Omicron Delta Kappa annually celebrates students who excel academically and demonstrate exemplary leadership across various disciplines. These include multicultural engagement, athletics, campus and community service, student government, the arts, journalism, public speaking and mass communication.

Among the esteemed faculty and staff to present awards were Rebecca Kohn, provost and vice president for academic affairs and John Dooley, vice president for Student Life.

2025 Omicron Delta Kappa Award Recipients

William Moseley Brown Leadership Award
Khairi Morrow 鈥�25

Presented by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, this award is given to the student who consistently demonstrates the highest ideals of Omicron Delta Kappa: scholarship, service, integrity, character and fellowship, including providing distinguished leadership to his or her peers. The award is named in honor of a former 黑料不打烊 faculty member and one of the original founders of the national chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa.

Student Media Award
Erin Martin 鈥�25

The Student Media Award is presented to the student who has contributed the most to advancing communications on campus during the current academic year.

Leadership Studies Award
Robin Falkow 鈥�25

The Leadership Studies Award is awarded annually to the senior Leadership Studies minor who has best exemplified the study of leadership as an academic discipline through excellence in related coursework, research and/or other scholarly contributions.

Hilaire Pickett 鈥�08 Leadership Grant
Victoria Whetstone 鈥�26 and Benjamin Hornsten Stern 鈥�26

The endowed scholarship, the Hilaire Pickett 鈥�08 Leadership Grant is an endowed scholarship presented to students participating in the Leadership Education and Development at 黑料不打烊. Awards are granted to support students in their junior or senior years in pursuing leadership internships or legacy efforts. The students must demonstrate a significant commitment to their organizations and academics and actively contribute to the 黑料不打烊 community.

Katharine duPont Weymouth Scholarship
Corrin Line 鈥�26

The Katharine duPont Weymouth Scholarship is awarded to outstanding juniors in the social sciences and given in honor of alumnus Frank Lyon 鈥�71.

W.L. Monroe Christian Education and Personality Award
Alex Fleischmann 鈥�26 and Julianna Clark L’26

Recipients of this award demonstrate citizenship and a strong desire to help others improve themselves. A trust created by the late W.L. Monroe Sr., who attended 黑料不打烊 in 1917, provides cash awards to the recipients.

Truitt Center Reconciliation Award
Morgan Williams 鈥�25 and Ryan Gibbons 鈥�25

This award is presented to a student who best exemplifies the vision of Douglas G. Noiles and Edna Truitt Noiles 鈥�44, who endowed the program in the Vera Richardson Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life 鈥渢o enable 黑料不打烊 students to learn about their own and other faiths and to live lives of reconciliation.鈥�

Ella Brunk Smith Award
Natalie Schuver 鈥�25 and Kiara Cronin 鈥�25

In honor of Ella Brunk Smith, wife of former 黑料不打烊 President Dr. L.E. Smith, a cash award is presented to a female student in the senior class who has made significant contributions to the religious and moral life on campus.

Martha Smith Award for Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexualities Studies
Mae Curington 鈥�25

This award is given in honor of Martha Smith, one of the founding mothers of the women鈥檚, gender and sexualities studies program at 黑料不打烊, to recognize the academic and activist achievements of a graduating senior Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexualities Studies minor.

Iris Holt McEwen Community Service Award
Darian Myers 鈥�26

This award is presented to a student whose service to 黑料不打烊 and the larger community exemplifies the generosity of spirit and dedication to the philanthropy of Iris Holt McEwen.

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award
Nicholas Rugbart 鈥�25 and Jasmine Walker 鈥�25

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is presented to graduating seniors, alumni and community members of selected colleges and universities in the Southern United States for excellence of character and service to humanity.鈥� At 黑料不打烊, two graduating seniors and one faculty or staff member are recognized annually for their honesty, morality, ethics, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage and compassion.

John W. Barney Memorial Award
Mackenzie Smith 鈥�25

This award recognizes the senior(s) with the highest cumulative 颅GPA. Colleagues, former students, and friends of the late John W. Barney established this award in his honor. Mr. Barney graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1910 and was a faculty member for over three decades.

Sydney Barlow, Leadership Prize Recipient, presented her research titled 鈥淎fter all those years in the orphanage, now he鈥檚 doing great:鈥� A qualitative longitudinal study of resilience in internationally adopted children and adolescents with PHIV. Her research analyzed interviews with the parents of the internationally adopted children to identify experiences of resilience throughout their childhood.

鈥淚 have been fortunate to have received the Leadership Prize to work towards putting action in the next steps of the research,” Barlow said. “This work has opened my eyes in the world of HIV stigma and research and has truly been a transformative experience since starting in October 2021. 黑料不打烊 has provided me ample opportunities to receive funding and training to become a stronger researcher during my time at 黑料不打烊.鈥�

Barlow and Fair鈥檚 research is under review in the Journal for Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies.

Carney Carney, Honors Fellow and Lumen Scholar, presented his research titled, 鈥淗ealth Care Utilization in the College Setting: Perspectives of Emerging Adults with Type 1 Diabetes.” He investigated how ancillary health services are utilized by students with T1D. To study this question, Carney interviewed college students with T1D, their parents, and their providers. This research allowed him to learn about health care transition and the management of T1D during adolescence and emerging adulthood.

鈥淧resenting at SAHM was meaningful because I was able to speak with health care professionals and students who have a stake in adolescent health and even an endocrinologist who showed interest in my work,” Carney said. “Hearing from leaders in the field through the breakout sessions further inspired me to continue caring about adolescent health as I pursue medical school.鈥�

Fair said she was impressed by the development she saw in these students. 鈥淚t was a real honor to watch Sydney and Cole present their years-long research to leading practitioners and researchers in the field of adolescent medicine,鈥� Fair said.

