2018-2019  Student Life Awards Winners

Student Life Awards

Advisor of the Year Award: Honors a faculty or staff member who has served as an advisor to a student club or organization. This advisor is involved with the student leaders offers knowledge and experience to the organization, and provides assistance and support on an ongoing basis.

     2019 Winner: Thomas St. John

Advocacy Leadership Award: Honors a student who has demonstrated strong leadership in generating campus wide awareness about existing social issues and advocated for change in the community.

     2019 Winner: Mahum Siddiqui

Best New Organization Award: Honors a student organization that newly registered within the past 12 months and is dedicated to student life. This organization takes the initiative to make the organization visible on campus, has grown in membership since its recognition, and shows potential for continued growth and success on our campus.

     2019 Winner: oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, & Engineering)

Campus Community Impact Award The Campus Community Impact Award is presented to an organization that is committed to engaging the student population in programming and initiatives that are impactful, lasting and generate a sense of community, pride, inclusivity and engagement. 

     2019 Winner: Black Student Union

Commuter Student Leader Of the Year Award: This award celebrates a commuter student with outstanding involvement on campus, who displays commitment to providing inspiring leadership and advocacy for commuter students and beyond.

     2019 Winner: Rebecca Hayman

Distinguished Service Award: Honors an organization that has made a continuous effort to service the student body and the University community. This organization's efforts are exceptional, meaningful, and make a lasting impact on campus.

     2019 Winner: Project Sunshine

Diversity & Inclusion Program Award: Honors an event that promoted cross-cultural learning and interaction, appealed to a broad audience, and provided a meaningful exchange of ideas

     2019 Winner: Table Talk - Sigma Lambda Upsilon Sorority, Inc.

Educational Program Award: Honors a creative program that promotes greater awareness of an existing academic, political, or social issue through educational efforts that enhance student learning and provide a meaningful exchange of ideas.

     2019 Winner: Escape the Room - Red Watch Band

Emerging Leadership Award   Honors a freshman or sophomore student who has taken on leadership roles and has demonstrated significant progress towards achieving their leadership potential through campus and community involvement.

     2019 Winner: Sabrina DuQuesnay

Executive Board Member the Year Award: Honors a member of an executive board of a recognized organization who has gone beyond the call of duty to enhance the purpose of their organization be it through acquiring new skills, membership engagement, leadership development, cross-campus collaboration, and relationship building.

     2019 Winner: Suzanne Tawch

Most Improved Organization Award: Honors an organization that has shown significant, meaningful and lasting growth and development in areas such as programming, leadership and organizational management.

     2019 Winner: Reading is Fun

Organization of the Year Award: Honors an organization that has made a significant effort to further its purpose through its contribution to Stony Brook and/or the community at large. This award recognizes the student organization that has demonstrated consistent flexibility, initiative, creativity and perseverance through their activities and programs.

     2019 Winner: Japanese Student Organization

Organizational Leadership Award: Honors non-executive board members of recognized organizations who go above and beyond the call of duty in an effort to enhance the purpose of their organization

     2019 Winner: Rachel Chabin

Professional Development Award: Honors clubs that go beyond serving the needs of their members through speakers, workshops, retreats and other initiatives

     2019 Winner: Women in Computer Science

Program of the Year: Honors a program that has had a positive impact on the overall Stony Brook community. This award recognizes a program that embodied the SBU spirit of inclusiveness and school pride, and promoted a community of awesome.

     2019 Winner: China Night - Chinese Association at Stony Brook

 Residential Student Leader of The Year Award: Honors a residential student who is committed to providing outstanding and inspiring leadership and advocacy for residential students, and who shows outstanding involvement on campus.

     2019 Winner: Ksawery Surdel

Seawolf Spirit Award: Honors an individual who demonstrates an unwavering commitment to promoting and generating a sense of community, pride, inclusivity and engagement across a broad subset of the campus population

     2019 Winner: Manny Phillip

Service Program Award: Honors an event whose outcomes promoted the tenets of selfless acts of service and civic engagement.

