Thriving at MHC? Student leaders.

The annual Student Leadership and Service Awards presentation was a celebration of 69精品视频鈥檚 top student leaders.

This story was updated on 5/9/17 at 2:50 p.m.

The 69精品视频 College community honored its outstanding student leaders at the annual celebration in Chapin Auditorium on April 19.

鈥淭his is a moment for us to stop and think about what you鈥檝e all achieved, what you鈥檝e given to this community, individually and collectively,鈥 said Acting President Sonya Stephens as she welcomed the enthusiastic audience of about 250 students, families, professors, staff, alumnae and mentors. 鈥淚t is, to be sure, a moment to acknowledge all that success. And it鈥檚 a moment to think about what constitutes success, and what constitutes leadership, expressed as it is in so many ways.鈥 

The examples of the students and their wide variety of contributions helped define Stephens鈥 remarks. Students were honored for making lives better on campus, in the region and beyond. Three seniors won awards for their contributions to residential life. Several awards were given to students and student groups in honor of their work in support of social justice and diversity.

More than 250 students had been nominated by their peers, faculty and staff for their leadership, community service and outstanding accomplishments on local, national and global levels. This year, in honor of their contributions, they were all invited to the event. 

Such efforts by students challenge other members of the College community to be their best selves too, said Marcella Runell Hall, vice president for student life and dean of students. 

鈥淚t is in working to create opportunities and space for your peers and in reminding us what it means to be in community both on and off campus that we are here today, to recognize and celebrate,鈥 Hall said. 

Numerous lessons in leadership 

The presentations to the award-winners were exhilarating, heartfelt and at times teary 鈥 for the winners and for the audience. 

Libby Kao 鈥17 has served as a SAW liaison, or as we like to say, a mentor of mentors, for the past two years,鈥 said Janet Lansberry when she gave Kao the Weissman Center for Leadership Award for Excellence. Lansberry is the associate director of the Weissman Center. 鈥淲ith insight, integrity and grace, Libby designed and led professional development opportunities for SAW mentors focused on topics such as interpersonal dynamics and public speaking.鈥 

Kao, an English major, said she has discovered numerous lessons in leadership at 69精品视频. 

鈥淚 have learned to be imaginative about my leadership, to welcome it when opportunities come along in unexpected places,鈥 Kao said. 鈥淎nd how leadership rewards long-term commitment. I often didn鈥檛 really know I was a leader until I had finished an experience as a leader.鈥 

As president of the , Marwa Mikati 鈥17 gave the Maurice l. Rabbino Award to Lan Ha 鈥17 for her contributions as co-chair and treasurer of the SGA鈥檚 ways and means committee, saying, 鈥淪he has been an amazing team player this entire year.鈥 

Mikati received her own award, the Helen Warren Smith Class of 1908 Award, for outstanding service to the College community. 

鈥淢arwa does everything with the 69精品视频 community in mind,鈥 said Alicia Erwin, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Involvement, whose office oversaw this year鈥檚 awards. 鈥淚n all of her work I can see her passion for helping this campus, especially in her continuous push to improve students鈥 college experience here. I love and admire her drive and her energy. This woman is amazing!鈥 

69精品视频 has shaped her as a leader, said Mikati, a neuroscience major who served for two years as president of the , which won the Distinguished Student Organization Award this year. 

鈥淚 started off knowing I wanted to be a leader but not necessarily knowing my leadership style and how I function on a team,鈥 she said. 鈥淗aving led two organizations, I think I鈥檝e honed in on the type of collaborative leader I want to be. I like working on the team and not being the head of it.鈥 

The awards ceremony evolves 

This year鈥檚 event included several new awards and took place in a larger space, Hall noted. 

鈥淲e know that there are so many who are deserving of being in this space,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hat else could the Division of Student Life do to recognize more of those individuals? We created new awards, and moved to this space as to be able to invite all those who are nominated through this process.鈥

Among the new awards was the Emerging Leader Award, which was given to five first-year students and sophomores for their leadership and leadership promise. The Golden Lyon Award, another first-time award, was given to six students for their behind-the-scenes efforts in support of a program or an organization. 

Also new this year were four awards given to student organizations and committees for their contributions to the College community through programming and events. 

鈥淲e see the dedication of these groups, and the amount of time and energy all of you put into making these organizations successful and impactful to the MHC community,鈥 Hall said to the students. 鈥淲e are excited to be able to recognize that.鈥 

The complete list of honorees: 

Sarah Williston Prize

This award is given to the students with the highest grades in their class who ranked as Sarah Williston Scholars their sophomore or junior year.

  • Parvathy Bhushan 鈥17
  • Caley S. Butler 鈥18
  • Emily C. Castner 鈥18
  • Abbey R. Clark-Moschella 鈥17
  • Emily L. Craig 鈥17
  • Ruilin Fan 鈥18
  • Woyneab S. Habte 鈥17
  • Gabrielle Lachtrup 鈥17
  • Mei Jing Lim 鈥17
  • Gargi A. Mishra 鈥18
  • Laura R. Murphy 鈥17
  • Siobhan S. Norman 鈥18
  • Alondra Reyes 鈥18
  • Sarah A. Robinson 鈥17
  • Hannah Seay 鈥17
  • Kathleen T. Smith 鈥18
  • Thu N. Tran 鈥17
  • Yinzhi Xu 鈥18 

Sally Montgomery Award

This award is given each year to a student or students whose community involvement exhibits a true union of student learning and community needs.

