Nominations for Student Activities and Leadership Awards open

Mary Mitchell

The Center for Student Activities and Leadership Development oversees the 300-plus student organizations on campus.

Do you know of any stand-out student leaders, advisers or organizations that should be honored for their hard work and success over this last academic year?

Nominations are being accepted for the 36th Annual Student Activities and Leadership Awards Banquet. There are over 30 different award categories, including organizations, individuals and programming.

Using GrizzOrgs, nominate a Greek Organization of the Year that has risen above the rest or highlight an outstanding New Student Organization that was created in 2016-2017.

There are also some first-time categories, like Most Active Student Organization, Outstanding Community Service Organization, Best Fundraising Organization, Most Innovative Event and Best Professional Development Event.

Individual awards include those for Outstanding Student Volunteer and Outstanding Student Organization President, as well as a Leadership in Diversity award that will go to a student who has improved diversity at OU through programs or relationship building.

The Promising Future Alumni Award is designated to a graduating senior who has been an exceptional leader on campus and intends to stay engaged with the university after graduating.

As for faculty and staff, the Black and Gold Award will go to an OU staff or faculty member who has made a major impact on student organizations and shows a large commitment to the university’s students.

There are also various awards for sports teams, like Outstanding Club Sport of the Year and Club Sports Athlete of the Year. In addition, the We Bleed Gold-Spirit and Sportsmanship Award is for a club sports team that represents OU with integrity, honor and pride.

Program award categories include a superb Educational Program and Diversity/Multicultural Program.

Many winners will be gifted financial awards to their organizations’ flex accounts.

Rebekah Shippy, graduate assistant in student organizations and programming for the Center for Student Activities and Leadership Development, believes it is important to recognize the award-winners for the time and effort they give.

“Our student organizations are a huge part of OU student life, and they could not function without the student leaders and advisers that run them,” Shippy said.

She said their successes are due to a variety of factors, from great officers and advisers to outstanding events.

“Our campus community would not be the same without them,” she added.

Nominations for all awards are due by 11:45 p.m. on March 26.

A full list of awards and nomination forms can be found on the CSA’s GrizzOrgs page by searching either “2017 Awards” or “SAFB Award.”

The awards banquet will take place at 5 p.m. on April 10 in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms.

As the university is celebrating its 60th anniversary, this year’s theme is “Happy 60th Birthday, Oakland University.”

“We want this to be a big celebration of all the accomplishments of our student leaders, organizations and advisers paired with a celebration of this great university,” Shippy said.

In addition to the announcement of award winners, the event will include dinner, party favors and keynote speakers.

The last day to register for the event is April 2. For more information, visit https://oakland.edu/csa/.