•  Aaron Nelson, President and CEO of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce was invited to the White House to take part in a ceremony celebrating nine individuals as Champions of Change who made a difference by innovating in renewable energy. Nelson was invited because of his role as Co-Chair of Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy, a national network of 170 69 local chambers of commerce in 46 states, dedicated to helping businesses prosper in the clean energy space.

For more information, visit www.chambersforinnovation.com.

•  The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, which has administered the Newcombe Fellowship for more than three decades, has announced the selection of 21 Newcombe Fellows. These Fellows are doctoral candidates writing dissertations on topics involving religious and ethical values. Each Newcombe Fellow receives $25,000.

Funded by the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation, the Newcombe Dissertation Fellowship was created in 1981. It remains the nation’s largest and most prestigious award for Ph.D. candidates in the humanities and social sciences addressing questions of ethical and religious values.

The 2012 Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellows are: Mont Allen, Art History, University of California, Berkeley; Chloe Bakalar, Political Science, University of Pennsylvania; Geoff Bakken, Sociology, University of Wisconsin; Sarah Bakker, Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz; Prithviraj Datta, Political Science, Harvard University; Daniela Dover, Philosophy, New York University; Joshua Gedacht, Modern World History, University of Wisconsin; Robert Harkins, Modern World History, University of California, Berkeley; Kelly Heuer, Philosophy, Georgetown University; Maha Jafri, English Literature, Northwestern University; Theresa Keeley, American History, Northwestern University; G.A. Lipton, Religion, University of North Carolina; Betty Nguyen, Asian Studies, University of Wisconsin; Megan Cole, Paustian Literatures in English, Rutgers University; Bruno Reinhardt, Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley; Maxim Romanov, Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Camisha Russell, Philosophy, Pennsylvania State University; Anelise H. Shrout, History, New York University; Ronit Stahl, History, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Bharat Venkat, Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley; and Rose Wellman, Anthropology, University of Virginia.

•  Chatham County’s Board of Health recognized local organizations and county employees for exceptional service on Monday, April 23. The 2011 Community Health Partnership Award was presented to Chatham Cares Community Pharmacy and the Reach Out Crisis Pregnancy Center. This award is presented annually to the organization or organizations that advanced the practice of public health in Chatham County by participating in partnerships that address prevention of disease, promotion of healthy lifestyles, provision of quality health services and protection of the environment.

Zach Deaton was presented with the Employee of the Year Award. Deaton works in the Siler City location and throughout the community as a registered dietician. He helps Chatham County residents with weight and diabetes management, as well as offers guidance on healthy eating.

Dolly Huffman Clayton was recognized as the Health Department’s Supervisor of the Year. Clayton serves as the Manager for the newly-formed Community Health and Family Connections Division within the Department.