Indiana Wesleyan University awarded Sia M’Bayo with the 2015 Tony Maidenberg Award for community service during the annual employee convocation on August 26. President David Wright presented the award commending M’Bayo for her evangelistic work within the Marion, Ind., community.

M’Bayo runs a ministry focused on catering to the basic needs of dancers who work at the Marion strip club. She and a friend meet with the dancers twice a month to give them food and clothing in hopes that these small acts of kindness will help the women find work in more desirable settings.

M’Bayo has also served for four years as the assistant manager of the food pantry and daily lunch program at the St. Martin Community Center. The center is located in downtown Marion and faithfully provides community members with food, drink, and clothing. “God has given [Sia] the gift of evangelism, which she has used to give hope to the hopeless and to illuminate the dark corners of their lives,” said President Wright.

M’Bayo will be starting classes as an IWU student next month leading to an associate’s degree in Christian ministries. She hopes to become an ordained pastor.

In 2002, IWU introduced its annual award for community service as a way to recognize specific individuals for exceptional commitment and selflessness among their neighbors. Maidenberg, a former mayor of Marion and a former Indiana state senator, was its first recipient. The award was later named in his honor, and has been presented to 14 recipients to date.

Sia M’Bayo was featured in the fall 2012 issue of Wesleyan Life magazine. Click here to download the issue.