SXU Holds Annual Scarlet and Gray Awards
Saint Xavier University (SXU) recently held the annual Scarlet and Gray Awards, which honor outstanding student leaders, organizations and achievements in service and extracurricular involvement. This year's ceremony was held on the immersive virtual platform Degy World, a customized event space where guests are fully engaged and can interact with the community through voice-to-voice conversations and chat as their own personalized avatars.
"Our annual Scarlet and Gray Awards celebrate our students' resiliency, tenacity and wins. As Catherine McAuley stated, 'we should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.' So many of our student leaders do just that by sharing their gifts, time and talent with the SXU community. They are truly the lifeblood of this institution," said Joshua Bogaski-Baugh, director of Student Development.
The Richard and Wendy Yaniksoki Scholarship supports an undergraduate student in good academic standing who has contributed in exceptional ways to Catholic ministry, liturgy and spirituality on campus.
Award Winners: Emily Hunt and Rebecca Mogbo
In 1997, a request was given by an SXU theology major alumna to establish a scholarship in her mother's name, the Valeria Krauspe Scholarship, to be awarded to a student actively engaged in ministry.
Award Winner: Haneen Jubeh
The Catherine McAuley Award is presented to a student leader who, in the tradition of the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, is committed wholeheartedly to reaching out to those who are marginalized to show them compassion and hospitality.
Award Winner: Kaitlyn Cooper
The Frances Xavier Warde Award is presented to a student leader who demonstrates a remarkable ability to overcome adversity in pursuit of faith and service.
Award Winner: Isabella Martucci
The Great Commission Award is inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus gives the "Great Commission" to His followers, asking them to go far and wide to spread the Gospel and make new disciples of all peoples and all nations.
Award Winner: Haneen Jubeh
The Mercy Award for Ministry is presented to a student who has served with dedication, witnessed their own faith while fostering the faith of others and lived with integrity and compassion in outstanding ways.
Award Winner: Corina Salas
Student employees are essential to the operations of Saint Xavier University, and their hard work helps the campus thrive. The Student Employee of the Year Award celebrates exemplars of service excellence that live the University's mission and core values.
Award Winners: Dahje Holmes, David Dziuba and Lauren McHale
The Cougars Lead Leadership Certificate is rooted in student development and leadership identity theories for the purpose of helping students learn about leadership opportunities on campus and in the community.
Certificate Recipients: Antonio Morales, Ashley Newbill, Cheyenne Schwien, Corina Salas, Demari Hudson, Isaac Torres, Katherine Hutto, Nairuz Alaraj, Samantha Alvarado, Triniti May and Weronika Niedzielski
The RSO Officer of the Year Award is presented to an executive board member who displays outstanding academic achievement, values diversity and motivates and inspires others to exemplify integrity in all words and actions.
Award Winner: Henrietta McDonald
The RSO Program of the Year Award is based on the RSO's mission, how it incorporates the core values of SXU and how the program makes outstanding contributions to the University community.
Award Winner: La Charla: LGBTQ+ Identity in the Latinx Community
The RSO Advisor of the Year Award is presented to a faculty or staff member who serves as an RSO advisor with dedication to and interest in the success and activities of the RSO while encouraging the University's standards of excellence.
Award Winner: Timothy Ritchie, Ph.D.
The RSO of the Year Award is presented to an RSO who has made an outstanding contribution to overall campus life, with evidence of successful programming, successful membership development, responsible and creative use of resources, and best campus presence.
Award Winner: The American Red Cross Club
The Emerging Scholars Rising Star Award recognizes a first-year Emerging Scholars student who has displayed a substantial level of success in academics, leadership and extracurricular activities.
Award Winners: Chaniece Dobson and Oluwanifemi Taiwo
The Emerging Scholars Breakout Scholar Award recognizes an up-and-coming Emerging Scholars student who has shown potential and growth in academics, leadership and personal life.
Award Winner: Tamryn Jordan
The Emerging Scholars Outstanding Scholar Award recognizes the hard work, growth and development of an upperclassman who has demonstrated outstanding service to the SXU community.
Award Winner: Tatyanna Taylor
The Outstanding Peer Academic Tutor of the Year Award recognizes the service excellence of a dedicated, knowledgeable, sought-after tutor who helps peers to be successful.
Award Winner: John Draper
The Outstanding Writing Consultant of the Year Award recognizes a student who serves as proxy to faculty, mentor to other writing consultants and all-around resource to peers, trained to view, organize and proofread writing across the curriculum.
Award Winner: Emily Malchow
The Student Ambassador of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding student from the Student Ambassador program who is a committed representative with a positive attitude, strong ability to engage with students and families, welcoming nature and overall positivity.
Award Winner: Isaac Torres
The Student Success Program (SSP) Money Magnet Award is given to a student who has shown determination to make their own college experience affordable by pursuing and obtaining scholarships.
Award Winners: Hadeel Damra and Karina Garcia
The Student Success Program Culture Award is presented to someone who helps to keep the climate of the SSP office positive and upbeat, demonstrates exceptional hospitality, and has shown outstanding representation of the TRIO program.
Award Winners: Nairuz Alaraj and Tariana Alaraj
The Student Success Program Persistence in Graduation Award is given to a graduating senior who has worked to overcome challenges and has shown personal and academic growth and truly exemplifies the quality of persistence.
Award Winner: Henrietta McDonald
The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) Outstanding Service Award stands on four pillars: leadership, academic, recognition and service.
Award Winner: Facilities and Housekeeping Staff and John Calaunan
The Leader Among Leaders Award recognizes a resident assistant who has shown exemplary leadership and support to their fellow staff as a mentor.
Award Winner: Cherith Clottey
The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes a resident assistant who finds innovative ways to engage with the community and make a positive and significant contribution to the residence life team.
Award Winner: Eniola Oyefeso
The Residence Peer Academic Leaders (RPAL) – Action in Academics Award is presented to someone who finds innovative ways to connect their residents with the RPAL program while demonstrating leadership and ongoing support of their fellow staff.
Award Winner: Gillian Clottey
The UHS – Spirit of the Halls Award is given to a residence assistant with spirit, energy and enthusiasm, always willing to lend a helping hand.
Award Winners: Alexander Martinez and Isaac Torres
The Cougar Spirit Award is presented to an outstanding first-year sophomore or recent transfer who has made the most of their first semesters at SXU, demonstrating outstanding academic performance and exceptional co-curricular involvement.
Award Winner: Fadi Abour
The Gabriel Vaught Student Broadcaster of the Year Award is presented to integral members of the WXAV staff who have helped oversee the overall growth and development of the student-run radio station at Saint Xavier.
Award Winners: Anthony Lopez and Luke Hodorek
The Xavierite Student Journalist of the Year Award is presented to a student who has guided the development and distribution of the Xavierite.
Award Winner: Mary Ann Tolentino
The Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award is a presented to a student who thereby becomes a student laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, an award bestowed upon by the governor.
Award Winner: Yasmine Zavala
The Dean of Students Award for Student Leadership was established to honor student leaders who have served in a significant leadership capacity, made outstanding contributions to the quality of campus life and who have made a positive impact to the culture of SXU.
Award Winner: John Calaunan
The President’s Award for Service Leadership recognizes a student who authentically lives the core values of SXU's Mercy mission through their daily work. The award recipient serves the SXU community with the spirit of humility by putting the needs of other students first.
Award Winner: Isaac Torres
Join the SXU community in congratulating our outstanding student community of doers, representative of Saint Xavier's commitment to excellence!