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Celebrating Student Leaders

UNC Asheville’s Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Awards 2023

By UNC Asheville

April 28^th, 2023

UNC Asheville’s Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Awards Ceremony celebrated students’ service, leadership, and engagement in the campus and greater Asheville communities during the 2022-23 school year.

This year, the review committee received 177 total nominations for the awards, including 54 for student employee of the year and student employee supervisor of the year.

UNC Asheville is proud of the campus community for all of the meaningful ways they contribute to the university and greater Asheville community.

Read on to meet our award-winners for this year.

Community Connector Award

This recognition is awarded each year to UNC Asheville faculty and staff members who strengthen and sustain partnerships between UNC Asheville and the broader community through relationship building, civic involvement, research, service learning, community-based learning and/or public service. Community Connectors are meaningfully and sustainably engaged in community work that responds to root factors of social conditions and inequities.

This year’s faculty Community Connector is Sam Kaplan. He co-founded, and now co-directs, The Marvelous Math Club with Marta Alcalá, currently the executive director of dquity at Asheville City Schools. Grounded in a philosophy of racial equity and utilizing a unique asset- and justice-based model that integrates math and psychology, the Marvelous Math Club uses math as a catalyst to build community, foster relationships, and develop leadership among elementary-aged students.

This year’s staff Community Connector is Emma Olson. In 2016, she joined the NC Center for Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville, and now serves as the Center’s associate director. Her community engagement efforts are grounded in their deep commitment to dismantling racism and white supremacy culture and advancing health equity and social justice. To this end, she have chaired the Community Health Improvement Process (CHIP) Advisory Council, co-led an advocacy campaign to declare racism a public health crisis in Buncombe County, served on the United Way Board of Directors and Equity Change Team as well as the WNC Healthy Impact Steering Committee, and has provided planning and evaluation trainings and assistance to 3,900+ health and community leaders.

Adelaide Daniels Key Community-Engaged Learning Award

This award is presented to a student who is an exemplary model of how community-engaged practices strengthen academic learning.

Erin Cunningam was this year’s recipient. Her impact has extended to many community organizations including: Bounty & Soul, the Racial Justice Coalition, and the Center for Craft. Cunningham’s nominator wrote “[she] has contributed in meaningful ways to community partners’ work and efforts to enrich the lives of residents of Buncombe County. She has been a leader with other students, a thoughtful organizer and presenter of the information to support organizational work, and an introspective contributor to the alignment between community needs and opportunities and academic pursuits.”

Carolyn Briggs Diversity Award

This award is presented to a student who has excelled in the promotion of diversity in the university community.

Jessica Pisano, a faculty member with the English and education departments, presented Sunflower Rosales with this year’s award.

“They consider inclusivity and accessibility in every assignment they design, every reflection they write, already striving to make their future classroom a space where all students can learn and thrive,” Pisano said. “Additionally, they [demonstrate] this commitment through interactions with students in multiple field placements at local schools, in their mentoring of both AVID students and first-year UNCA students, and in the intentionality with which they train and recruit new AVID tutors. It is a great practice to live in a way that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion, but even greater to inspire that in others and to raise a future generation to support this commitment as well."

Champion for Students Award

This award is given to an individual who demonstrates passion and commitment to the success of students and who is dedicated to serving as a mentor for students.

This year’s recipient is Alison Ormsby.

“The recipient of this year’s Champion for Students Award received 10 nominations for this award, each submitted by unique individuals,” said Mars Zappia, a second year student.

One nominator shared the following: “As a non-traditional, older student with a lot of imposter syndrome, I have struggled to see a future career for myself in [this] field despite caring about it immensely. [She] took me under her wing (as she has done for many students) and has helped me hone my strengths and interests. She has helped me feel confident and has non-stop encouraged me to work hard to achieve my dreams. I am so incredibly grateful I have met her and she has changed the trajectory of my life in such an invaluable way.”

Collaboration of the Year Award

This award recognizes successful collaboration and teamwork through belief in a common purpose, openness to listening and learning, and commitment to positive change.

This year’s recipient was BIPOC Advocacy Week, which was co-hosted by Student Government Association, the Black Student Association, SANKOFA, Umoja, ASIA, and Prospanica. The purpose of the program was to bring the campus together through events such as: karaoke, bingo, and movies while integrating parts of different cultures into the events.