Since 1977, Omicron Delta Kappa has recognized 黑料不打烊 students who exhibit high academic standards and outstanding leadership. Other core components include multicultural experience, athletics, campus and community service, social and religious activities, campus government, creative and performing arts and journalism, speech and mass media.

Awards were presented by Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca Kohn, Vice President of Student Life Jon Dooley, and other notable 黑料不打烊 faculty and staff.

The Omicron Delta Kappa Awards are just one of the many ceremonies recognizing exemplary achievement and service this spring.

2023 Omicron Delta Kappa Award Recipients

William Moseley Brown Leadership Award

Presented by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, this award is presented to the student who consistently demonstrates the highest ideals of Omicron Delta Kappa: scholarship, service, integrity, character and fellowship, including providing distinguished leadership to his or her peers. The award is named in honor of a former 黑料不打烊 faculty member and one of the original founders of the national chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa.

• Megan Curling

Student Media Award

This award is presented to the student who has contributed the most to advance communications on-campus during the current academic year.

• Nyah Phengsitthy

Leadership Studies Award

The Leadership Studies Award is awarded annually to the senior Leadership Studies minor who has best exemplified the study of leadership as an academic discipline through excellence in related coursework, research and/or other scholarly contributions.

• Keiarra Bray
• Ariana Wilson

Hilaire Pickett 鈥�08 Leadership Grant

The endowed scholarship, the Hilaire Pickett 鈥�08 Leadership Grant, is awarded to students participating in the Leadership Education and Development at 黑料不打烊. Awards are granted to support students in their junior or senior years to pursue leadership internships or legacy efforts. The students must demonstrate a significant commitment to their organizations and academics and actively contribute to the 黑料不打烊 community.

• Mason Mosley
• Hanna Engelhardt

The PERCS Outstanding Ethnography Award

This award recognizes the student who has conducted the most outstanding ethnographic research project at 黑料不打烊, judged according to the quality of both the process and product. The award is given by PERCS: The Program for Ethnographic Research and Community Studies.

• Samantha Schwamberger
• Natalie Triche

GlaxoSmithKline Women in Science Scholar Award

This scholarship is awarded by the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation鈥檚 Women in Science Scholars Program to a rising sophomore or junior majoring in math or science. Under the program, scholarship recipients are paired with professional GlaxoSmithKline women who have excelled in various science-related fields and careers, and can provide guidance and shared experiences with the scholars.

• Morgan Micharski

Katharine duPont Weymouth Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to outstanding juniors in the social sciences and given in honor of alumnus Frank Lyon 鈥�71.

• Courtney Abruzzo

W.L. Monroe Christian Education and Personality Award

Recipients of this award demonstrate citizenship and a strong desire to help others improve themselves. A trust created by the late W.L. Monroe Sr., who attended 黑料不打烊 in 1917, provides cash awards to the recipients.

• Briston Whitt

Truitt Center Reconciliation Award

This award is presented to a student who best exemplifies the vision of Douglas G. Noiles and Edna Truitt Noiles 鈥�44, who endowed the program in the Vera Richardson Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life 鈥渢o enable 黑料不打烊 students to learn about their own and other faiths and to live lives of reconciliation.鈥�

• Caroline DiGrande
• Morgan Chisholm
• Ian Myers

Ella Brunk Smith Award

In honor of Ella Brunk Smith, wife of former 黑料不打烊 President Dr. L.E. Smith, a cash award is presented to a female student in the senior class who has made significant contributions to the religious and moral life on campus.

• Stephanie Miljanic
• Elizabeth Czenczek

Martha Smith Award for Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexualities Studies

This award is given in honor of Martha Smith, one of the founding mothers of the women鈥檚, gender and sexualities studies program at 黑料不打烊, to recognize the academic and activist achievements of a graduating senior Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexualities Studies minor.

• Trevor Molin

Iris Holt McEwen Community Service Award

This award is presented to a student whose service to 黑料不打烊 and the larger community exemplifies the generosity of spirit and dedication to the philanthropy of Iris Holt McEwen.

• Amani Smalls

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is presented to graduating seniors, alumni and community members of selected colleges and universities in the Southern United States for excellence of character and service to humanity.鈥� At 黑料不打烊, two graduating seniors and one faculty or staff member are recognized annually for their honesty, morality, ethics, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage and compassion.

• Hugh Goldstein
• Christina Carr
• Terry Tomasek

John W. Barney Memorial Award

This award recognizes the senior(s) with the highest cumulative 颅GPA. Colleagues, former students, and friends of the late John W. Barney established this award in his honor. Mr. Barney graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1910 and was a faculty member for over three decades.

• Jane Ragland

黑料不打烊 recognized the excellence of members of the faculty and staff in their service to the university and the community at its annual awards luncheon on Wednesday.

黑料不打烊 faculty and staff members gathered in Alumni Gym for the event, which also included recognition of employees for years-of-service milestones and special recognitions of faculty and staff members who are retiring this academic year.

The celebration came as 黑料不打烊 prepares to conclude another academic year, with exams for undergraduates to begin on Thursday, May 12, and undergraduate commencement to be held on Friday, May 20.

“It has been quite a run this year, but we made it,” President Connie Ledoux Book told the hundreds of faculty and staff gathered in Alumni Gym for the awards luncheon. “Job well done, 黑料不打烊. This year every day, in so many ways, all of you do the right things. You do whatever it takes to fulfill our mission to have and see and witness and cheer on student success, and I am so proud and humbled by that commitment.”

