2021-22 Winners

Thrive Student of the Year

Conor Metzger
This award goes to a student who has demonstrated ongoing commitment and leadership in building a culture of community wellbeing at Wake Forest. This year’s winner served as a dedicated Student Conduct Advisor, supporting students as they moved through the conduct process, and then, in a commitment to personal wellbeing, stepped away from that position to more fully dedicate himself to achieving depth of leadership in his other roles on campus, where he focuses on peer mentorship in wellbeing. A nominator states: “[He] is a conscientious person, committed to a holistic view of students and their wellbeing.”

Women’s Student Leadership Award

Olivia Thonson
This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated ongoing commitment and leadership to supporting women and promoting gender equity on campus. This recipient is a member of Safe Sex Express and Kappa Delta, is a health promotion assistant in the Office of Wellbeing, and was the founding president of the Intersectional Feminist Collective. She encourages women across campus to embrace empowerment through speaking at sorority chapters, planning educational events, promoting gender equality in her day to day conversations and relationships. A nominator states: “[She is] always teaching and pushing for a vision of a better tomorrow. I look up to her with respect, wanting to be like her when I grow up. She encourages me to see past myself, engage with intersectional works, and…aid my peers.”

First Year Student Leader

Harper Shanly
This award is presented to a first-year student who demonstrates leadership through campus or community involvement. This year’s winner is a leader in sustainability on campus. He has helped lead the “Nature, Gratitude, and Sustainability” team in bringing students together in community, conversation, relaxation, and appreciation of nature. He is also a member of the Campus Garden’s Cultivation Leadership Team, where he runs volunteer sessions and educates students on sustainable agriculture. A nominator stated: “He is always the first to volunteer and brings an infectious enthusiasm wherever he goes. I view him as a unifier, which is greatly needed in today’s world.”

Outstanding Emerging Leader

Heavyn McDaniels
This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated outstanding initiative and contribution within the campus community over the past year. This year’s winner is a member of the Wake Forest sorority community, and the Organization for Latin American Students and works in the Women’s Center. She facilitates Smart Start workshops, which help juniors and seniors negotiate job and internship offers, and has run g-chat dialogue programs around gender in society for the Women’s Center. A nominator writes: “[She] is constantly asked ‘Are you really a first year student?’ because of the way she connects with others, [and] exhibits confidence…”

Ripple in the Pond

Jacque Palermo & Katie Fox
This award goes to a student or students who have reached out to help someone in need, or engaged in unsolicited acts of kindness, causing “ripple effects” which influence others to acknowledge our shared humanity, and enhance our sense of community.

Jacque Palermo
This year we are recognizing two outstanding recipients. A nominator cited Maya Angelou to describe our first recipient: “People don’t remember what you say or do, but they remember how you make them feel.” This recipient has made an impact by presenting her authentic self in her roles as a Resident Advisor, a CLASS Ambassador, and the president of Women in STEM. Students have remarked that they “want to always be nice to people, like [she] was to [them],” and her nominator states that “[She] leaves others better than she finds them.”

Katie Fox
Our second recipient is a dedicated tutor and mentor for youth in the Winston Salem Community. She also serves WFU as a photographer for the Yearbook and the Old Gold & Black, and is a member of Minor Variation acapella group. She volunteers her time with OCCE, and CLASS, and is a friendly face to all at the Copy Center. Her nominator states: “To those she mentors and tutors, she is the face of WFU. She is sharing our Pro Humanitate motto with the youth of Winston Salem.”

Sophomore Student Leader

John Billos
This award is presented to a Sophomore student who demonstrates leadership through campus or community involvement. This year’s winner is a member of the Student Union board of directors and a Resident Advisor. A nominator states: “He is a student who has a vision for collaboration and sharing his interests with the community. His value for interpersonal communication and relationship building with his fellow peers makes him a warm team member and excellent leader.”

Cornerstone Award

AJ Aizpurua & Julia McElhinny
This award recognizes an undergraduate student or students who have influenced the University community from behind the scenes without seeking recognition, and done so with a positive attitude, a willingness to help in any capacity, and a commitment to bettering the Wake Forest community. This year we will recognize two recipients.