Intern of the Year Award

The award recognizes a student who has excelled in or made significant impact while pursuing an internship experience.

This year’s recipient is Gaby Shenot, who interned with Patuxent River Park, Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission during Summer 2022. During her internship, she conducted research for a wide variety of native and migratory birds for the purpose of conservation.

Reflecting on her experience, she shared that she learned data collection and analysis, as well as soft skills. She also said that this internship provided clarity for the student regarding their future goals and the impact she hopes to have in the future.

Michael Addae-Kumi Emerging Student Leader Award

This award is named after a cherished student who tragically passed away in March of 2018. Addae-Kumi served in many roles at UNC Asheville, making a tremendous impact on the campus community. In his honor, we recognize an emerging student leader for their own impact on the campus community now and throughout the rest of their time at UNC Asheville.

This year’s recipient is Jazzy Lemons.

Their nominator had the following to say: “Jazzy has shined as a motivated, reliable, thoughtful, and fearless leader, easily exceeding every one of my expectations. She has presented to peers on the benefits of service learning, coordinated a service learning project, and gone above and beyond to support their teams and take on new roles.”

Non-Traditional Student Leader of the Year Award

This award is presented to a non-traditional student, such as a first generation college student or transfer student, who has demonstrated great promise, outstanding achievement, and/or creativity in providing solutions, ideas, advisement, and support to the campus, all of which serves as a catalyst for advancing the university’s mission.

This year’s recipient is Miracle Okoro.

Okoro is a first-generation college student who enrolled in the Army Reserves before attending college. She has been extensively involved in campus life and the community by serving as an intern with Africana Studies, an AVID Tutor Leader, and being involved with SGA – most recently as Student Body Vice President – all while still maintaining her status as an honors student.

Program of the Year Award

The program receiving this year’s Program of the Year award is EmBark Orientation, which is under the direction of the Student Transitions and Family Programs Office.

One nominator wrote: “[This] is a resource for students and families alike. [The coordinator of this program] takes time to get to know them, connect them to supports on campus, hear and implement their feedback, and more. All to ensure that all of our students are getting the type of experience they desire at UNCA, no matter the population they may be a part of.”

Student Leader of the Year Award

This is presented to a junior or senior who has exemplified a balance of personal and academic excellence, and meaningful leadership involvement in the UNC Asheville community.

This year’s recipient is Lo Braswell, who has served as Student Body President for the 2022-23 school year.

In addition to her Student Government involvement, Braswell has served on the Bio-Diversity Committee, as an AVID tutor and PAL leader, and worked for Youth Transformed for Life (YTL). One nominator wrote that she exemplifies leadership in the way she “empowers her peers to advocate and stand for what they believe in, tackle obstacles and conflicts leading with empathy and grace, making time to show up for their community, and prioritizing the student voice despite conflicting agendas.

Student Organization of the Year

This year’s recipient is the Food Equity Initiative. The organization is run by students who are, according to their nominators, “deeply compassionate, kind, and generous.”

One nominator wrote “food insecurity within college students is something that is so normalized and I love seeing them take extra steps to secure food for students.” Still another nominator wrote, “they care for their community immensely and want everyone to have equal access to this basic human right: food.”

Rising Student Employee of the Year Award

This award is presented to a student employee who hasn’t worked on campus very long but has already gone above and beyond in their role through their own initiative to acquire and apply new skills, which in turn has positively impacted their team, workplace, and/or campus.

This year’s recipient is Clara Mouw.

Her nominator said the following: “She has sought out learning experiences in order to be better versed in issues of immigration, equity, and social justice in alignment with the mission of the department. This student is a profoundly dedicated, organized, and compassionate person. She brings warmth and kindness to everything she does.”

Student Employee Team of the Year Award

The award is presented to a team of student employees who have demonstrated exceptional teamwork, communication, and creativity to create a work environment that is supportive and impactful to their workplace and the overall campus community.

The inaugural award was presented to the Academic Success Center student employee team.

One nominator said the following of the team: “All of our student employees work diligently to increase their knowledge base every shift they work; all of them are authentically interested in becoming as valuable & helpful to the students seeking assistance - and to the permanent staff serving those students - as they can possibly be. It's inspiring and the staff is grateful!”

Student Employee of the Year

This award is presented to a student employee who has gone above and beyond to demonstrate leadership, creativity, and dedication to their workplace. They have shown growth, initiative, and have had a positive impact on their team and the campus community, all while balancing both academic and work commitments.

