By Jared Sugerman, News Staff

Missy Elumba has lifted lives, but she was hesitant to hoist a 20-pound trophy.
‘I could hold it, but I didn’t want to risk it because I didn’t know how nervous I would be,’ said Elumba, a senior health sciences major and recipient of the 2009 Hockey Humanitarian Award. ‘I’ve never really stood in the middle of a stadium before. [A member of the Hockey Humanitarian Award committee] held it and I just kind of put my hand on it and I told him, ‘Hey, you better hold it.’ It’s pretty heavy actually.’
Elumba was honored Friday evening in Washington D.C.,’ at the site of the men’s national semifinals and championship game. She was a finalist for the same award last year, which is bestowed annually upon college hockey’s finest citizen.
‘I don’t know how they could even narrow it down to one person, so I’m truly honored,’ said Elumba. ‘But also, I just wish there was some way that there could be 10 awards, because there are so many good things that are happening around the country with different kids from different schools.’
Elumba has been at Northeastern since 2004, playing four years as a forward on the women’s hockey team. She missed the 2005-2006 season due to a knee injury, and it was then that she realized what life without hockey would be like.
Christianity gave her a purpose, and she became devoted to her church and charitable work. She has volunteered her time for several organizations locally and abroad, traveling to Mississippi, Mexico and India to provide for those in need. After graduating in May, Elumba will attend missionary training school, where she said she will prepare for a career in the missionary field.
Elumba is the second person from Northeastern to be given the Hockey Humanitarian Award. In 2004, Huskies’ goaltender Chanda Gunn was’ honored at a ceremony in front of Faneuil Hall.
After collecting her trophy, which features a model hockey player fitted upon a wooden base, Elumba was asked to give a speech. Though she said she can’t remember precisely what she said, she said she does recall feeling a bit uncomfortable as she stood before the crowd at the Verizon Center.
‘I don’t really like the spotlight. But I’m trying to just embrace it as a gift from God, and I’m having fun,’ said Elumba, who believed it was fitting that the award was presented on Good Friday, only two days before the Easter holiday.
The Humanitarian Award committee informed Elumba of their decision during spring break, but she was asked to keep the news private, only telling her mom because, ‘I know she’d be mad if I didn’t tell her.’
However, she used much of Saturday morning responding to 53 messages she received after leaving her phone in a hotel room Friday.
‘Everything that I’m doing is because God gave me the resources to do it,’ Elumba said. ‘I went to India and people supported me. I wouldn’t be able to make it if it wasn’t for the people around me.”
Women’s hockey head coach Dave Flint could not be reached for’ comment.
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