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Student Organization Leadership Awards

Student Engagement and Campus Life is pleased to celebrate the phenomenal contributions Virginia Tech students make across campus and within the greater community through their membership in student organizations (RSOs, UCSOs, USLPs). The Student Organization Leadership Awards (SOL Awards) are our revamped student organization recognition opportunity. We encourage you to nominate yourself, your organization or fellow leaders and organizations to win an award.

Nominations for all awards will be accepted from February 12–March 15 at 11:59 p.m.

All nominated individuals will receive an invitation to attend the reception and awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 23rd in Commonwealth Ballroom from 7-9 p.m.


Group Awards

The Outstanding Organization of the Year Award honors one organization that demonstrated exemplary performance during the current academic year. This award recognizes an organization that works to fulfill their mission, offer opportunities and support to Virginia Tech students, and makes a significant on campus and/or in the lives of Hokies.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Integration of organization mission and/or purpose
  • High quality offerings, such as regular meetings, programs and events
  • Demonstration of achievement based on mission and goals
  • Significant impact on-campus and/or in the lives of Hokies

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Organization Name
  2. Organization Mission
  3. What types of high-quality offerings or impactful initiatives has this organization offered?
  4. What has this organization achieved in the last academic year in line with organization goals?

The New Organization of Excellence Award recognizes an organization established within the last two academic years, between Fall 2021 and Spring 2023, that excels as a new organization by making an effort to establish a presence on campus, sponsoring or supporting initiatives that aligned with the organization's mission, and/or contributed to the VT community by fulfilling a need.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Efforts to brand the organization and establish a presence, including promotional materials and campaigns or events and programs that align with the organization’s mission
  • Demonstration of campus community need filled by the organization
  • Organizational growth, including increases in membership, development of leadership structures, and implementation of goal setting practices

The Outstanding Student Organization Program Award recognizes a high-quality program, event or activity put on by one or more organizations that impacted or enhanced the VT student and community experience. The winning program, event or activity should have a clear connection to the organization’s mission, demonstrate creativity and efficacy, and be well-executed.

Note: This program should have that occurred between April 2022-March 2023

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Connection to the organization(s) mission and purpose
  • Demonstration of campus community impact, including description of need met or measurements of program reach or feedback
  • Thoughtful execution of the program, event or activity including collaboration, delegation and fiscal responsibility
  • Consideration of a wide, diverse audience and a program, event or activity that seeks to be inclusive

The Award for Excellence in Member Engagement and Development recognizes an organization that has implemented initiatives or practices that promote the growth, engagement and retention of their membership. The winning organization should demonstrate an effort to support the growth and development of their members that connects to the mission of the organization and the needs of their membership in an on-going way.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Connection to the organization(s) mission and purpose
  • Demonstration of on-going member development programming, including but not limited to leadership development, team building, and educational sessions
  • Use of structures that promote member engagement such as committees, mentorship programs and regular communication
  • Awareness of the needs of members of the organization

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Organization Name
  2. Organization Mission
  3. Please describe the ways the organization supports the growth and development of members.
  4. How is the development of members connected to the mission of the organization?
  5. How are the needs of members determined?

The Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who has demonstrated a commitment to improving the involvement experience for all members of the VT community through making inclusive decisions, promoting diversity, and/or raising awareness about issues impacting members of the VT community.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to diversity and inclusion
  • Demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, as outlined in the Principles of Community, through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community

The Commitment to Service Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others on campus, in the New River Valley or in the global community through volunteerism, philanthropy, advocacy and civic engagement in the spirit of Ut Prosim.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to service
  • Demonstrate a commitment to service through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community and beyond

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Individual or organization’s name being nominated.
  2. How does this group or individual’s values connect to a commitment to service?
  3. Please describe a project, initiative or structure that was implemented by the individual or organization to promote service and Ut Prosim?
  4. How has this person or organization impacted the way service is viewed and integrated in their community?