     2019 Winner: VIBS Collection Drive - Campus Residences Diversity & Inclusion Committee

 Social Program Award: Honors an event that promoted a sense of community and engagement across a broad subset of the campus population, and had a significant impact on the campus community.

     2019 Winner: Mr. K - Korean Student Association

The Peter Baigent Recreational & Leadership Activities Leadership Award: Honors a student for their outstanding leadership in sports, recreational, or leisure activities.

     2019 Winner: Jennifer Urist

The Theresa Montenaro 200% Student Leadership Award: Throughout her 20 years as a custodian in the Stony Brook Union, Theresa Montenaro was committed to providing a caring and safe environment for all students, faculty, and staff. This award honors a junior or senior student leader who goes beyond the call of duty, regularly gives 200%, and exemplifies  Theresa Montenaro’s unique qualities, which include the ability to listen with understanding, guide without boundaries, give and take with love, and grow with each passing day. 

     2019 Winners: Tahiana (Tee) Abad & Mushkan Chowdhury

The Elizabeth D. Couey Award: The Elizabeth D. Couey Award was established in 1974 in memory of the first Director of the Stony Brook Union and honors a graduating senior for outstanding contributions toward the improvement and growth of student life at Stony Brook. This award is the highest honor we bestow upon a student leader. Nominees must exemplify Elizabeth Couey’s unique qualities of exemplary service, visionary leadership and an unceasing dedication to enhancing campus life.

     2019 Winner: Justas Klimavicius

The Shirley Strum Kenny Steel Magnolia Award: This award is presented annually to a staff or faculty member who has demonstrated compassion and strength in support of enhancing the overall student experience. The award is named in honor of former President Kenny who was presented the first "Steel Magnolia" award by a group of students in 2009.

     2019 Winner: Rabbi Joseph Topek

The Sister Margaret Ann Landry, RSHM Lifetime Achievement Advising Award: This award is presented annually to a staff or faculty member with 10 or more years of service, who has provided extraordinary commitment mentoring and advising individuals and/or student groups on campus. The award is named in honor of its first recipient, who received the honor in 2003.

     2019 Winners: Pat Rasso & Dorothy Corbett

Graduate Student Organization Awards

Distinguished Advisor Award: Robert "R.J" Wuagneux

Outstanding Leadership Award: Spencer Austin

Most Dedicated Service Award: Adeel Azim

Outstanding Advocate Award: Abraham Kohrman

Exceptional Service Award: Taylor Martin

Emerging Leader Award: Mallesham Dasari & Renee Schofield

Outstanding Organization: GWISE

Outstanding Administrator Award: Dr. Richard Gerrig

Undergraduate Student Government Awards

Student Advocate of the Year: Tahiana Abad, & Andrew Machkasov

Outstanding Service Award: Zachary Shaps, & Alyssa Thomas

Unsung Hero Award: Grace Kim, & Peter Alsaloum

Emerging Leader Award: Maira Gomis, & Jared Hoke

Community Partnership Awards: Culinart Catering, & Kate Valerio

Staff Recognition Award: Shelby Herzfeld & Vanessa Laos

Health Sciences Association Student Leadership Awards

Health Sciences - Community Impact Award: Nicole Forman - School of Nursing, Julianna Russo - School of Health Technology & Management, & Ashley Schuette - School of Nursing

Health Sciences - Campus Life Enhancement Award: Raahima Bukhari - School of Health Technology & Management

Student Leadership - Clinical Caregiver Award: Nicholas Czelatka - School of Health Technology & Management

Student Leadership - Good Samaritan Award: Krystal Callahan - School of Health Technology & Management

Student Leadership - Health Technology Award: Julianna Russo - School of Health Technology & Management

Student Leadership - Health Ally Award: Ashley Rios - School of Social Welfare

Student Media Awards

Norman L. Prusslin Programming Award: SBU-TV Productions

Student Engagement and Activities Media Service Awards: Asian American Ezine, WUSB News Team, & Undergraduate Student Government