Honored with awards from the university this year were Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies L.D. Russell, Associate Professor of Strategic Communications Vanessa Bravo, Associate Professor of Public Health Studies Stephanie Baker and Associate Professor of Anthropology Mussa Idris.

Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching

L.D. Russell, senior lecturer in religious studies

At the core of any higher education institution 鈥� or any educational establishment 鈥� is the relationship between its teachers and its students. L.D. Russell, a senior lecturer in religious studies, who 鈥渃laims and inhabits the role of teacher,鈥� one colleague wrote, has been named as the recipient of the Daniels-Danieley Award for Excellence in Teaching for the 2021-22 academic year.

鈥淲e consistently hear from students that LD facilitates life-changing intellectual opportunities, models intellectual values and the joy of inquiry, fosters respect for diversity and inspires them to think deeply about difficult subjects including religion, class, race, gender, nationality and politics,鈥� a group of colleagues wrote on Russell鈥檚 behalf.

Russell has taught at 黑料不打烊 since 1993, focusing on areas of world religions and cultures. He also serves as the faculty co-leader for the Sacred Space in France Winter Term Program in Paris and Montpellier and chair of the Residentially Linked Faculty Subcommittee of the Global Neighborhood Association.

Russell鈥檚 efforts to make a meaningful connection with students go far beyond the classroom. Creating engaging and judgment-free spaces, giving time to the most outspoken of students to the most reserved, is a reputation that Russell has built during his nearly 30 years at 黑料不打烊.

鈥淚n the spring of 2021, I struggled with my mental health. So, when registering for fall courses, both of my advisors recommended that I take LD鈥檚 class,鈥� one current student wrote. 鈥淥n the first day of class, it was clear that LD prioritized well-being and community over everything else. On a personal level, LD has become a trusted instructor, mentor and friend during my last year as a college student.

鈥淟D is someone who dedicates his life to the intellectual and personal development of others. He is a selfless, kind and empathetic person who I am honored to know and continue to learn from,鈥� that student added.

His inspiration and encouragement are not limited to the students he鈥檚 taught but the entire 黑料不打烊 community 鈥� which is exemplified by his essay, 鈥�To Soar Again,” written during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage students and alumni during such difficult times.

Planning to begin his phased retirement next year, Russell has amassed a plethora of recognitions in his three decades of teaching, including but not limited to the 2018 Kathleen Connolly-Weinert Leader of the Year Award by the National Board of Theta Alpha Kappa, the 2016 Gerald Francis Faculty Member of the Year Award by the 黑料不打烊 Student Government Association and the 2008 Most Influential Professor Award by Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Currently, Russell is working on a book, tentatively titled 鈥淚nto the Mystic,鈥� which explores the various cultural manifestations of religion in the history of rock-and-roll.

“If you could know how much spending time with students in the classroom and out … has enriched my life,聽I honestly feel like the richest man in the world,” Russell said as he accepted the Daniels-Danieley Award. “I want to dedicate this award to my students. When I see prospective students and their parents … one of the things I say to them is 黑料不打烊 is a place where dreams come true.”

Russell is the 50th recipient of the award established by President Emeritus J. Earl Danieley 鈥�46 and his wife, Verona Daniels Danieley, in honor of their parents.

Distinguished Scholar Award

Associate Professor Vanessa Bravo, chair of the Department of Strategic Communications

Associate Professor Vanessa Bravo is a premier scholar in the fields of transnational communications and public relations, and chair of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Department of Strategic Communications. Her research is focused on how the governments in countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Colombia use strategic communications to establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with their diaspora communities, particularly those in the United States.

Bravo has built a strong, consistent and high-quality record of research since joining 黑料不打烊 in 2011 that contributes to a greater understanding of how the bonds between governments and diaspora groups are created, fortified, and in some cases, damaged.

“I care a lot about my research and I care a lot about the people who are the focus of my research,” Bravo said as she received the Distinguished Scholar Award. “Even though it’s not super mainstream, a place like 黑料不打烊 recognizes that it’s important and I so appreciate this.”

Given the connections that many migrants from Latin America to the United States retain with their home countries, Bravo has examined how home governments have benefitted from the economic support of diaspora communities and the ability of these communities to offer legitimacy and political backing to those home governments. She has explored how diaspora communities can serve as informal ambassadors of the home government, and how they can also damage the relationship between home and host countries.

In fall 2021, Bravo and Maria De Moya from DePaul University published the co-edited, peer-reviewed book 鈥淟atin American Diasporas in Public Diplomacy鈥� that presents case studies of public diplomacy efforts involving diaspora communities either as supporters or adversaries of their home governments. It is the first of its type focused on diasporas from Latin America and brings together the work of a collection of Latin American scholars most of whom are members of diaspora communities.

Bravo views her research as supporting themes within the university鈥檚 Boldly 黑料不打烊 strategic plan around diversity and global engagement.

鈥淚n fact, the lens of global engagement and diversity interconnects all my professional activity, and this lens also connects my research to my teaching and my mentoring at 黑料不打烊,鈥� Bravo says. 鈥淢y research is also connected to my personal experience of being an immigrant, in particular a Latina immigrant to the United States, and it affords me the special advantage of contributing to 黑料不打烊 as a faculty member who has the academic and the experiential understanding of the migrant experience and of the Latino experience.鈥�

In a letter supporting Bravo鈥檚 nomination for the award, an 黑料不打烊 colleague wrote that Bravo鈥檚 research record 鈥渋s representative of a prolific research stream that has cemented an international reputation as a public relations scholar specializing in Latin America and DEI issues. Collectively, these endeavors point to a scholar who is achieving excellence in research and whose work directly supports the 黑料不打烊 mission of 鈥榠ntegrating learning across disciplines and putting knowledge into practice.鈥欌��

Along with her 2021 book, “Latin American Diasporas in Public Diplomacy,” Bravo has published 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, eight book chapters and two invited book reviews since joining 黑料不打烊. She has presented 38 times at the preeminent conferences in her field, has received two 鈥渢op paper awards鈥� and has presented 14 times as an invited panelist at conferences and academic sessions.

