In her remarks in accepting the award, Alice recounted the beginnings of her connection with the Benedictine Sisters forty years ago. "I don't remember how Sister Pat Lupo and Sister Annette Marshall got my phone number," she said, "It was the late 1980s. And I heard Sister Pat ask me if I could interpret for a Salvadoran asylum seeker. The Benedictine community had begun to collaborate with the sanctuary movement, assisting Central American refugees fleeing the civil wars that were ravaging the region. And I said yes, which I learned is what happens when a Benedictine calls you and asks you to do something, even if it's something challenging that you fear you might not be up for. And I spent the next several years accompanying Salvadoran women to counseling sessions and doctor's appointments, honing my Spanish, learning so much about the struggles of that region and its people, and forming friendships. This early experience still informs my teaching on Latin America and my work with immigrants and refugees in Erie."
Alice's work in the community includes serving on the board of the Multicultural Community Resource Center where she is currently board president; serving as secretary of the board of the Script Project, an organization working to create culturally responsive spaces in our community, and a member of the planning committee for the Amerimasala Festival, a multicultural arts celebration which honors the value and dignity of all people. She has led student groups to do service at the Misión de Amistad in Mérida, Mexico, a sister city of Erie, and a community in which many Benedictines have also served.
