Student Achievement Awards | University at Albany

This is Your Time to Shine

You've worked hard, studied hard and sacrificed to earn the success you deserve. At UAlbany, your achievements will not go unnoticed. The University at Albany celebrates the accomplishments of its outstanding scholars with annual Achievement Awards, including:

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence
President’s Award for Leadership
Spellman Achievement Awards
Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Excellence Awards
Disability Access & Inclusion Student Services (DAISS) Awards
Purple and Gold Awards
Lavender Awards

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150+

Awards Each Year

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$10K+

Awarded Last Year

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SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence

The SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence acknowledges students for outstanding achievements integrating SUNY excellence into aspects of their lives, including academics, leadership, campus involvement, community service and the arts. It is the highest honor bestowed upon a student by the University. Learn more about past recipients.

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2023 Student Leadership Award Recipients

The President's Award for Leadership

The President’s Award for Leadership recognizes students and organizations that have made significant contributions to the quality of life at the University at Albany. Recipients have demonstrated extraordinary leadership, service, academic achievement and community involvement. To be selected, recipients must be in good academic and judicial standing. A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA is highly recommended for all awards.

The 2025-2026 award categories will be announced in January 2026.

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University Service

Athletes and Recreation Leadership Award

The Athletes and Recreation Leadership Award recognizes athletes who participate in Division 1 sports, intramurals, or club sports whose leadership has transcended their sport. Recipients will have made invaluable contributions to their team, achieved academic distinction or have made significant contributions to our university and its surrounding community.

Recent Recipients

Christina Turcios

Christine A. Bouchard School Spirit Award

The Christine A. Bouchard School Spirit Award was established in honor of Christine A. Bouchard by her colleagues and friends upon her retirement as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University at Albany. The award recognizes undergraduate students who best exemplify and promote school spirit. This award typically carries two scholarships of $1,000 each.

Recent Recipients

Kayla Harding
Marc Padilla

Five Quad Award

The Five Quad Award is for an exceptional member of the University's student-run, 24/7 volunteer ambulance service.

Recent Recipients

Audrey Coons

Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Award

The Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Award is given to sorority and fraternity members and organizations who have contributed to their chapter, the Greek system and the University. Through strong leadership and valuable service, these students and organizations have exemplified the ideals of brother and sisterhood and have worked to further develop Greek life at the University at Albany. Pre-professional fraternities are encouraged to apply.

Recent Recipients

Adam Achehboune
Meagan Leung

Middle Earth Award

The Middle Earth Award is for an exceptional member of this peer counseling and referral group.

Recent Recipients

Samantha Hurley

Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award

The Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award recognizes faculty or staff advisors who go “above and beyond” for the organization(s) they advise. The nominated individual must serve as the official advisor to a Student Association, Graduate Student Association or University recognized student organization in good standing. Nominations for this award should be submitted by students.

Recent Recipients

Beth Conrad

Project SHAPE Award

The Project SHAPE Award is for a student volunteer in recognition of exceptional performance, commitment and service as a valuable member of the Project SHAPE: Sexual Health & Peer Education program.

Recent Recipients

Daniel Lirosi

Residential Life Outstanding Achievement Award

The Residential Life Outstanding Achievement Award honors individuals who strive to improve the quality of life of residence hall students. Recipients will have demonstrated exceptional leadership and taken an active role in the residence hall system.

Recent Recipients

Julio Andrade-Jimenez
Isabella Blauvelt-Mercado
Afreen Hasan
Julie Hong
Rachel Ifebuzo
Jakob Micklas
Olivia Rainstrom-Page
Demari Samuel

Sustainability Leadership Award

The Sustainability Leadership Award recognizes a graduate or undergraduate student who contributes to the advancement of environmental, economic and social sustainability within the UAlbany campus and surrounding community. This student will have demonstrated a leadership role in raising awareness and increasing campus involvement in advancing sustainability.

Recent Recipients

Lindsay Solomon

The Interfaith Center Award

The Interfaith Center Award is given to an individual whose accomplishments reflect significant contributions to The Interfaith Center and the University. The award acknowledges a student who has made laudable efforts to further interfaith understanding and to promote the spiritual growth of members of The Interfaith Center community.

Recent Recipients

Isabella Okoso

The Jonathan Whyte-Dixon Memorial Scholarship

The Jonathan Whyte-Dixon Memorial Scholarship recognizes a UAlbany student (undergraduate or graduate) who best exemplifies Jonathan’s school spirit, meaningful involvement within the UAlbany community, leadership on campus, and overall enthusiasm and passion. Preference will be given to a student who has volunteered or worked for the Liberty Partnerships Program and demonstrates financial need. This award carries two scholarships of $1,750 each.

Recent Recipients

Melissa Rosas Medina
Zyon Small

UAlbany Fund Award

The UAlbany Fund Award recognizes a student caller who, through outreach to parents and alumni, is an exceptional representative of the university and has been successful in obtaining the private support that UAlbany needs.