AJ Aizpurua
Our first recipient shares his gifts and talents with others via his work as a TA, a tutor in the Computer Science Center, and a CLASS Ambassador. He is also a member of the Robotics Club, a regular at WakerSpace, and served as a panelist for the Academic Resources Awareness Week student panel, helping to remove the stigma of going to tutoring and academic coaching. He has selflessly dedicated his time to helping his peers inside and outside of the classroom. His nominator states: “[He] does his work behind the scenes, never seeking recognition or fame. [He] is grateful for all that Wake Forest offers him, and he works hard every day to give back.”

Julia McElhinny
Our second recipient has served both the Wake Forest community and the Winston-Salem community with selflessness, passion, and enthusiasm that has left a lasting impact. She has served on Compost Crew, as a Student Advisor, as a tutor with OCCE, in the Campus Garden, and as the Policy & Advocacy Chair for Campus Kitchen. Her leadership has also enhanced and transformed the Office of Sustainability and Piedmont Environmental Alliance’s environmental education program. Her nominator states: “She is open-minded, is selfless with her time, and exudes dedication. [This award] would give her the recognition she may not have sought, but that she absolutely deserves. She is truly a once-in-a-generation student.”

New Student Organization of the Year

Case Competition Club
This award recognizes a newly chartered organization that has exhibited teamwork, leadership, and excellent organizational operations. This year’s recipient has just been granted a formal charter after persisting through an intensive year long chartering process, and already operates at a level of excellence that is nearly unparalleled. Their success extends beyond Wake Forest, as they have participated in and won multiple competitions already. This club is primarily competition based, but also provides interview preparation and networking opportunities for members. A nominator writes: “I could see it becoming the premier financial club at Wake Forest in a few short years.”

Contribution to Student Life Award

This award recognizes Junior and Senior students who have significantly contributed to the improvement of the quality of student life during their time at Wake Forest. Criteria includes: Specific contributions to student life through involvement in campus activities, academic initiatives, student governance, community service, leadership and their pursuits to support and empower their peers.

This year’s recipients include: Amber Adkins, Vivian Bolden, Rory Britt, Jackson Buttler, Tonia Christou, Emily Conway, Valerie Furlong, Ethan Harrison, Jadyn Ives, Savannah Littlejohn, Ally Ponte, Emily Potts, Drew Skilton, Ally Swartzberg, Caroline Wright, and Amy Zinnia

Junior Student Leader

Pavan Meka
This award is presented to a Junior student who demonstrates leadership through campus or community involvement. This year’s winner is the president of a newly chartered organization, and has spent this year growing a great experience he shared with his classmates into a successful club, which he leads with outstanding dedication to making others feel welcome and ensuring that the club experience provides resources and opportunities to its members. A nominator states: “[He is] constantly reaching out to us with new resources and contact information to help us find internship opportunities. I have never met a student more willing to pass on [his] knowledge.”

Living our Values Award

Jacob Thomas
This award is presented to a student who exemplifies Pro Humanitate with personal character, a genuine care and concern for fellow students, as well as a selfless commitment to the betterment of others in the community. This year’s recipient has been dedicated to bettering Wake Forest from the beginning of his time on campus. He has demonstrated both breadth of leadership by engaging with constituencies all across the university, and depth of leadership by serving as President of the Black Student Alliance, and leading them in engagement with faculty, staff, students, and alumni. He helped the organization to raise funds for their lounge renovation, and establish an endowment, which will help to fund BSA in the future. He has also served on committees focused on advancing equity and community on campus for all students, and students of color in particular. His nominator writes: “[He] has the type of potential that excites and inspires educators. He has an exceptional work ethic, great enthusiasm, and an unyielding commitment to the personal development of both himself and his constituents.”

