APRIL 24, 2020 — Despite the shift COVID-19 has created in everyone’s lives, it hasn’t prevented UTSA from celebrating the contributions of some of its brightest Roadrunners.
UTSA students, faculty and staff were virtually honored during the 44th Annual University Life Awards on Thursday.
First held in 1976, the University Life Awards recognize outstanding students, student organizations, staff and faculty for their contributions to the quality of student life at UTSA. These awards, coordinated by Student Activities, the Student Leadership Center, the Council of Student Organizations and the Student Government Association, are presented annually in the spring.
Cambriege Wesley and Karla Madrigal, 2020 Mr. and Ms. UTSA, hosted this year’s virtual event with presenters LT Robinson, senior vice provost for student affairs and dean of students; John Kaulfus, lecturer in the College of Education and Human Development; Hunter Kim, Council for Student Organizations secretary; Sapna Srinvasan, CSO public relations coordinator; Taylor Edwards, student body president; and Kennedy Caskey, Student Government Association student affairs chair.
This year more than 200 nominations were submitted for consideration in categories that included Registered Student Organization of the Year, Outstanding Student Organization President, Outstanding Students by College and the prestigious Golden Feather Award.
The highest honors of the event go to the recipients of the Jane Findling Award, recognizing individual achievements over the 2019–2020 academic year, and the Golden Feather Award, recognizing students who have crafted a powerful legacy at UTSA.
Here are this year’s winners:
Golden Feather Award: Brittany Hudson, Bryce Hudson, Katherine Rico, Alpha Martinez-Suarez, Kae Roemershauser
Jane Findling Award: Samuel Anene, Forough Askarirad, Arlae Gamez Luna, Hunter Kim, Tristan Penner, Aleya Shedd, Kaitlynn Bri Stevens
Outstanding Registered Student Organization: Biomedical Engineering Society
Outstanding New Student Organization: Blueprints for Pangaea at UTSA
Outstanding Student Organization President: Patrick Lebherz, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity
Outstanding Community Activism Organization: Blueprints for Pangaea at UTSA
Outstanding Program Celebrating Culture, Diversity and Inclusion: Vietnamese Student Association
Outstanding Religious/Spiritual Program: Catholic Student Association
Outstanding Community Service Program: Active Minds
Outstanding Professional Development Program: Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity
Outstanding Collaborative Program: National Association of Black Accountants
Outstanding Freshman: Oquendo Bernard, Samantha Burg
Outstanding Sophomore: Yohannes Akiel, Kimberly Mata
Outstanding Junior: Grace Clark, Carolina Nanez
Outstanding Senior: Grace Adedipe, Destiny Chan
Outstanding Graduate Student: Adnan Shahriar, Yangting Wang
Outstanding Resident Assistant: Malary Michalka, Alavarez Hall; Ayia Aburahmah, Chaparrel Hall; Robyn Demen, Laurel Village
Diane Abdo Outstanding Adviser: Lauren Lopez
John Kaulfus Outstanding Staff Member: Kristi Meyer
Outstanding Professor: Guan Saw
Outstanding Undergraduate in College of Architecture, Construction and Planning: Ryan Wesler
Outstanding Graduate in College of Architecture, Construction and Planning: Selina Angel
Outstanding Undergraduate in College of Business: Jonathan Gonzalez
Outstanding Graduate in College of Business: Eric Bachura
Outstanding Undergraduate in College of Education and Human Development: Laila Naylor
Outstanding Graduate in College of Education and Human Development: Yangting Wang
Outstanding Undergraduate in- College of Engineering: Mikayla Rahman
Outstanding Graduate in College of Engineering: Syed Hasib Akhter Faruqui
Outstanding Undergraduate in College for Health, Community and Policy: Terence Wayne Shaw II
Outstanding Graduate in College for Health, Community and Policy: Muntasir Masum
Outstanding Undergraduate in College of Liberal and Fine Arts: Taylor Helmcamp
Outstanding Graduate in College of Liberal and Fine Arts: Jamie Crosswhite
Outstanding Undergraduate in College of Sciences: Michael Gardner
Outstanding Graduate in College of Sciences: Vanessa Cerda
Outstanding Student in University College: Julian Rosales
Outstanding Student in Honors College: Christian Strong
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Student Union Paseo, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