A colleague from another institution notes in a letter of support for her nomination that Bravo鈥檚 work has influenced not only the views of researchers in the United States but of many others across Latin America. Bravo鈥檚 research and 2021 book 鈥渇ill a large void in the public diplomacy literature because of its emphasis on diaspora groups,鈥� the colleague notes. 鈥淒r. Bravo represents an emergent class of scholars and teachers who came from Latin America to the United States to further their education and career progression. She belongs to a community of scholars who have dedicated their academic careers to documenting their areas of specialization from a Latin American perspective.鈥�

After completing her doctorate in mass communications at the University of Florida, Bravo joined the faculty at 黑料不打烊 as an assistant professor of strategic communications in 2011. She was promoted to associate professor in 2017 and has served as chair of her department since 2020.

Another colleague pointed to Bravo鈥檚 work as a mentor and the impact that has had on her students, peers and researchers in the field. 鈥淒r. Bravo has proven herself to be not only an exceptional researcher but a committed mentor who generously has collaborated with students, practitioners and faculty members alike,鈥� the colleague says. 鈥淪he always makes herself available to provide emerging scholars with advice and feedback, and she has organized and participated in several panels that provide opportunities for other underrepresented scholars to advance their research.鈥�

Bravo is the 23rd recipient of the Distinguished Scholar Award, which recognizes a faculty member whose research has earned peer commendation and respect and who has made significant contributions to his or her field of study.

Periclean Award for Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility

Stephanie Baker, associate professor of public health studies

An associate professor of public health studies, Stephanie Baker has consistently demonstrated her commitment to antiracism organizing and community-based participatory research in her teaching, service and research since joining 黑料不打烊 in 2015.

“My mentors in this work couldn’t even put the words ‘race and racism’ in the papers they wrote, in the grants they wrote or in the classes they teach. So to be able to come a generation later and to be acknowledged for my work is really gratifying,” Baker said as she received the Periclean Award. “I’m indebted to my community partners who hold me accountable every single day … because they really make me better. I wouldn’t be able to do this work without them.”

Nominated for the Periclean Award by a group that includes current and former students, colleagues and community partners, Baker is lifted up as one who has prioritized relationship development with the broader Alamance County community, leading those relationships to be strengthened and solidified over time. 鈥淪he is a catalyst for change in addressing and removing structural barriers to good health that often result in health inequities/disparities for BIPOC (Black, indigenous and people of color) community members,鈥� the nominators write. 鈥淭his is the essence of civic engagement and social responsibility 鈥斅爏trengthening relationships and showing up when you are called on.鈥�

A current student who Baker has mentored during her time at 黑料不打烊 points to the role she played in encouraging her to think more critically about public health issues impacting the local community. 鈥淒r. Baker is one of the most civically engaged people I have ever met,鈥� the student writes. 鈥淪he thinks critically about community issues and constantly considers her positionality and encourages her students to do the same. She has helped me to create solid community partnerships in a responsible way while employing aspects of Community Based Participatory Research. Dr. Baker has guided me to apply my coursework to real-world situations in the local community, and I鈥檓 grateful to have such an amazing mentor that helps me to stay grounded in real public health issues.鈥�

Baker joined 黑料不打烊 after receiving her doctorate in health behavior from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She soon agreed to serve as a member of the Advisory Council to address racial inequities in infant mortality in Alamance County. That role and her advocacy led members of the community to organize the Alamance Racial Equity Alliance, which now hosts quarterly workshops and training sessions.

Baker also requires her research students to attend racial equity training. 鈥淪he understands that it is a critically important step to help them conduct their research with a contextual understanding of the historical and policy factors that undergird racial health disparities,鈥� the nominating group noted in their letter of support. 鈥淪tudents have been transformed by their engagement with the workshop and many find ways to enter local organizing efforts as a result.”

With Assistant Professor Yanica Faustin, Baker is the co-founder of the Health Equity and Racism Lab, or H.E.R. Lab. The initiative鈥檚 mission is to advance the body of knowledge that illustrates racism as the root cause to health inequities and cultivate action toward undoing racism and improving population health. Its three focal areas are research, capacity building and advocacy/action.

She is a board member for Healthy Alamance and was invited to be part of the group due to her expertise in racial equity analysis. She is currently on the executive leadership team of the board. Baker serves on the Alamance Recovery Loan Oversight Committee, a group created by the Alamance Chamber of Commerce as a way to increase access to small business loans for communities of color.

As COVID-19 vaccines began being distributed, Baker worked with the Alamance County Health Department to help address the underrepresentation of Black and brown communities at vaccine clinics. She convened a meeting of local community stakeholders and went to work creating partnerships and commitments of organizations to prioritize the important needs of communities of color.

鈥淪he is a tremendous voice for racial equity in this region,鈥� her nominators write.

Baker is the 20th recipient of the Periclean Award for Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility, which is given each year to a member of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 faculty or staff whose community service exemplifies the ideals of Project Pericles.

Steven and Patricia House Excellence in Mentoring Award

Mussa Idris, associate professor of anthropology

Cultivating a 鈥渃onstellation of mentors鈥� is a key element to the 黑料不打烊 experience. The university has recognized Mussa Idris, associate professor of anthropology, as the recipient of the Steven and Patricia House Excellence in Mentoring Award.