Bridge Builder

Sakina Barthe-Sukhera
This award recognizes a student who has worked to build connections between groups and individuals to raise awareness, share knowledge, and provide solutions to community issues while fostering a sense of belonging in the Wake Forest Community. This year’s winner is a long-time intern in the Office of Sustainability. She has dedicated her time to connecting students, faculty and staff to green spaces across campus and has been integral in creating an official Monarch Waystation on campus and revitalizing the Tohi Garden. She has dedicated her college experience to cultivating a relationship between nature and the Wake Forest Community. A nominator states: “She has gone above and beyond to provide a sense of belonging to students, faculty and staff alike. She has extended her passion beyond campus and with the greater Winston Salem community through her work in community gardens. [She] has made her mark on Wake Forest and has changed campus for the better.”

Women’s Organization Leadership Award

Women in STEM
This award recognizes a group of students who have demonstrated ongoing commitment and leadership to supporting women and promoting gender equity on campus. This organization builds a supportive community for women where they regularly connect with one another and share the experience of being women entering into fields historically dominated by men. They have grown from 175 to 400 women in just one year, and have collaborated with the Women’s Center, The Office of Wellbeing, Academic Advising, OPCD, and more. This organization does outreach to women and girls at Wake and in Winston to foster a love of science, math, and technology. The members celebrate one another’s integrity, intellect, and emotional strength.

Diversity Trailblazer Award

SJ Willis
This award recognizes the hard work and dedication of a student whose leadership on campus consistently pushes Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion efforts forward to create a better Wake Forest community. This year’s recipient is a member of the Black Student Alliance Executive board, and has worked to curate a show at the stArt gallery to ruminate on the experience of Black Joy and in support of Black artists. He has worked diligently to provide recognition for minoritized voices, and has invented novel ways to improve the Black Student Alliance as an organization.

Chinundet-Crowe Leadership Scholarship Recipient

Gabby Bognet
This year’s winner has given their time to many campus programs and initiatives including Alpha Delta Pi, The Catholic Community, Wake Forest FSL Ambassadors, Women in STEM, Student Government, and HERCampus.

Senior Student Leader

Anna Price
This award is presented to a Senior student who demonstrates leadership through campus or community involvement. This year’s winner is dedicated to the importance of reducing consumption and prioritizing sustainable, ethically sourced products. She has given presentations to countless student organizations, tabled across campus, and organized fun events to educate her peers on creating sustainable habits. She has worked with the Campus Garden’s Cultivation Leadership Team, the Student Association for the Advancement of Refugees, and Elementary schools across Winston-Salem. A nominator writes: “[She is] always striving for success and involving others along the way. She has truly transformed our campus community and [the] Winston-Salem community in a meaningful and inclusive way.”

Outstanding Student Leader

Brooke Blair
This award is presented to a student who exemplifies leadership through campus and community involvement. They have demonstrated a clear understanding and commitment to true leadership and treat their fellow students, their advisors, and their community with the utmost respect and care. This recipient has dedicated her four years at Wake Forest to improving our campus and serving our community. She has served the university in a wide range of ways, including through roles in Student Government and on the Honor and Ethics Council. She has worked tirelessly to help connect students with resources on campus, and to normalize the use of mental health and academic resources to her peers. In the past year, we have seen her navigate student questions and concerns regarding sexual misconduct on campus, the fertilizer plant fire, COVID protocols, and Student Government elections. She did all of this while representing the student body to the best of her ability, by being fully present, and dedicated to doing what is best for her community. Her nominator writes: “She is smart, funny, kind, and helpful. She is refreshingly authentic, [she] wants what is best for Wake Forest University, and she represents [us] with honor and pride. She understands students’ concerns, wants, and needs, and she is able to communicate [them] clearly and in an unbiased manner….Wake Forest is a better place because [she] chose us.”

Campus Partner of the Year

The Intercultural Center
This award is presented to a person or department that has gone above and beyond to assist an organization or organizations with planning and execution of successful campus wide programs. This year’s recipient is an office on campus that provides support and engagement for students and organizations from underrepresented groups and communities. They have supported over a dozen student organizations through the return to large-scale events, helping to bring old favorites and new experiences to campus this year. Organization leaders have remarked that they “could not have done it without [their] support.”

