A committee made up of representatives of both Southwestern and the Georgetown community has been selected to receive Southwestern’s eighth annual Martha Diaz Hurtado College Town Award.

The award was created in 2006 to recognize citizens, organizations or businesses whose exemplary efforts have enhanced the “college town” environment for students, faculty and staff at Southwestern. Previous recipients of the award include the Williamson County Sun, the Downtown Georgetown Association, former mayor Gary Nelon and Chamber of Commerce President Mel Pendland, Dr. Doug Benold, Ellsworth Peterson, Esther Weir, and Barbara and George Brightwell. The award is named for a long-time Southwestern University employee who was also very active in the community.

The 2013 College Town Award is going to the College Town Committee, which includes nearly 20 representatives from local businesses, city offices and nonprofit organizations as well as staff members from throughout Southwestern. The committee has been meeting regularly since 2003 to find ways to connect Southwestern to the greater Georgetown community.

“Due to the tenacity and leadership of the College Town Committee since that time, great strides have been made in the interaction between the Georgetown community and students, staff and faculty of the university,” said President Jake B. Schrum.

The current chair of the committee is Bob Villarreal, who owns the local Cici’s Pizza franchise. Villarreal will accept the award on behalf of the committee Feb. 1 at the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.

“This is a tremendous honor for our group,” Villarreal said. “It has been terrific working with this group of leaders who are determined to make a positive impact on our entire community.”

Bob Weimer, a former business owner who now represents the Georgetown Advocate newspaper on the committee, has been involved with the group since its inception. “This is a moment we have all waited for,” Weimer said. “Many hours have been involved in the effort to make Georgetown a university town and not just a town with a university in it. I am more than proud to be a long-standing member of this group.”

President Schrum is hosting a reception on campus Feb. 21 to recognize all the members of the College Town Committee.