鈥淒r. Idris is one of the best faculty mentors 黑料不打烊 has ever had. Ever,鈥� one colleague wrote. 鈥淗e not only has a sustained record of committed, passionate, generous and high-quality mentoring ever since he started working full-time at 黑料不打烊 in 2014, but the outcomes of that mentoring are simply outstanding.鈥�

It鈥檚 hard to refute that when Idris has mentored two Lumen Prize winners, two Leadership Prize winners and won the Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Award in 2019 from the 黑料不打烊 College, College of the Arts & Sciences, along with a plethora of other distinctions.

Idris began his 黑料不打烊 career in 2012, after spending eight years at the University of Florida as a teaching associate in anthropology and the institution鈥檚 Center for American Studies. Idris became a full-time faculty member in 2014, teaching undergraduate classes in anthropology, sociology and African studies.

During that time, he has also worked with a variety of local organizations including the Center for New North Carolinians and the North Carolina African Services Coalition, both in Greensboro.

鈥淲ithout Dr. Idris鈥� deliberate emphasis on a student-led mentoring approach 鈥� I strongly believe that I would not have experienced the amount of personal growth and confidence in my research capacity,鈥� a former student of Idris wrote. 鈥淗is mentoring not only shaped my research but always shaped my ethnographic lens and reflexivity as a researcher 鈥� two things that I continue to carry with me and develop since I graduated from 黑料不打烊.鈥�

He is currently doing ethnographic research with newly resettled refugees from Sub-Saharan African countries in Greensboro, North Carolina with a focus on resettlement experiences and micro-enterprise initiatives.

鈥淚 am not the only student who has deeply valued their time with him and with whom he has kept up,鈥� another student wrote in support of Idris for the House Award. 鈥淚n an ideal world, every student would have an advocate, mentor, friend and teacher like Dr. Idris: someone with a strong set of values, who is an encourager and a partner in thought. It has been my honor and privilege to have him as a teacher and mentor.鈥�

“I am just humbled. I have learned so much from 黑料不打烊, from my department and the people that I’ve met here,” Idris said in front of his colleagues as he received the House Award. “I know this recognition can go to so many of you, and I just want to say thank you very much.”

Idris is the third faculty member to be honored with the Steven and Patricia House Excellence in Mentoring Award. The award is supported by a gift from Executive Vice President Steven House and his wife, Patricia, to celebrate excellence in student mentoring, one of the markers of quality that has fueled 黑料不打烊鈥檚 reputation as the national leader in engaged, experiential learning.

Since 1977, Omicron Delta Kappa has recognized 黑料不打烊 students who exhibit high academic standards and outstanding leadership. Other core components include multicultural experience, athletics, campus and community service, social and religious activities, campus government, creative and performing arts and journalism, speech and mass media.

Exemplary achievement and service are also being recognized this spring during several individual school ceremonies.

2022 Omicron Delta Kappa Award recipients

Student Media Award

This award is presented to the student who has contributed the most to advance communications on-campus during the current academic year.

• Kathryn G. Williams

Leadership Studies Award

The Leadership Studies Award is awarded annually to the senior Leadership Studies minor who has best exemplified the study of leadership as an academic discipline through excellence in related coursework, research and/or other scholarly contributions.

• Morgan Julie Kearns

The PERCS Outstanding Ethnography Award

This award recognizes the student who has conducted the most outstanding ethnographic research project at 黑料不打烊, judged according to the quality of both the process and product. The award is given by PERCS: The Program for Ethnographic Research and Community Studies.

• Hannah E. Boone
• Emily Preston Wilbourne

Martha Smith Award for Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies

This award is given in honor of Martha Smith, one of the founding mothers of the women鈥檚, gender and sexualities studies program at 黑料不打烊, to recognize the achievements 鈥� both academic and activist in nature 鈥� of a graduating senior Women鈥檚, Gender and Sexualities Studies minor.

• Maddie Ann Mahoney

W.L. Monroe Christian Education and Personality Award

Recipients of this award demonstrate citizenship and a strong desire to help others improve themselves. A trust created by the late W.L. Monroe Sr., who attended 黑料不打烊 in 1917, provides cash awards to the recipients.

• Cole Carney
• Ariana L. Wilson
• Alexandra Kinley Campbell

Katharine duPont Weymouth Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to outstanding juniors in the social sciences and given in honor of alumnus Frank Lyon 鈥�71.

• Tiffany B. Pham

Iris Holt McEwen Community Service Award

This award is presented to a student whose service to 黑料不打烊 and the larger community exemplifies the generosity of spirit and dedication to philanthropy of Iris Holt McEwen.

• Lucy Annabelle Garcia

Hilaire Pickett ’08 Leadership Grant

The endowed scholarship, the Hilaire Pickett 鈥�08 Leadership Grant, is awarded to students that participate in the Leadership Education and Development at 黑料不打烊. Awards are granted to support students in their junior or senior years to pursue leadership internships or legacy efforts. The students must demonstrate a significant commitment to their organizations and academics and be active in contributions that have a positive impact on the 黑料不打烊 community.

• Amaya Michelle Gaines
• Ethan Xavier Lane-Blake

GlaxoSmithKline Women in Science Scholar Award

This scholarship is awarded by the North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation鈥檚 Women in Science Scholars Program to a rising sophomore or junior majoring in math or science. Under the program, scholarship recipients are paired with professional GlaxoSmithKline women who have excelled in various science-related fields and careers, and can provide guidance and shared experiences with the scholars.

