The Jean O’Connor-Snyder Award
The Jean O'Connor-Snyder Award is given by the David Mathews Center for Civic Life to honor an Alabama community leader who has empowered others in the tradition of educator and civic leader Jean O'Connor-Snyder, who served as Director of Events and Protocol and Assistant Director for Development at the University of Alabama, her alma mater. During that time, she mentored undergraduates who participated in the Capstone Men and Crimson Girls programs, which were later combined and renamed Capstone Men and Women. Dr. David Mathews said that O'Connor-Snyder had trained “a generation of students in the art of citizenship.”
2025 Jean O’Connor-Snyder Recipient
Lauren Cochran is the Coordinator of the Office of Civic Engagement at Troy University where she oversees community engagement programs. Civic Engagement’s core initiatives include Campus Kitchens Food Recovery & Distribution, Garden and Nutrition Education, Civic Lab, Democracy Project and Bright Futures College and Career Program. She developed the Civic Scholars program, an immersive volunteer opportunity, where students serve in leadership roles for the initiatives above, deepening the impact of students in the Troy community. Lauren teaches civic engagement courses, manages the university’s minor in Civic and Community Engagement, and serves as a faculty mentor of the Jean O’Conner-Snyder Internship Program with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. She co-founded the Trojan Pantry and is a member of statewide and university student basic needs coalitions. A native of Mobile, Ala., she is a two-time Troy University graduate and advocate for local schools and nonprofits. She and her husband Rick have been married for 18 years and are passionate about fostering faith and community among college students. They have two sons, Ben and Elliott.
The Office of Civic Engagement provides students opportunities to make a difference in their local community while applying knowledge acquired in the classroom to develop skills in civic action and service.
Civic Lab and Democracy Project
Civic Lab is a mentoring program hosted in partnership with Charles Henderson Middle School. This program seeks to bring deliberative discussion to middle school classrooms to focus on community inclusion. Civic Scholars participating in the mentoring program must are required to serve for at least one semester. During the academic school year, college students facilitate discussions and mentor students each semester.
The Democracy Project is a campus engagement initiative which focuses on engaging college students through a variety of platforms. These engagement platforms include discussions, film, social media, and opinion polls.
Civic Heroes Summer Camp
Civic Engagement hosts a week-long summer camp for 3rd-5th grade students each July. Campers learn the basics of American government, characteristics of a good citizen and how to be an active part of their community. They have the opportunity to meet and learn from local community heroes each day.
How You Can Support the Trojan Pantry
Help the Trojan Pantry serve students by providing food, hygiene and school supply items to ensure the lack of access to basic needs is not a barrier to academic success.
Here's the impact your gift supports:
The pantry serves 50 student visits each week
Distributes over 500 lbs. of food, hygiene, and school supplies weekly
More than 75% of surveyed students say the pantry improved their academic success—helping them attend class, focus, improve grades, and stay enrolled.
Ways to Give:
Alumni, Family and Friends - Schedule a Monthly $5 Gift
Faculty and Staff - Payroll Deduction