  • Isabel P. Flores-Ganley 鈥17
  • Emily A. Kyte 鈥17
  • Sara E. Mahoney 鈥17
  • Sara Martinez 鈥17
  • Sarah M. Ramirez 鈥17
Honored with these students were the community partners with whom they collaborated: Springfield No One Leaves/Nadie Se Mude, the Amherst Regional Public Schools Family Center and the Holyoke Public Schools. 
 
Kelly Sottile Community Service Award

This award honors a student who demonstrates a high level of personal commitment to the community beyond the campus.

  • Jessica S. Figueroa 鈥17 

Newman Civic Fellow Award

This award honors a student leader committed to creating lasting change, made in honor of Dr. Frank Newman, one of Campus Compact鈥檚 founders, who was a tireless advocate for the role of higher education in preparing students for active and engaged citizenship.

  • Andrea Hernandez 鈥19 

Weissman Center for Leadership Award for Excellence

This award honors students who have demonstrated leadership across campus, with a particular commitment to Weissman Center for Leadership activities and events.

  • Libby J. Kao 鈥17
  • Eleanor M. Springer 鈥17 

Anna C. Edwards Prize for Excellence in Debate

This award honors students who have demonstrated a commitment to promoting debate on campus.

  • Edith A. Amoafoa-Smart 鈥19
  • Yitong Qiu 鈥17 

Global Engagement Award

This award is given in recognition of students who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to raising awareness on campus of critical global issues, awarded by the McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives

  • Azulina L. Green 鈥17
  • Thaenpaavai Kannan 鈥17 

Mary Lyon Award

This award is given to a young alumna who has been out of the College 15 years or less who demonstrates promise or sustained achievement in her life, profession or community consistent with the humane values that Mary Lyon exemplified in her life and inspired in others.

  • Tamara Dews 鈥06
  • Katy Simpson Smith 鈥06 

Community Advisor of the Year Award

This award is presented to the Community Advisor who best fulfilled the spirit as well as the letter of their position over the previous academic year. They have demonstrated excellence in programming, role-modeling care for others and building up their staff, building and campus community.

  • Julia A. Godinez 鈥17 

Senior Community Advisor of the Year Award

This award is presented to the Senior Community Advisor who has excelled in all areas of their position over the previous academic year. Their supervision skills, ability to handle difficult situations and the relationships they have built among their staff and building have made them a role model to the 69精品视频 community.

  • Kirby E. Basile 鈥17 

Outstanding Service Award

This award is given in recognition of a student for their service and commitment to the Office of Residential Life throughout their time at the College.

  • June-Elizabeth M. Conti 鈥17 

Emerging Leader Award

This award honors students in their first or second year at the College who show leadership promise through their contributions to student life and community building.

  • Edith A. Amoafoa-Smart 鈥19
  • Izabella W. Czejdo 鈥20
  • Valerie A. Montesino 鈥19
  • Aryaa Rajouria 鈥19
  • Ye Zhang 鈥20 

Golden Lyon Award

This award is given in recognition of students who have positively influenced a program or organization from behind the scenes with a positive attitude, a willingness to help in whatever capacity necessary and a commitment to excellence.

Frances Harriet Williams Class of 1919 Award

Established in 1981 by the family of Frances H. Williams, class of 1919, this award is presented to a student who passionately pursues their goal of academic excellence, social justice or service to others.

H. Elizabeth Braun Catalyst for Change Award

This award was established by the Office of the Dean of Students in 2010 to recognize leaders who have done extraordinary work creating a diverse and inclusive community.

  • Anna R. Bouchard 鈥17
  • Michele M. Cubillo 鈥17 

Maurice L. Rabbino Award

This award was established in 1978 by Irma L. Rabbino, class of 1953, to honor her father by recognizing a student who has made a significant contribution to the life of 69精品视频 College.

  • Lan L. Ha 鈥17 

Karen Snyder Sullivan Memorial Travel Award

This award provides assistance for a student who has not previously traveled abroad to plan a trip that satisfies their curiosity and heightens their awareness of other cultures.

  • Danielle M. Brown 鈥18 

Helen Warren Smith Class of 1908 Award

Established in 1979 by Helen Warren Smith, class of 1908, this award honors a student whose interest, involvement and service to the 69精品视频 College community have been outstanding.

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Student Leadership and Service Award

This award honors students who have consistently given their time, energy and talents to promote positive change and growth in the 69精品视频 community, and in so doing have motivated others to do the same.

  • Sandra M. Botha FP鈥17
  • Caedyn Busche 鈥17
  • Azulina L. Green 鈥17
  • Lysandra K. Joseph 鈥18
  • Achaetey I. Kabal 鈥17
  • Thaenpaavai Kannan 鈥17
  • Congyi Li 鈥17
  • Aayushi K. Mishra 鈥17
  • An V. Nguyen 鈥17
  • Anika Shorna 鈥17 

MoZone Community Builders Award

This award recognizes the student organization that has done extraordinary work to create a diverse and inclusive community.

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Excellence in Diversity Programming Award

This award recognizes the program that taught, supported or practiced a commitment to diversity, underrepresented communities, diversity training and social justice at 69精品视频 College.

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Excellence in Programming Award

This award recognizes a student organization or committee for its exceptional creativity, planning and execution of a campus-wide program.

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Distinguished Student Organization Award

This award honors recognizes student organizations and their distinguished level of contribution to the 69精品视频 community through planned events and programs on campus.

How will you lead? Learn more.