• Delyla V. Makki

Truitt Center Reconciliation Award

This award is presented to a student who best exemplifies the vision of Douglas G. Noiles and Edna Truitt Noiles ’44, who endowed the program in the Vera Richardson Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life 鈥渢o enable 黑料不打烊 students to learn about their own and other faiths and to live lives of reconciliation.鈥�

• Timothy Olson
• Katherine G. Zimmermann

Ella Brunk Smith Award

In honor of Ella Brunk Smith, wife of former 黑料不打烊 President Dr. L.E. Smith, a cash award is presented to a female student in the senior class who has made significant contributions to the religious and moral life on campus.

• Catherine Stallsmith
• Emily A. Katz

Newman Civic Fellows Award

The Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellows Award is a national award that recognizes students who inspire and engage others through their work to provide long-term solutions for social issues in their communities. This award is 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.

• Ryan M. Lockwood

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award is an award presented to graduating seniors, alumni and community members of selected colleges and universities in the Southern United States for excellence of character and service to humanity.鈥� At 黑料不打烊, two graduating seniors and one faculty or staff member are recognized annually for their honesty, morality, ethics, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage and compassion.

• Deena Elizabeth Elrefai
• Madison Braden Holmes
• Whitney Gregory, assistant dean of students (faculty/staff recipient)

John W. Barney Memorial Award

This award recognizes the senior(s) with the highest cumulative 颅GPA. Colleagues, former students, and friends of the late John W. Barney established this award in his honor. Mr. Barney graduated from 黑料不打烊 in 1910 and was a member of the faculty for more than three decades.

• Emily A. Katz
• Sarah Katerine Loos

William Moseley Brown Leadership Award

Presented by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, this award is presented to the student who consistently demonstrates the highest ideals of Omicron Delta Kappa: scholarship, service, integrity, character and fellowship, including providing distinguished leadership to his or her peers. The award is named in honor of a former 黑料不打烊 faculty member and one of the original founders of the national chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa.

• Caroline E. Penfield

The Leadership Prize supports community-based research projects, focusing on issues like creating more inclusive school environments or finding ways to promote mental wellness on campus and beyond. Prize recipients are encouraged to think locally and act globally by tapping into their passions and activating their leadership skills to benefit 黑料不打烊 and Alamance County.

Leadership Prize recipients receive $7,500 to support their research goals and work with a faculty mentor to carry out their projects. In addition to the completion of the Leadership Prize research project over three semesters, each recipient participates in the Leadership Development Program. The Leadership Development Program includes workshops, small group discussions, and events that promote the development of leadership skills on and off campus. Recipients also present during their senior year at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 annual Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

This year, two 黑料不打烊 juniors were awarded the Leadership Prize from a pool of strong applicants. Madeline Attianese ’22, an Honors Fellow and public health studies major, and Gillian Kick ’22, an English literature and creative writing major, have already begun using their research funding to make a positive impact in their community.

Attianese is pursuing a project titled 鈥淭he Value of Authenticity in Comprehensive Sex Education.鈥� The project examines the Wise Guys comprehensive sex education curriculum and its focus on the responsibility of males in preventing teen pregnancy. Attianese is working with mentor Amanda Tapler, senior lecturer in public health studies.

With the Leadership Prize, Attianese will be able to organize her own conferences to share her research with others across the country. She also hopes to meet with the Wise Guys educators to emphasize the importance of their current curriculum regarding sex education.

Kick is also promoting positive change in her community through her project, 鈥淩ewriting Injustice in Alamance County: Fostering youth agency and community engagement through social justice writing,” with her mentor Heather Lindenman, assistant professor of English. From a young age, Kick was told that she had the opportunity to make a difference regarding the injustices happening in her community. Her passion for writing aided her efforts to change the social climate of her hometown, and she encourages others to find ways to do the same. Kick believes that the voices of young people have the power to change the tide of the current social situation and that students should take an active role in spreading awareness, speaking up and writing.

The Leadership Prize will help Kick publish other student works to amplify the voices of rising community leaders, including Alamance County high schoolers. She is collaborating with Leadership Prize alumna Courtney Kobos 鈥�19, who teaches English in the Alamance-Burlington School System at the Early College at Alamance Community College.

If you believe that you have what it takes to make positive social change like Attianese and Kick, visit the Leadership Prize website to learn more about the award and how to apply.

This spring, Gillian Kick 鈥�22 worked with 17 high school juniors in Alamance-Burlington Schools鈥� Early College program to cultivate their writing skills around social issues. Nine of those students read essays, poems and short stories during an event Friday at Alamance Community College, which hosts the early college program. All 17 students鈥� pieces will be published in a book, 鈥淭he World and Everything in It,鈥� this summer through Kick鈥檚 Leadership Prize funding.

鈥淭he goal of this project was for powerful student voices to be heard and shared in this community,鈥� Kick said. 鈥淏y empowering them to write, and then unpacking their writing, I hope to discern what high schoolers have to say about social justice issues and use their ideas as a way to move forward together.鈥�

Kick 鈥� an 黑料不打烊 College Fellow and English literature and creative writing double-major 鈥� worked with her mentor, Assistant Professor of English Heather Lindenman, and Early College English teacher Courtney Kobos 鈥�19 to create a writing curriculum based on writing around social justice issues. The project, 鈥淩ewriting Injustice in Alamance County: Fostering youth agency and community engagement through social justice writing,鈥� earned her the Leadership Prize this winter. She based the concept on her own transformative high school experience, when a teacher gave her freedom to explore local issues through writing.

Early College students said the semester helped them focus their ideas and process the dramatic events of the last few years in meaningful ways.

