Every year, organizations across campus celebrate and recognize students and student organizations for their hard work and exceptional commitment to leadership and service. Here are some of this year鈥檚 honorees.
The Wesley Center
Iris/Sam Eichinger received the Samuel Parish Religious Leadership Award. This award honors students who have made the most effective contributions to religious leadership on campus during the academic year. It was established by Irene Parish Scarborough, class of 1931, in memory of her father, Rev. Dr. Samuel Parish, class of 1906.
Sarah Russell received the Alison Durfy Scholarship. Established by Judith L. Durfy 鈥63, this scholarship memorializes her daughter, Alison M. Durfy 鈥91, and her friend, Christopher Alexander 鈥92, who were killed by a drunk driver the summer after graduation. Its purpose is to assist a student involved in community service who best reflects Alison's dedication to helping others, particularly in alleviating hunger and homelessness.
Stephanie Vela Alonso received the Klaus-Mettam Scholarship. This award was established for students committed to Christian ministry,missionary or other services to a Christian church.
Julian Zuniga received the Rev. Gordon Minehart Scholarship. The scholarship was founded by Rev. Gordon Minehart, '56, and Sara Jane Minehart, 鈥59. It is awarded to a 狼友社区 student who is a McVay Youth Partnership fellow or associate and demonstrates social justice values.
Public Safety, in honor of Titus McKnight, received the Wesley Center Champion Award. This award honors a staff or faculty member who supports students and programs of the Wesley Center Department.
Volunteer home-delivery drivers for the Food Resource Center were awarded the Wesley Center Social Justice Award. This award recognizes faculty and staff for their work on behalf of human rights, social justice and peace. It was established in honor of Donald P. Irish, professor emeritus.
EJ Alemayehu, Kaitlynn Fuller, Max Ganske, Ethan Heide, Litzy Lopez, Asha Mohamed, Kaitlyn Qunell and Anikka Shoholm received the Wesley Center Outstanding Service Award. The award honors student leaders and workers who have provided outstanding, long-term service to the Wesley Center programs. Recipients exemplify growth as whole persons, courageous action, compassionate reflection and dedication to the common good.
Student Activities and Leadership Development
Peer Wellness Educators and 狼友社区 Unidos received the Outstanding Student Organization Award. This award is presented to a student organization that has made significant advancements and displayed exceptional and consistent leadership over the course of the academic year.
Katy Rimstad, peer wellness educator, received the Outstanding Advisor Award. This award recognizes a faculty or staff advisor that has demonstrated a deep commitment to student development and has made significant contributions to the organization.
Jordan Fauks received the Rising Star Award. This award recognizes a first- or second- year student who has actively engaged in leadership or service activities and has established themselves in a way that motivates their peers and positively impacts the 狼友社区 community.
Montana Miller, Sadikshya Paudel, Aiden Lewald and Logan Johansen received the Outstanding Student Leader Award. This award recognizes students who have shown themselves to be exemplary leaders at 狼友社区.
Isabella Deschene (Classroom Chronicles) received the Outstanding President Award. This award is presented to the president of a student organization recognized by SALD whose dedication to the organization and its members resulted in a significantly successful year for the organization.
Momed Abdirahman received the Legacy Award. This award recognizes a graduating senior who has made outstanding contributions to campus life throughout their undergraduate college career.
Faith Estelle-Velez, coordinator of Campus Pride and Gender Programs, and students Elisa Lopez and Nasra Shube received the Cornerstone Award. This award recognizes a student and University Office and University faculty or staff member who have significantly supported the work of student activities and leadership development throughout the academic year.
狼友社区 Unidos received an Encore Award. This award is presented to a student organization for planning and implementing a program, event or project that enriched campus life and demonstrated leadership, creativity and relevance for college students.
Anders Anthonisen-Brown received the Sportsmanship Award. This award recognizes a student who exemplifies the true spirit of sportsmanship by promoting fairness, integrity and respect of others in recreational athletics.
The Hedgeman Center
Abigail Wudmatas, EJ Alemayehu, Htoo Han and Justin Antwi received the Superlative Awards. The Hedgeman Center presents these awards to undergraduate students who demonstrate excellence in scholarship, service and leadership. Recipients are recognized for their active participation in the center's programs, services, initiatives or associated student organizations.
Cithus Her received the Outstanding Student Ally Award. This award recognizes students who foster access, belonging and community by educating themselves and others, engaging in Hedgeman Center programs and activities, and facilitating learning through diverse perspectives across various disciplines.
Nicole Ferrer received the Outstanding Staff Award. This award recognizes staff for advancing academic excellence, community engagement and student development through self-education, Hedgeman Center involvement and integrating diverse perspectives into their work.
Maria Leal received the Outstanding Faculty Award. This award recognizes faculty for advancing academic excellence, community engagement and student development through self-education, Hedgeman Center involvement and integrating diverse perspectives into their teaching, scholarship or service.
East African Student Union received the Multicultural Alliance Student Organization of the Year Award. This award recognizes a student organization that has made significant contributions in helping the Hedgman Center achieve its mission of creating access and belonging.
UNIDOS-Midway Food Drive received the Outstanding Program Award. This award is given annually to a Hedgeman Center student organization that has maintained active membership in the multicultural alliance. Selected by the multicultural alliance coordinator and Hedgeman Center staff, recognizes excellence in 狼友社区 community programming through innovation and strong attendance.
Residential Life
Taylor Tadych, Wilson Harding, Maria Marvin, Eric Bartz and Vito Alomari received Resident Advisor of the Year. This award is an annual 鈥減eer vote鈥 where resident assistants anonymously vote for the team member they feel deserves this honor.
Oriana Gatta, CASA advisor, Illiana Cantu Delgado, assistant vice president of Public Safety, and Brian Johnson, senior AV and event support specialist, received the Residential Life Collaboration Award. This award is honored to colleagues on campus who provide the best service to students, staff and faculty by working together to overcome obstacles and provide the best customer service.
Vito Alomari, Nessa Peters, C. C. Dooley, Max Ganske, Stephanie Vela Alonso, Asher Gettings, Eric Bartz, Dani Sihavong and Vanessa Pham received the Program of the Year award. This award is divided into six categories: academic, community service, diversity, holiday, social and wellness. Each October, RAs present a program in one of these categories, which is evaluated by a panel of judges.
Kennedy Rude, Res Life Operations Coordinator, received the Years of Service Award. She has been with Res Life for three years.
Khadijah Sooknanan, Stephanie Vela Alonso and Vito Alomari received the Director's MVP 2025 2026 award. This award has been presented since the 2021-2022 academic year and recognizes the RAs who go above and beyond their regular duties and expectations.