Recent Recipients

Chaenaya Underwood

University Governance Leadership Award

The University Governance Leadership Award recognizes students who have provided important leadership by taking an active role in policy matters of student government and the University.

Recent Recipients

Trevor Pettit

Community Service

Community Service Leadership Award

The Community Service Leadership Award recognizes students who most clearly evidence a service ethic in their citizenship. Students will have demonstrated unselfish involvement at UAlbany or in the surrounding community as they strive to better an aspect of society by dedicating considerable time to worthwhile projects that benefit others.

Recent Recipients

Brianna Iacovone
Jasmine Ramlowtan
Jessica Teague

The Rod and Carolyn Hart Memorial Award

The Rod and Carolyn Hart Memorial Award is given to an undergraduate student of junior class standing who has demonstrated academic achievement and who has made a difference on the UAlbany campus by organizing benefit drives for charitable causes or demonstrated leadership within a campus organization that serves the good of the University community. This award typically carries a scholarship of $800.

Recent Recipients

Meagan Leung

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Diversity & Inclusion Award

The Diversity & Inclusion Award recognizes a person who has demonstrated leadership in increasing the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. This includes promoting appreciation of individual differences and working with others to find common ground.

Recent Recipients

Aaron Basar

Social Justice Leadership Award

The Social Justice Leadership Award recognizes two individuals who have demonstrated a passion for social justice and played a leadership role in advancing initiatives related to advancing social change and promoting equity and inclusion. This award includes two scholarships of $700 each.

Recent Recipients

Valeria Salinas
Cameron Sullivan

The Juneteenth Scholarship

The Juneteenth Scholarship commemorates the importance of Juneteenth, promotes the values of diversity and inclusion at UAlbany, and recognizes and celebrates the rich and complex histories of our Black and Afro-Latinx students. Applicants for this scholarship should possess at least a 3.0 GPA in any major and must submit a 250 to 500-word essay on why Juneteenth is personally meaningful to them. This award carries two scholarships of $500 each.

Recent Recipients

Alyssa Rouchon
Amya White

The Justice Award

The Justice Award honors a student whose commitment to the principles of fairness and equity has helped foster justice at the University. It promotes appreciation of individual differences and working together to find and express common ground. Recipients will have made distinct contributions toward achieving these ideals.

Recent Recipients

Steven Jimenez

Great Dane Awards

Academic Leadership Award

The Academic Leadership Award recognizes student leadership in academic settings. This may include the classroom, research laboratories and other research settings, and internship sites. A 3.25 cumulative GPA is recommended. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member is highly recommended.

Recent Recipients

Rahman Khandker Sadia
Shahida Khwaja
Lorraine Affigne
Shannon Morgan
Molly Murray
Senbahavalli Ramasamy
Alyssa Rouchon
Parmesh Thakoordial
Mickey Zheng

Great Dane Award

The Great Dane Award is given to any student who has demonstrated leadership in several co-curricular activities or significant leadership in one such activity during the current year.

Recent Recipients

Aaron Berha
Mackenzie Cronin
Jaden Gabb
Danielle Gandelman
Lizzie Gurwitz
Allyson Jackson
Autumn Ladd
Sophia Levit
Amanda Mitchell
Jay Mitchelle
Dana Morales-De Brecourt
Sabrina Pham
Kayla Proctor
Junior Salomon
Kayla Sandolo
Clarissa Shaw
Emiliano Torlasco
Juliana Tortello
John Whittemore
Addison Yang

Specialized Awards

Great Dane Ambassadors Award

The Great Dane Ambassadors Award recognizes a student who has performed exceptionally well and demonstrated leadership during their study abroad by succeeding academically, making many new friends and creating a positive impression at the host institution.

Recent Recipients

Ashley Badger

International Student Leadership

The International Student Leadership Award recognizes an international undergraduate and graduate student whose efforts and involvement have enhanced the lives of international students or the University community.

Recent Recipients

Akhenaton Lazarre

The I AM FIRST GEN Scholarship

The I AM FIRST GEN Scholarship helps underrepresented college students pay for their post-secondary education. It specifically recognizes residents of the State of New York with a parent or guardian who has not been awarded a bachelor’s degree or higher. This award typically carries a scholarship of $500.

Recent Recipients

Shahida Khwaja

Veteran/Military Leadership Award

The Veteran/Military Leadership Award recognizes a student veteran who has been involved on campus or in the local community or has contributed to the success of other student veterans. The recipient must be a past or present member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Recent Recipients

Giovanna Esko

Women’s Leadership Awards

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Ada Craig Walker Award

The Ada Craig Walker Award is given to a graduating undergraduate senior woman who in judgment of the faculty best typifies the ideals of the University. Nominees should possess a minimum 3.0 GPA. Women graduating in December, May or August are eligible. This award carries two scholarships of $2,200 each.

Recent Recipients

Sakthi Muthukrishnan
Leann Nicholas

Returning Woman Award

The Returning Woman Award recognizes a student who serves as a positive role model for women returning to their education. The recipient will have demonstrated her exceptional leadership skills through participation in campus activities and personal success in facing the challenges of pursuing her educational goals as a non-traditional student.