鈥淚鈥檝e never really had a class like this,鈥� said Yesenia Santiago, who read her piece, 鈥淭he World I Wish to See,鈥� about hopefulness for peace and equality. 鈥淚t was almost like therapy. I grew as a writer and as a person.鈥�

Shiv Patel said the project gave him the opportunity to think deeply about important issues. His short story, 鈥淭hirteen Miles from the Truth,鈥� played on themes of mass hysteria and the corruptive power of lies.

鈥淚t was an eye-opening experience, and it gave us the freedom to do creative work and write about things we鈥檙e passionate about,鈥� Patel said.

Kobos 鈥� 聽a Leadership Prize winner in 2018 for work around ESL education and a Fulbright award winner 鈥� appreciated the opportunity to partner with Kick. Working together, Kobos and Kick frequently tied writing to literature and themes explored in the course.

鈥淭he way Gillian and Dr. Lindenman arranged the curriculum allowed the students鈥� creativity to flow naturally. Each week, they were making writing progress, but the lessons were really focused on their needs and their passions,鈥� Kobos said. 鈥淚 think the project has been successful in academic terms, in their writing, and also in their personal growth.鈥�

Lindenman, coordinator of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 first-year writing program, has expertise in areas of community writing and service-learning in composition.

鈥淵our words were some of the most beautiful things I鈥檝e heard in the last year,鈥� Lindenman told the students Friday. Afterward, she remarked that the semester outcomes were among the best she鈥檚 ever experienced in community writing projects.

But beyond their texts, their semester together was as much about inspiring their confidence in sharing their views among peers and with the public. Some of the pieces were deeply personal. In conversations with Kick, some students shared that the peer revision process showed them points of view on social issues and different ways to view current events.

Kick and Lindenman will collaborate this summer to publish the volume of their works. Kick will continue unpacking the experience and researching community writing as she completes her undergraduate research project her senior year. This fall, Kick, Lindenman and Kobos will present their collaboration at the Conference on Community Writing.

Started as a gift from alumna Isabella Cannon, the Leadership Prize was established in 2015 to fulfill the former Raleigh, N.C. mayor鈥檚 vision of facilitating leadership and change. The Leadership Prize offers a $7,500 award to students to support their study of pressing issues both locally and statewide.

The Leadership Prize supports the combined efforts from the awarded student, their mentor and the surrounding community to address the problem from a new perspective. The prize is unique because it is awarded to a student to support their research as well as the development of potential solutions to the problems they are studying.

Each project includes the three elements of intellectual inquiry, proposed solutions and proposed implementation plans. Students apply for the Leadership Prize during the fall of their junior year, with the prize supporting their work during their final three semesters at 黑料不打烊.

“Leading effectively means finding ways to transform well-informed ideas into thoughtful actions,” said Rob Moorman, director of The Leadership Prize, Frank S. Holt, Jr. Professor of Business Leadership and professor of organizational behavior. “The Leadership Prize supports our students鈥� efforts to connect their exploration of pressing issues with their motivation to improve the lives of others.”

Attianese, an Honors Fellow and public health studies major from Granby, Connecticut, is pursuing a project titled 鈥淭he Value of Authenticity in Comprehensive Sex Education.鈥� She will be looking at the role that authenticity plays in the delivery of the Wise Guys comprehensive sex education curriculum by educators. The curriculum is focused on promoting male responsibility to help prevent teenage pregnancy. She will be working with mentor Amanda Tapler, senior lecturer in public health studies.

Attianese said she was drawn to the topic after talking with a former 黑料不打烊 faculty member, Jennifer Kimbrough, about the Wise Guys curriculum, and found that Kimbrough had focused her dissertation on the topic. 鈥淔rom there, my current research mentor, Dr. Tapler, and Dr. Kimbrough guided me in the direction of working with Wise Guys,鈥� Attianese said. 鈥淭hings fell into place in such a beautiful way. It is quite an amazing feeling when you find something you can nerd out about while having the potential to encourage change.鈥�

The Leadership Prize award will provide the opportunity to travel to various conferences to share her research, Attianese said. 鈥淚 hopefully will be able to meet with the current Wise Guys educators to brainstorm ways my research can help an already amazing program progress forward to positively impact more lives through outstanding comprehensive sexuality education.鈥�

Kick, an English literature and creative writing major from Trumbull, Connecticut, is undertaking research titled 鈥淩ewriting Injustice in Alamance County: Fostering youth agency and community engagement through social justice writing.鈥� Her mentor is Heather Lindenman, assistant professor of English.

Kick said when she was 16, her English teacher believed in her enough to let her write a narrative on injustice in education in Connecticut and it 鈥渞evolutionized my world.鈥� She anticipates her research helping bring more youth voices to the table as society grapples with injustice against marginalized communities.

鈥淚 truly believe that high schoolers, when given the time and space to do so, can say really powerful things about our communities,鈥� Kick said. 鈥淭hey just need someone to believe in them. By empowering them to write, and then unpacking their writing, I hope to discern what high schoolers have to say about social justice issues and use their ideas as a way to move forward together.鈥�

With the support of the Leadership Prize, Kick is planning to publish a collection of student works produced as part of this project. 鈥淭his will allow the voices of Alamance County high schoolers to be amplified and shared with community leaders,鈥� Kick said. 鈥淎dditionally, funds from the prize will support my own academic development through events such as conferences and writing workshops.鈥�

Kick is an 黑料不打烊 College Fellow, the lead service ambassador for the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, and the director of education and youth development for 黑料不打烊 Volunteers!

