FORT KENT – Jann Jackson, an intense woman who was just about done raising a family of three daughters, started college four years ago because it seemed to be “just time” to get it done.

The local woman is graduating this spring, but not before making her mark as a volunteer on and off campus.

Jackson was recognized last month by the Maine Campus Compact with its annual Student Heart and Soul Award.

The Maine Campus Compact is a statewide coalition of college and university presidents established to encourage and enhance campus engagement in the community.

The Student Heart and Soul Award is given annually to up to three undergraduates in Maine for service experience. The coalition looks at results, leadership and innovative approaches to community service.

The two other recipients of the awards presented Feb. 28 in Augusta were Eric S. Staples of South Portland, a student at the Southern Maine Technical College, and Trung Trong Huynh of Portland, a senior at Bates College.

According to several people at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Jackson’s drive and enthusiasm does not seem to wane. She just keeps going, much like the Energizer Bunny.

She’s part and parcel of myriad programs that seek to help young people. The list is long and includes programs and projects such as Special Olympics participant, teaching assistant, tutor, director of Aroostook Teen Leadership Camp for eighth- and ninth-graders, supervisor of a Big Brother-Big Sister Program, a member of the board of the National Association of Teen Institutes, and member of the Community Alcohol and Drug Education Team.

She also is the senior class president at UMFK, sits on the student senate, is assistant chairwoman of UMFK’s Newman Club, is a member of the campus’ non-traditional students club and is coordinator of Students of Community Service. She also assists John Mathieu, UMFK coordinator for the Americorps-Vista Volunteer Program and the America Reads-America Counts project.

Jackson is involved in projects on campus, in Fort Kent, in New Sweden where she lives, in Aroostook County, and on the state and national levels.

“Kids are my passion and I like to stick with them,” she said Thursday morning at UMFK. “The license plate on my little red car says ‘MOMM [mom to many].’

“Young people are the light to life,” she said, always smiling. “I just make the time to be involved because I think it’s an important thing to do – being a good model for kids. When it’s important to you, you find the time to get it done.”

Jackson, 47, is married to Sgt. Fred Jackson, a game warden with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They have three daughters, all of whom were in college with Jackson during a two-year period. Two are now graduated and going on for higher degrees. The youngest daughter is a junior in an undergraduate program at St. Joseph’s College.

Her kids got Jackson the license plate for her car.

“They said it is me,” the mother said. “I just think that what I do [volunteering with young people] is an important thing to do.”

Jackson will get a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science in May. She would like to go on to more education, after some time at work. She would like to get a master’s degree and help people with death and grieving issues.

“She’s a very dedicated volunteer who devotes many hours to projects that benefit people of the community,” Mathieu said of his assistant. “She’s a very busy lady.”