Student Leadership Awards

Celebrating Leadership at UMSL!

On Monday, April 21st, 2025, the UMSL community came together for the 2025 Student Leadership Awards to honor the incredible individuals, organizations, and programs that made a meaningful impact in Student Involvement this year.

It was an inspiring evening filled with recognition, celebration, and a strong sense of community as we highlighted those who have gone above and beyond to make a difference on our campus.

If you missed the event, you can still catch all the memorable moments—watch the full livestream at the link below!

2025 Student Leadership Award Livestream

Individual Awards & Organization/Program Awards

OSI Award:  The Student Involvement Award is an award given to one individual or department that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to support UMSL students and contributed to improving Student Involvement and the UMSL community.

Winner: Morgan Garvey & Event Services

Campus Unity Award: The Campus Unity Award is presented to a student organization that has planned and executed an event or program fostering a sense of unity, inclusivity, and belonging on campus. The initiative should promote meaningful connections, celebrate diverse perspectives, and strengthen the campus community through engagement, collaboration, and shared experiences.

Winner: Quinceanera Ball - Hispanic Latino Student Association

Most Impactful Program Award: The Most Impactful Program Award is presented to a student organization for planning an event or program that made a big impact on campus. This could include a student organization that plans an event to teach a new/useful skill, helps students with a certain goal, or a panel discussion that makes an emotional impact.

Winner: Women In Politics Panel - Political Science Academy

Most Innovative Program Award: The Most Innovative Program Award is presented to a student organization for planning an event or program that exhibits creativity and originality. This could include a student organization that plans an event to fulfill a student need, exhibits creativity, or showcases something new.

Winner: CSA Olympics: Squid Games Edition - Caribbean Student Association & Vietnamese-American Student Association

Student Advocate Award: The Student Advocate Award goes to an individual student who boldly speaks out in support of a cause affecting the UMSL students or community at large. This could include a student who has stood up for another student, attends campus committee meetings to work toward change, or has raised money/donations to help an important cause.

Winner: Max Hood 

Faculty/Staff Advisor of the Year Award: Faculty/Staff Advisor of the Year Award goes to an individual faculty or staff member who has displayed an exemplary level of dedication and commitment to a recognized student organization they have advised. Nominees must be an advisor for at least one year.

Winner: Johnna Murray - Beta Alpha Psi

Legendary Triton Award: The Legendary Triton Award goes to an UMSL staff or faculty member who has made a difference in the lives of our UMSL students and community. This could include a staff or faculty member who advises a student organization, pushes students to do their best work, or makes an impact on the student body at whole.

Winner: Jairo Javier Morales 

Outstanding Service to the Community Award: The Outstanding Service To The Community Award goes to an individual student who exemplifies a character of service and giving to the UMSL community. This could include a student who has hosted many community events, consistently volunteers on campus, has raised money/donations for the campus, or who helps make the lives of students, faculty, and staff on campus better.

Winner: Carson Howe

Organization of the Year Award: The Organization of the Year Award is presented to a student organization that has made outstanding contributions to students and the campus community. This could include a student organization that has planned impactful programs throughout the year, gained many new members, or achieved a big goal. Nominees must be in good standing with their fraternity/sorority chapter and inter/national headquarters.

Winner: NABA Inc.

Best Overall Program Award: The Best Overall Program Award is presented to a student organization for conceiving, planning, and implementing an outstanding program. 

Winner: Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff Event - Hispanic and Latino Student Association

New Organization of the Year Award:The New Organization of the Year Award is presented to a student organization that is less than 2 years old and has made an impact on UMSL students and the community. This could include a new student organization that has planned an impactful program throughout the year, gained many new members, or achieved a big goal.

Winner: The Biological Society 

Fraternity & Sorority Life Leader of the Year Award: The Fraternity & Sorority Life Leader of the Year Award goes to an individual student who has displayed an exemplary level of dedication and commitment to the Fraternity & Sorority Life community at UMSL.

Winner: Taylor Boaz 

New Student Leader of the Year Award: The New Student Leader of the Year Award goes to an individual first-year student who has shown tremendous growth over the past academic year and has become a leader in UMSL community. This could include a student who has joined many student organizations, consistently volunteers on campus, attends and volunteers at campus events, or who helps make the lives of students, faculty, and staff on campus better.

Winner: Cooper Howard

Student Leader of the Year Award: The Student Leader of the Year Award goes to an individual upper-class/graduate student who has been a role model and leader in the UMSL community. 

Winner: Mymoon Shaik 


Judges: Lester Stewart, Dorian Hall, Martina Meng, Kiki Marshall, Ellie Resier, Madeline Sierner, Daniel Provencio, Erin Hoffman

Office of Student Involvement Employees: Kaine Koehler, Remy Xa, Jared Dunn, Emma King, Keaton LaRue, Michayla Mays, Sedny Sorm, Kendal White, Olivia Tittel, Andrea Rojo, Katie Basler, Jalen Walker-Wright

Univeristy Program Board: Lauryn Sanders, Max Hood, Kavion Norman, Melanie Witt

Eligibility Requirements:- Nominees must currently be employed or attend UMSL
- Nominees must be in good academic standing
- An individual cannot win this award two years in a row