Attianese and Kick were selected for this year鈥檚 awards from a pool of applications that included students studying issues in engineering and social justice, health improvement and stress reduction among underrepresented students, immigration experiences in Alamance County and concussion prevention in public high schools. Serving on the committee were faculty and staff members Elena Kennedy, Derek Lackaff, Mary Morrison, Danielle Lake, Chris Leupold, Meredith Allison, Melanie Bullock and Rob Moorman. Learn more about the Leadership Prize and how to apply here.

is a week-long event that highlights the work of individuals who have dedicated themselves to improving the lives of others with new ideas and creative solutions.

Weaver was selected for his work as the founder of Weird Enough Productions, an education technology company.

Disappointed by the representation of black people in the media, Weaver was inspired to create Weird Enough Productions in 2014 while still a student at 黑料不打烊. The company produces comic books that partner with lesson plans and other programs that encourage young people to embrace their quirks.

As a double major in theatre arts and strategic communications, Weaver had always been interested in researching media misrepresentation. After winning first prize at the School of Business鈥檚 Triple Impact Challenge with Weird Enough Productions, Weaver devoted the rest of his time at 黑料不打烊 to further developing his vision.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 rest knowing that there are kids that look like me that want nothing more than for someone to look at them and say 鈥業 believe in you. You鈥檙e worth something,鈥欌�� said Weaver in an.

Weaver was one of three Leadership Prize recipients from 黑料不打烊 in 2015. The prize, which was established through a gift from Isabella Cannon, provides funding for students to use their leadership skills to develop creative solutions.

Weaver continued to expand Weird Enough Productions after he graduated. The company created a series of comics, titled 鈥淭he Uncommons,鈥� which features black superheroes fighting monsters that young people often face, such as insecurities or past failures. In 鈥淭he Uncommons鈥�, Weaver aims to produce the same level of excitement from his favorite childhood cartoons, while combating stereotypes at the same time.

鈥淲hat if we could take that same amazing feeling you get when you watch an anime, and translate it specifically to the way that young people behave in school and the way that they develop?鈥� Weaver asked during the CNN interview.

The company鈥檚 goal to reach young adults continued to grow as they developed a series of lessons plans and curricula that were taught alongside the comic books.

In 2016, Weaver was named as a Black Male Achievement Fellow by Echoing Green, which identifies exceptional emerging leaders in the world. He was also recognized on Forbes鈥� 30 Under 30 Education list in 2018.

The same year, Weaver was awarded the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from 黑料不打烊 for his work with Weird Enough Productions.

In March, the company responded to the pandemic by making their platform free for all teachers, parents, and students through the end of the academic year. The production team also volunteered to lead discussions in digital classrooms.

As a 2020 Champion for Change, Weaver is continuing to challenge the toxic norms that exist in popular culture, and he is determined to use his production company to ensure that all children can see themselves clearly in the media.

鈥淚 encourage young people to find what makes them feel empowered. And don鈥檛 let anyone take it away from you,鈥� Weaver told CNN.

Maggie Davis ’21 and Allie Hawley ’21 have been awarded this year’s Leadership Prize for their research on significant issues in our community and potential solutions to the problems they see.

Starting as a gift from Mayor Isabella Cannon, the Leadership Prize was established in 2015 to fulfill Cannon鈥檚 vision of facilitating leadership and change. The Leadership Prize offers a $7,500 award to students to support their study of pressing issues in the local statewide community. The prize supports the combined efforts from the awarded student, their mentor and the surrounding community to address the problem from a new perspective.

Davis, a special education major, is concentrating her research on the impact of transition for children who travel between a school and hospital setting.

鈥淚 am looking at the transition from hospital settings to school settings for children with special healthcare needs,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚 want to do a symposium for parents that are affected by this transition. I would ask a bunch of different personnel in this transition to have an open conversation about the topic and what is available to parents鈥�

Davis is working with Bud Warner, associate professor and chair of the Department of Human Service Studies, as a mentor.

Also an 黑料不打烊 Teaching Fellow, Davis expressed how the program is helping her keep with a timeline and establish connections in schools and hospitals of the community.

鈥淎n awesome opportunity about the Leadership Prize is it allows you to have the opportunity to reach out to real people doing work in the field you鈥檙e looking into,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淏eing able to work in the community can do a lot for your research.鈥�

Hawley has partnered with Associate Professor of Education聽Scott Morrison for her research that centers on establishing and studying the emotional impact of school gardens.

鈥淐hildren in Alamance County sometimes struggle to stay focused in classrooms, which is often because material is not relevant to their lives or meeting their needs,鈥� Hawley said. 鈥淪chool gardens are interactive, interdisciplinary spaces for transformative teaching and learning.鈥�

Hawley鈥檚 research will be a continuation of Morrison鈥檚 own research, and they have already partnered with 黑料不打烊 Elementary and Eastlawn Elementary schools. They hope to continue connecting with independent educators and other elementary schools.

Hawley wants to use school gardens to address topics of food insecurity and immersive, application-based learning.

鈥淭here is an endless flow of Elementary students who are in need of our innovative approach to education,鈥� Hawley said. 鈥淚f we can prove just how beneficial garden-based learning can be, the project can grow exponentially over the next few years.鈥�

As part of this undergraduate research program that spans 3 semesters, the recipients receive leadership development through workshops and mentoring with faculty and the Center for Leadership. The culmination of their work is at the annual Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) during the university’s Celebrate Week.

The Center for Leadership looks forward to where these students and their mentors will take their research, and how it will impact local change.

The Leadership Prize is awarded yearly, and is open to juniors to apply during fall semester. For more information, visit the Leadership Prize page on the Center for Leadership鈥檚 website.