The Commitment to Well-Being Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the well-being of themselves and others through the promotion of holistic wellness, including promotion of physical, social, mental, environmental and occupational well-being, and integration of structures that support a culture of care.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to wellness
  • Demonstrate a commitment to well-being through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Individual or organization’s name being nominated.
  2. How does this group or individual’s values connect to a commitment to wellness?
  3. Please describe a project, initiative or structure that was implemented by the individual or organization to promote holistic well-being?
  4. How has this person or organization impacted the way well-being is viewed and integrated in their community?

Individual Awards

The Outstanding Graduate Student Leader of the Year Award celebrates a graduate student who is committed to their role as a leader and contributes to the success of their organization(s); makes a true effort to mentor and support their peers, and approaches the student involvement experience with innovation and creativity.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Student must currently be a graduate student and hold a leadership position in a recognized student organization
  • Demonstrates a commitment to invest in members of the organization through mentorship and support
  • Contributes to the organization’s ability to meet goals and work toward their mission by using their personal Strengths and talents

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Student Name
  2. Leadership Position Title
  3. Organization Name
  4. Please describe the ways this person has demonstrated a commitment to leadership.
  5. How does this person’s Strengths and talents contribute to the success of their organization?

The Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year Award celebrates an undergraduate student who is committed to their role as a leader and contributes to the success of their organization(s); makes a true effort to mentor and support their peers, and approaches the student involvement experience with innovation and creativity.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Student must currently be an undergraduate student and hold a leadership position in a recognized student organization
  • Demonstrates a commitment to invest in members of the organization through mentorship and support
  • Contributes to the organization’s ability to meet goals and work toward their mission by using their personal Strengths and talents

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Student Name
  2. Leadership Position Title
  3. Organization Name
  4. Please describe the ways this person has demonstrated a commitment to leadership.
  5. How does this person’s Strengths and talents contribute to the success of their organization?

The Rising Star Award recognizes a non-graduating student who demonstrates great potential as a future leader. This student has taken initiative within the organization, their membership has made a positive impact on the organization, and they are recognized as someone with the capacity to become a leader in the organization.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Student must currently be a non-graduating student and not currently hold a leadership position in a recognized student organization
  • Demonstrates an active contribution to the success of the organization
  • Exhibits Strengths and talents that will make them successful as a leader in the future
  • Nomination Requirements:
  1. Student Name
  2. Organization Name
  3. In what ways has this person demonstrated a commitment to the organization and/or made a positive impact on the organization?
  4. What Strengths or talents does this person have that exemplify their potential as a leader?

The Advisor of the Year award was created to recognize the adviser of a student organization who has made outstanding contributions through support, energy, and resources.

This advisor dedicates time and talents to support the efforts of the student organization, provides resources and advice that contribute to the success of students and/or the organization, and challenges students to think critically and develop leadership skills

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Advisors cannot be a current student, but may be a community member, staff or faculty member, or an alumni of the organization
  • Demonstrates an active contribution to the success of the organization, including knowledge of resources and advice that assist the organization
  • Challenges the student leaders and members of the organization to grow and develop through their experience in the organization

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Advisor Name
  2. Organization Name
  3. In what ways has this person demonstrated a commitment to the organization and/or made a positive impact on the organization?
  4. How has this person challenged members of the organization to grow and develop?

The Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who has demonstrated a commitment to improving the involvement experience for all members of the VT community through making inclusive decisions, promoting diversity, and/or raising awareness about issues impacting members of the VT community.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to diversity and inclusion
  • Demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, as outlined in the Principles of Community, through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community

The Commitment to Service Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who have demonstrated a commitment to serving others on campus, in the New River Valley or in the global community through volunteerism, philanthropy, advocacy and civic engagement in the spirit of Ut Prosim.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to service
  • Demonstrate a commitment to service through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community and beyond

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Individual or organization’s name being nominated.
  2. How does this group or individual’s values connect to a commitment to service?
  3. Please describe a project, initiative or structure that was implemented by the individual or organization to promote service and Ut Prosim?
  4. How has this person or organization impacted the way service is viewed and integrated in their community?