This year’s recipient is Noelle Lambert.

“This student is an RA and licensure student with a full load of classes that includes field placements, president of the Student North Carolina Association of Educators, and works out of our recruitment office. She represents our department at Admissions Open Houses, school visits, classroom presentations, and other Education events,” said her nominator. “Throughout the pandemic, our student involvement in SNCAE events had decreased, but this student has been a constant. She, practically single handedly, kept it active and relevant. She's always busy, yet graciously takes on all of the above with a huge smile and genuine enthusiasm!”

Student Employee Supervisor of the Year

The award is presented to a staff or faculty member who excels at supervising student employees by demonstrating mentorship, facilitating growth, and modeling leadership for their team. They utilize NACE best practices in their supervisory role to ensure students develop the necessary transferable skills to be ready to transition to the world of work after graduation.

This year’s recipient is Resharia Keller, who serves as area director with Housing & Residence Life for Mills Hall.

One nominator shared the following about Keller: “She never dismisses an issue. I have never been turned down or away from her and she is always willing to help us. Another example is that I do not consider inclusivity and diversity training a strength of mine (as a white female), she wanted to help me grow and now I have monthly meetings to work on inclusivity and diversity. I have grown so much through this process and she constantly emphasizes that we are learning together.”

Career Readiness Champion Award

This award is presented to a faculty member who embeds career readiness into their classroom via curriculum integration or programming which results in a positive impact on the students, class, and/or the campus community as a result.

The inaugural award was presented to Brian Graves, who serves as a lecturer in the English Department.

“At the core, his classes focus on the most in-demand skill from employers currently: communication,” said Lauren DeHaan, associate director of career education. “While he teaches some classes that all students have to take, they prioritize making the class relevant to every student and helping them identify the specific skills gained from each assignment in the class. He does this by incorporating the use of e-portfolios to help students reflect on and share their skills and learning, and also by collaborating with campus partners.”

A.C. Reynolds Award & Thomas D. Reynolds Prize for Campus Service

This award is presented to an outstanding graduating senior with a focus in service to the campus community. The award was established by Mary and Martin Nesbitt Sr. to honor the memory of A.C. Reynolds, who served as superintendent of Buncombe County schools and later as president when it became known as Biltmore Junior College. The award is given to honor the memory of Reynolds’ son, Thomas D. Reynolds, a 1937 graduate of Biltmore Junior College who received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1996 for his dedicated service to the university.

This year’s recipient is Hannah Goldfarb, who has served as a Civic Influencer with the Campus Election Engagement Project, assisted in re-chartering the College Democrats student org, organizing Human Rights Film Festivals on campus, and also serves as co-editor-in-chief of Dignity, an undergraduate journal for the study of human rights.

“In addition to all of this involvement, this student has also strengthened our relationships with other organizations including the local nongovernmental organization, Inclusive Development International,” said Ashley Moraguez, co-chair and associate professor of Political Science. “In the midst of this, she has maintained top grades while double majoring and triple minoring.”

William & Ida Friday Award for Community Service

The William and Ida Friday Award honors an outstanding graduate with a focus in service to the community at large. This award, established at UNC Asheville in 2000, is named for a husband and wife who played leading roles in North Carolina for a half a century. William Friday was president of The University of North Carolina for 30 years and ranked as one of the most important American university presidents of the post-World War II era. Though he retired in 1986, he and Mrs. Friday continued to offer their unequaled knowledge and influence to advance numerous causes for the betterment of North Carolina until his passing in 2012. He served until his death as the President emeritus of The University of North Carolina, and a University Distinguished Professor of Honors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This year’s recipient is Monica Reyes-Lopez, who has been extensively involved in the field of education in the campus and greater Asheville communities through the AVID program, the Marvelous Math Club, and more.

She had the following to say of her journey at UNC Asheville: “Each experience has pushed me to understand how to make learning enjoyable for every student. Each experience has taught me that students need a safe place to come to outside of home. Some might measure my experience with students in grades and test scores, but I like to measure them with all the notes and doodles I’ve received from students. Those little doodles show me how happy and safe the students feel in my presence. I keep each note and cherish them. I’ve spent countless hours supporting our future leaders of the world and showing them that they all have potential for anything they set their mind to.”

Congratulations to all of our award winners, nominees, and incredible leaders across campus! We are grateful for the impact you have had this year.