Student Leadership Awards

 Nominate a student or student organization for the
Pitzer Student Leadership Awards

The Office of Student Affairs recognizes outstanding students, student groups, and student organizations every year through the Student Leadership Awards.  These awards aim to celebrate significant student contributions which have enhanced campus life.

Nomination Form

Nomination Process:

Timeline

  • Nomination form goes live on Friday April 17, 2020
  • Nominations are due on Friday May 1, 2020
  • OSA’s Student Leadership Committee will celebrate the winners in a special edition of the Dean of Student’s newsletter on Monday, May 25, 2020. An email with a link to the newsletter will be sent to community listservs.

How Selection Works

The Office of Student Affairs’ Awards and Recognition Committee will accept nominations from students, faculty, and staff of all the Claremont Colleges.

The Pitzer leadership groups will review nominations and provide recommendations to the Office of Student Affairs’ Awards and Recognition Committee.

Requirements

  1. Must be a current Pitzer Student(s) (enrolled in classes)
  2. Must have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0

The Student Leadership Awards Reception:

Winners of the awards will be informed in advance of the only event and the entire community is invited to tune into the online awards reception in May to celebrate our winners and to recognize student leadership across campus.

Awards Categories:

There are five awards categories for which students can be nominated.  These categories were inspired by Pitzer’s Five Core Values.  You can read more about each award category below.

  • Social Responsibility

    At Pitzer College, students spend four years examining the ethical implications of knowledge and individual responsibility in making the world better. They learn to evaluate the impact of individual and collective actions manifested in social and political policies.

    DESCRIPTION

    The Social Responsibility Award Recognizes an individual student, student organization, or particular initiative whose engagement in the community is especially impactful. The student(s) selected to receive this award will have demonstrated the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct and address social justice issues when negotiating engagement in the community.

    Some possible examples: community service efforts, campus club that contributes to the Pitzer or greater community, tutoring Pitzer staff members, donating food to local food banks, advocating for the good of the community (gender neutral restrooms, etc).

  • Intercultural Understanding

    Intercultural Understanding enables Pitzer students to comprehend issues and events from cultural lenses beyond their own. From Los Angeles to Botswana to Nepal, Pitzer students are educated to thrive and succeed in an ever-changing global community.

    DESCRIPTION

    The Intercultural Understanding Award recognizes an individual student, student organization, or particular initiative who have demonstrated a commitment to viewing the world and its history from another’s cultural lens. The student(s) selected to receive this award will have demonstrated a personal commitment to cultural understanding as well as promoting this core value on Pitzer’s campus through programming and collaborative initiatives with faculty, staff, students, and other 5C entities.

    Some possible examples: responsible research practices, study abroad work, connecting others with their own culture, work with cultural and identity centers (OBSA, CAPAS, CLSA, etc.).

  • Interdisciplinary Learning

    Pitzer College students are taught to challenge traditional ways of learning and to make immediate connections between academic disciplines. Faculty is organized by field groups instead of traditional academic departments. Scientists, sociologists, historians, writers and artists influence each other’s work and often teach courses together.

    DESCRIPTION

    The Interdisciplinary Learning Award recognizes an individual student, student organization, or particular initiative who exemplifies the cross disciplinary approach to involvement on-campus. The student(s) selected to receive this award may have created with other clubs, staff, faculty, offices, and outside presenters to enhance campus life and facilitate outside of the classroom learning.

     

  • Student Engagement

    Pitzer College encourages and inspires students to engage fully in their own development and in all aspects of the life of the College.  Students have the flexibility to direct their own educational and career paths and are active members of college governance, including making decisions on everything from academic policies and faculty and staff hiring to public art displays and building design.

    DESCRIPTION

    The Student Engagement Award recognizes an individual student, student organization, or particular initiative that has increased the level and quality of student engagement in the life of the Pitzer community. The student(s) selected to receive this award may have facilitated meaningful engagement by either broadening the scope of student engagement or by deepening the engagement of other students around a particular issue or initiative.

    Some possible examples: A new club that addresses student needs/interest, bringing speakers to campus, innovative events to bring awareness to issues, revitalizing and re-engaging the community.

  • Environmental Sustainability

    Sensitivity for and preservation of the environment are key values of Pitzer College. Campus landscaping utilizes drought-resistant, native plants and the College is proud of its many LEED-certified sustainable buildings. Students shape their daily activities, programming and studies to ensure they leave the environment and the world stronger than how they found it. Students interested in environmental issues will find Pitzer an exciting living and learning laboratory.

    DESCRIPTION

    The Environmental Sustainability Award recognizes an individual student, student organization, or particular initiative who has worked to advance sustainability on-campus and in the community. The student(s) selected to receive this award may have been involved in sustainability-related groups, participated in campus initiatives and college governance.

    Some possible examples: sourcing food and learning about the process, composting efforts, upkeep and work with the community garden, issues around food justice, water conservation, efforts with the Robert Redford Conservancy.

  • Past Awards Recipients

    2019 – 2020

    Awards Winners:

    • Environmental Sustainability: Max Meyers
    • Intercultural Understanding: Francelia Lievanos and Live Your Best Life Records (LYBL)
    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Melanie Andreo and The Claremont Colleges EMS Club
    • Social Responsibility: Derick Kaleo Grant and FirstGen Club
    • Student Engagement: Noosha Aliabadi and FirstGen Interns (Socorro Nieves, Leann Nabors & Adrian Morales)

    2018 – 2019

    Awards Winners:

    • Environmental Sustainability: Ralph Gustavo Zamora and the Sustainability Interns
    • Intercultural Understanding: Hiwet Weldeselase and Claremont For Refugee Rights
    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Julian Degroot-Lutzner and Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
    • Social Responsibility: Alec Crosswell and Jumpstart
    • Student Engagement:  Delshanee Martin and the Resident Assistant Team

    2017 – 2018

    Awards Winners:

    • Environmental Sustainability: Saleck Tikande and The Food Recovery Network
    • Intercultural Understanding: Erica “Riki” Robinson and Identity Board
    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Melissa Banales and IGLAS Fellows
    • Social Responsibility: Laila Alvarez and Tutors For a Cause
    • Student Engagement:  Carter Stripp and First Gen Club

    2016-2017

    Photos from the Reception: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitzercollege/sets/72157680229705262

    Awards Winners:

    • Environmental Sustainability: Gabe Elliott and Robert Redford Conservancy Fellows
    • Intercultural Understanding: Nat Bentley and Encuentros
    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Kimberly Ha and Pitzer Student Senate
    • Social Responsibility: Josue Pasillas  and Pitzer Activities Board (PAct)
    • Student Engagement: Nick Flores and Student Senate Diversity Committee Reps (Livi Barton, Simone Bishara & Lora McManus)

    2015-2016

    Press Release: https://www.pitzer.edu/communications/2016/04/25/pitzer-college-announces-inaugural-student-leadership-award-winners/

    Photos from the Reception: https://www.flickr.com/photos/pitzercollege/albums/72157667504627526

    Awards Winners:

    • Environmental Sustainability: Amanda Chang ’16 and A Cleaner Tomorrow
    • Intercultural Understanding: Phillip Brayley ’19 and Asian Pacific American Coalition
    • Interdisciplinary Learning: Riki Robinson ’18 and Pitzer’s Garden Club
    • Social Responsibility: Chance Kawar ’17 and Latinx Student Union
    • Student Engagement: Carlos Perrett ’18 and Mixed Identity eXchange (MIX)