The Commitment to Well-Being Award recognizes an individual student or student organization who have demonstrated a commitment to ensuring the well-being of themselves and others through the promotion of holistic wellness, including promotion of physical, social, mental, environmental and occupational well-being, and integration of structures that support a culture of care.

Qualifications to be considered include:

  • Individuals must be a current member of a student organization and student organizations must be a currently recognized student organization (UCSO, USLP, RSO)
  • Articulate a personal or group values-based commitment to wellness
  • Demonstrate a commitment to well-being through student organization activities and actions that impact the VT community

Nomination Requirements:

  1. Individual or organization’s name being nominated.
  2. How does this group or individual’s values connect to a commitment to wellness?
  3. Please describe a project, initiative or structure that was implemented by the individual or organization to promote holistic well-being?
  4. How has this person or organization impacted the way well-being is viewed and integrated in their community?

Past Recipients

  • Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
    Jude Sleiman (The Middle Eastern North African Student Association)
  • Commitment to Service
    Association of Muslim Volunteers
  • Commitment to Well-Being
    Compress and Shock at Virginia Tech
  • Rising Star
    Demetra Kohart (Rocketry at Virginia Tech)
  • Outstanding Advisor
    Mon-Cheri Robinson (National Pan-Hellenic Council)
  • Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader
    Taylor Whitehurst (National Pan-Hellenic Council)
  • Outstanding Graduate Student Leader
    Abhraneil Dam (Human Factors and Ergonomics Society at Virginia Tech Student Chapter)
  • Outstanding Student Organization Program
    UNESCO International Mother language Day (Association for Bangladeshi Students at Virginia Tech)
  • Excellence in Member Engagement & Development
    American Institute of Chemical Engineers at Virginia Tech
  • New Organization of Excellence
    Alt Protein Project at Virginia Tech
  • Outstanding Organization of the Year
    National Society of Black Engineers
  • Commitment to Service:
    Filipino American Student Association
  • Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
    Tyler Pugh, Industrial & System Engineering Ambassadors
  • Commitment to Well-being:
    Sunset Chasers
  • Rising Star:
    Katie Ramboyong, Active Minds
  • Outstanding Student Organization Program:
    Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., L.E.A.P. Mentoring Program
  • Outstanding Advisor:
    Judie Reemsnyder, Alpha Delta Pi
  • The Outstanding Organization of the Year:
    Closing the Gap - Honorable Mention: Latin Link
  • The Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year:
    Maha Shoaib, Association of Muslim Volunteers - Honorable Mention: Bryan Zapata
  • The Outstanding Graduate Student Leader of the Year:
    Victor Lopez, Biomedical Engineering Society - Honorable Mention: Kayla
  • The Award for Excellence in Member Engagement and Development:
    VTCC Black Cadet Organization
  • The New Organization of Excellence:
    Fungus United at Virginia Tech - Honorable Mention: Delta Lambda Phi
  • Commitment to Service:
    Association of Muslim Volunteers
  • Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
    Haseb Alim, Closing the Gap at Virginia Tech
  • Commitment to Well-being:
    Black Student Alliance
  • Rising Star:
    Phoebe Gregg, HokiePRIDE
  • Outstanding Student Organization Program:
    Hill and Veil
  • Advisor of the Year:
    Donna Wertalik, PRISM
  • The Outstanding Organization of the Year:
    Latin Link
  • The Outstanding Undergraduate Student Leader of the Year:
    Amaan Raheem, Closing the Gap
  • The Outstanding Graduate Student Leader of the Year:
    Quiyana Murphy, Association of Women in Mathematics
  • The Award for Excellence in Member Engagement and Development:
    Student Alumni Associates
  • The New Organization of Excellence:
    SPAP Sketch Comedy