2023 William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award Nomination - Jeremy Zittlau

Jeremy Zittlau is one of the 2023 recipients of the William Muir Edwards award.

Fifth year civil engineering co-op student Jeremy Zittlau says that from a young age, his parents embodied a spirit of selflessness. In observing them, he explains, he learned the importance of community for social, mental and spiritual well being. 

“They instilled in me a belief that humans are designed to live in compassionate communities,” he says. “I have discovered the joy of serving others with a glad heart and I try my best to be mindful of any ways that I can help those around me.”

Described as a natural leader among his peers, Jeremy has an affinity for the marginalized in society, actively seeking opportunities for connection and conversation where all perspectives are welcomed and valued. A deeply spiritual person, he has organized experiences for students to connect with their spirituality in ways that suit their personalities, such as nature walks, contemplative exercises and other activities tailored to individual needs. 

It is through volunteering that Jeremy finds true expression to the lessons he learned as a child. He cites three major ongoing volunteer positions, as well as many temporary, short-time experiences, but describes his work with PALM Ministries, which he has volunteered with as a tutor for 12 years, as the one that has defined his life. 

“PALM Ministries is an organization that helps newcomers to Canada get settled, especially refugees and poorer immigrants,” says Jeremy. “I’ll happily help with any subject, but as an engineering student, my area of expertise is high school math and science. This position builds community by lifting up children and families who, on their own, wouldn't have the resources to find a footing in our country.”

Jeremy’s church has a sister church, called Principe de Paz (Prince of Peace) located in the slums of Tijuana. He describes his volunteer work with the church in 2015, 2017 and 2019 as his second life-defining volunteer experience. 

“I travelled to Tijuana to quite literally build community by helping construct homes for families who might have previously lived in a house made of tires and plywood,” he explains. “I have also helped paint walls and build a desperately needed washroom for the church. Beyond manual labour, I made friendships in Tijuana while serving in a soup kitchen and having lots of fun with the children.” 

His third ongoing volunteer position is with the University of Alberta student group, Power to Change, where he has served as the club leader for the past three years. Beyond planning and facilitating events, Jeremy’s focus is to create a welcoming space for students from all backgrounds, especially newcomers. 

“I know what it's like to be the new person in a large group, so I know it has a big impact when I'm intentional about talking to people that I notice standing on the outskirts, and connecting with them every week.”

None of these initiatives benefit Jeremy’s career ambitions, says Brett Loewen, External Affiliate and Team Leader, U of A chapter of Power to Change. “They simply come from his desire to help all students and people in our city feel like they belong. Jeremy’s example of extraordinary generosity to include diverse voices matches the William Muir Edwards Society’s purpose with precision.”

The list of temporary volunteer gigs is equally impressive, including (but definitely not limited to) stints at a soup kitchen, leaving inspirational notes around campus in support of students' mental health and spending his Wednesday lunches in high school as a Big Brother to elementary students and Thursday lunches as a Best Buddy for students with intellectual disabilities. 

At a time when many were grateful to abandon Zoom calls and return to in-person meetings, Jeremy chose to facilitate an online community group, specifically to include those with accessibility issues. He also organizes a soccer team every year and goes out of his way to welcome players from diverse backgrounds to join his team. 

“William Muir Edwards helped people in a very personal way by tending to the sick, passionately and compassionately teaching his students and writing newsletters for the World War I soldiers that he knew,” says Jeremy. “I think that Muir had the same motives as I do: To build community and care for those around him."

Named in honour of the Faculty of Engineering’s founding professor, the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Award recognizes Engineering at Alberta undergraduate students who have made exceptional contributions to society. It’s a celebration of citizenship and of engineering students who go to extraordinary lengths to make our world a better place. Special thanks to the David Morris Family Foundation for supporting our students and making the William Muir Edwards Citizenship Awards possible. 

Do you know an undergraduate student whose volunteerism, contributions, and efforts, both on-campus and off-campus, work to make the world a better place? Learn more about the nomination process here.