Recent Recipients

Aya Isaac

Women’s Outstanding Leadership Award

The Women’s Outstanding Leadership Award is given to a student who has demonstrated significant leadership and commitment to improving the quality of life for women at the University at Albany.

Recent Recipients

Daniela Sanclemente

Outstanding Senior Awards

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Distinguished Scholar-Leader Award

The Distinguished Scholar-Leader Award recognizes and honors one graduating undergraduate senior who best exemplifies the scholar‐leader‐service ideal. The recipient will have demonstrated academic excellence, effective leadership in the University community and a commitment to serving others. Distinguished Scholar‐Leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to their academic and intellectual development as evidenced by participation in research or other creative scholarly activity. Recipients will be asked to nominate a faculty or staff member to be recognized at the award ceremony. This award is among the highest conferred upon undergraduates. A 3.75 cumulative GPA is recommended. For this award senior status is defined by date of graduation, not by credits earned. December graduates are eligible.

Recent Recipients

Cathrina Aris
Thilanka Munasinghe
Sakthi Muthukrishnan
Oroboghene Obaro-Ogbovoh
Krystyna Rybka
Tia Swenty

Outstanding Senior Award

The Outstanding Senior Award recognizes undergraduate seniors who have contributed greatly to the University during their undergraduate careers. Their leadership abilities may have been demonstrated at the University level or in more than one organization.

Recent Recipients

Aliza Adil
Jessica Airhienbuwa
Jade Armstrong
Maliyka Aziz
Ashley Badger
Isabella Blauvelt-Mercado
Haley Bowman
Audrey Coons
Michelle Dong
Julia Garrison
Adam Iqbal
Kriti Kalary
Shoshanna Kusa
Leann Nicholas
Daniella Ogbonna
Leah Punnoose
Ana Radojevic
Emma Rennard
Mauricio Rodriguez
Taina Stevens
Brianna Tsakh
Abigail Tsuji
Maria Villacreses Valarezo
Amya White

Outstanding Student Organization Leadership Awards

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Cultural Awareness Award

The Cultural Awareness Award recognizes the organization that has demonstrated leadership in increasing the University community’s cultural awareness, thereby enabling students to appreciate the diversity that underpins our society.

Recent Recipients

Cultural Connections

Community Service Award

The Community Service Award recognizes the organization that best represents the service ideal of the University by unselfishly serving the Albany or University community.

Recent Recipients

Circle K

Diversity and Inclusion Award

The Diversity and Inclusion Award recognizes an organization that has demonstrated leadership in increasing the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. This includes but is not limited to promoting appreciation of individual differences and working with others to find common ground.

Recent Recipients

African Student Association

Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Award

The Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Award is given to sorority and fraternity organizations who have contributed to their chapter, the FSL system, and the University. Through strong leadership and valuable service, these students and organizations have exemplified the ideals of brother and sisterhood and have worked to further develop fraternity and sorority life at the University at Albany.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Great Dane Award

The Great Dane Award is given to any organization that has demonstrated leadership in several initiatives or significant leadership in one activity during the current year.

Recent Recipients

American Cancer Society

Justice Award

The Justice Award honors an organization whose commitment to the principles of fairness and equity has helped to foster justice at the University. This organization promotes the appreciation of individual differences and works together to find and express common ground. Recipients will have made distinct contributions toward achieving these ideals.

Recent Recipients

Democracy Matters

Spellman Awards Winners of 2024 assemble before camera

The Spellman Achievement Awards

The Spellman Achievement Awards recognize students who have demonstrated a lived experience that reflects expertise and ability to contribute to programmatic aims associated with better learning outcomes among students who have different perspectives and backgrounds. In 1991, both the program and the awards presented were named in honor and memory of one of the University’s most highly regarded colleagues, the late Dr. Seth Spellman, Jr.

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The Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Excellence Awards

The Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Excellence Awards recognizes the contributions of undergraduate student employees who embody the mission of their unit and consistently display characteristics valued and appreciated by their co-workers and supervisors.

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Disability Access & Inclusion Student Services (DAISS) Awards

The Office of Disability Access & Inclusion Services (DAISS) Awards recognizes the contributions of undergraduate and graduate students who are registered with DAISS and help support the mission of empowering students by cultivating an accessible and inclusive living and learning environment at the University at Albany.

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Purple and gold balloons rise into the air beside the carillion.

The Purple and Gold Awards

The Purple and Gold Awards recognize outstanding student organizations and leaders for their hard work and dedication to improving both the university and Albany communities.

For more information visit the Student Association website.

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Lavender Celebration and Awards

Lavender Celebration recognizes LGBTQ+ and allied students completing their bachelor’s, master’s or PhD degree and features awards open to all celebrating faculty, staff, students and alumni who contribute to the LGBTQ+ community. Nominations open in March and April and can be made online through MyInvolvement.

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