The Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement will host the invitation-only Ninth Annual Student Leadership Awards on April 21 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Don Taft University Center’s North Court.
Lauren Soares, graduate assistant for leadership development and civic engagement, said that the ceremony recognizes leadership in the NSU community for the 2014-2015 academic year.
“It’s a good way to cap the year off,” she said.
The awards will recognize student leaders, student organizations and student employees.
Anthony Bufi, junior athletic training major, was awarded the “Unsung Hero of the Year” last year, and said the Leadership Awards recognize students’ hard work throughout the year.
“It was a great accomplishment to be recognized,” he said. “The award I received is given to students who work diligently behind the scenes to enhance student life.”
In past years, the Fraternity and Sorority Life Awards were typically held close to the date of the Leadership Awards and, beginning last year, the SLCE office decided to combine the two ceremonies.
Soares said, “We want to make sure students’ achievements don’t go unnoticed and show them how much we care; the award ceremony says, ‘Wow, you’ve really done a great job this year.’”
Bufi said his advice to students who want to be noticed and nominated for next year’s Leadership Awards is to get more involved.
“NSU students are consistently embracing leadership qualities through assessment and evaluation, event management, meaningful interpersonal relationships, collaboration social responsibility and more,” he said. “They just need to be sure they are recognized while accomplishing these tasks.”
Sorority and fraternity leaders were nominated for any of the awards and three categories designated for them: Neophyte/New Member of the Year, Outstanding Sorority Woman of the Year and Outstanding Fraternity Man of the Year.
Any undergraduate student was eligible to be nominated for an award. Nominations were accepted three weeks prior to the award ceremony and a committee of students selected the finalists for each category.
Finalists for each award received an email notifying them of their selection and requesting their attendance at the ceremony. Those who nominated finalists are also invited, along with students who have participated in leadership programs throughout the year.
Recipients of each award will be selected based on their demonstration of the university’s core values, their extracurricular activities, their academic record and the steps they have taken to develop a better sense of community at NSU.
The student committee will present winners with a small trophy and winners will be recognized by the SLCE office in its monthly email newsletter. Attendees are encouraged to dress business casual.
Soares said that students should always keep an eye out for peers who are demonstrating quality leadership around campus and consider nominating them for next year’s awards.
For more information on the Leadership Awards, contact Soares at ls1801@nova.edu or stop by the SLCE office on the second floor of the Rosenthal Student Center.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of FACEBOOK.COM/SLCEATNSU
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