Advisor of the Year

Gabbi Pohlman, Graduate Advisor for Student Union
This award recognizes advisors who have had a positive impact on a student organization and the university community. This recipient demonstrates dedication to the overall success of the student organization through the giving of their time, guidance and direction. This year’s recipient has been a steady supportive presence for an organization undergoing a great amount of uncertainty and change this year. She consistently goes above and beyond her responsibilities as an advisor, and has been described as the backbone of her organization. Despite being a full time graduate student, this advisor has taken on an exceptional amount of work as her organization has navigated two changes in their full-time advisor. She has been a much needed constant for many of her students. They describe her as dedicated, hard-working, thoughtful, and approachable, and say she has brought out their potential, kept them from feeling alone, and been integral to their success within their organization and beyond.

Event of the Year

Tuesday Trivia, Student Union
This award is presented to a student organization that hosted an outstanding event for the Wake Forest University community, welcoming a diverse population of participants, and enriching the co-curricular experience. Our event of the year is a little less conventional than usual. We often recognize a large one time event that is new or different from events that we have seen in the past. This year, our nominators and judges have selected a different kind of winner. Over the past two years, the look of events on campus has changed immeasurably, with ever-updating COVID policies around gathering numbers, spaces, and food. But through each and every change, this event has been a constant. For two years, we have faced times when things have been up in the air, canceled, virtualized, and postponed, but all the while, this event remained. Through the bumpy return to in-person programs, and the uncertainty of whether students will show up, each week, our students turned up to bond together, learn together, and build a sense of community at this event.

Collaboration of the Year

Lunar New Year: Asian Student Interest Association, Japanese Studies Club, Chinese Culture Club, Rook & Bishop Chess Club, Lost in Translation, Momentum Crew, World Tea Association, Fiber Arts Club, & Wake Radio
This award acknowledges two or more recognized student organizations for their effort to collaboratively organize and implement a campus program, project or event. This year’s winners executed a collaborative event that incorporated an unprecedented number of student organizations. Together, these groups created an engaging and hands-on experience that brought together students from all across campus, and educated members of the Wake Forest community on various Asian cultures, while celebrating an important Asian holiday.

Organization of the Year

The Italian Club
This award recognizes a chartered student organization that has made an exceptional contribution to campus life at Wake Forest, working effectively and efficiently as a team to achieve their mission through programs, service, and organizational development. Our Organization of the Year is one that has spent the academic year consistently planning outstanding programs for their membership and the campus community. They have exhibited organizational excellence by ensuring that they have followed all protocols and procedures, tackling problems far in advance, and navigating issues that came their way (including unforeseen expenses and missing event resources) with grace and positivity. They have hosted fun yet educational and thought provoking events this year, including a series of films exploring Italian culture, and discussions around the portrayal of gender roles in the Italian American family. They engaged in a Call to Conversation on the topic of heritage, and have incorporated creative celebrations of Italian cuisine, fashion, and history throughout the year. They have achieved their mission of building community & expanding knowledge around Italian culture this year.

Contribution to the Student Experience

This new award recognizes members of the faculty or staff that have made significant contributions to the overall student experience, or the experiences of individual Wake Forest students.

Savannah Baber
The first recipient is dedicated to creating events and experiences that educate, inspire, and create community. She has worked this year to celebrate and elevate Native voices, providing educational opportunities for students with her collaborative work on Tohi Talks, where she helped execute an Environmental Justice & Indigenous Climate Leadership event, and a poetry circle event titled “Protecting Native Women & Girls.” She supports numerous culturally based organizations on campus, and serves on committees and working groups across campus, each dedicated to improving the student experience. A nominator writes: “[Her] dedication to educating and cultivating community, especially for students, is unmatched.”

Shannon Ashford
Our second recipient is a dedicated educator, mentor, and friend to students across the Wake Forest community. Students often seek her out for advice and good conversation. She conducts trainings for constituents all across campus, and uses that time to build relationships with participants that extend past training, and encourage folks to continue individual learning. A nominator writes: ”[She] is constantly connecting students to opportunities to broaden their horizons around campus…She understands what can make a Wake Forest experience valuable, and she encourages students to try new things, all the while providing them a support system as they enter spaces that may not necessarily already reflect their unique identities.”