SXU Holds Annual Scarlet and Gray Awards
Saint Xavier University (SXU) recently held the annual Scarlet and Gray Awards to honor outstanding student leaders, organizations, and achievements in service and extracurricular involvement. This year's ceremony was held in person in McGuire Hall for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, and the community was thrilled to celebrate its high-achieving students.
Awards are given out from areas such as the Office of Admission, Campus Ministry, Campus Life, the Learning Center and Writing Studio, Residence Life, Student Employment, the Student Success Program (SSP) and Student Media. In addition, this year, twelve students completed the requirements for their leadership development and earned the Cougars LEAD Leadership Certificate.
"The Scarlet and Gray Awards are an honored tradition at SXU that celebrate what makes us distinctive and allow us to thank our incredible student leaders for their excellent work throughout the year. These awards recognize the servant leadership and consistent generosity of spirit that create a more vibrant and engaging campus," said President Laurie M. Joyner, Ph.D.
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: Nada Alaraj
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: Haneen Jubeh
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 Winners: Allie Smith and Mario Young
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: Alexus James-Anderson
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: Alan Martinez-Lopez, Samantha Alvarado, Ewelina Bryja and Adrian Delgadillo-Silva
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: Jazmine Jean-Simon, Amanda Pulido, Cyndi Washington-Bolden, Mary Kate Walczak, Hadeel Damra, Mia Cox, Marcy Herrera, Amr Alshatnawi, Gaby Garcia, Haneen Jubeh and Sharon Onuorah
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: Guadalupe Garcia
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: Late Nite by Student Activities Board
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: Manal Kanaan
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: Pre-Physician Associate Society Club
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: Cyndi Washingyon-Bolden
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: Alexus James-Anderson
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: Olivia Artz
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 Winners: Elizabeth Zavala and Mary Ward
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: Tatyanna Taylor and Rachel Mensah
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: Amber Maddox and Samantha Alvarado
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 Winners: Hadeel Damra and Elida Zaragoza
The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) Outstanding Service Award stands on four pillars: leadership, academic, recognition and service.
Award Winners: Karen Salgado and Isaac Torres
The Leader Among Leaders Award recognizes a resident assistant who has shown exemplary leadership and support to their fellow staff as a mentor.
Award Winners: Cherith Clottey and Katherine Hutto
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 Winners: Peyton Gibson and Thressa Nelson
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 Winner: Mario Young
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: Sarah Sayeed
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: Matthew Maltese and Holly Bryce
The Xavierite Student Journalist of the Year Award is presented to a student who has guided the development and distribution of the Xavierite.
Award Winners: Mike Rivera and Nathaly Duenas
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: Katherine Hutto
The Campus Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to a student who has been involved in campus events, traditions, organizations and student leadership for the majority of their time at SXU, going above and beyond to connect other students to programs and organizations.
Award Winner: Alexus James-Anderson
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: Katherine Hutto
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: Nada Alaraj
Join the SXU community in congratulating our outstanding student community of doers, representative of Saint Xavier's commitment to excellence!