ODPS Leadership Academy

What is the ODPS Leadership Academy?

The purpose of The Academy is to provide identity based student organizations with similar missions the necessary a forum to:

• Examine the connection between culture and leadership
• Engage in open dialogue about “hot topics”Collaborate with other student organizations
• Develop a network of strong leaders
• Exchange innovative ideas about programming and funding resources

The Leadership Academy discussion topics include:

• Facilitating a formal meeting
• Marketing
• Leadership in a cultural context
• Managing conflict
• Developing community

2009-2010 Schedule

The Academy will meet Wednesdays at 5:30pm in the Gold Room of the Johnson Center. The tentative dates for the Fall 2009 semester are:

September 30th
November 18th
December 9th

Past Participants

The Academy is designed for identity-based student organizations. Some of the organizations that have participated in 2008-09 are:

• Caribbean Student Association
• Hispanic Student Association
• African Student Association
• Peer Empowerment
• Asian Pacific American Coalition
• Lambda Pi Chi
• Vietnamese Student Association
• Pride Alliance
• Black Student Alliance
• Aguilas Mentoring Program
• Mariposas Mentoring
• Pakistani Student Association
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• Black Graduate Student Association
• Akoma Circle
• Urbanknowlogy 101
• American Indian / Alaskan Native Student Association
• Filipino Cultural Association
• Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
• Organization of Women Looking for Sisterhood in Corazones Unidos Siempre/ Chi Upsilon Sigma (O.W.L.S. in C.U.S.) National Latin Sorority Inc.
• La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc.

Student Success

Vision Awards
April 4 , 2009
1pm, Dewberry Hall

The George Mason University Vision Awards, sponsored by University Life Office of Diversity Programs and Services, is an awards recognition banquet held annually for Mason students, faculty and staff of diverse backgrounds and their allies. The event recognizes and honors students for excellence in academics, leadership, social justice and building of community harmony. Students, faculty and staff members are
encouraged to nominate deserving and outstanding individuals for the Vision Awards.

Awards are distributed in the following categories:

1. Academic Excellence (Based on academic performance and reviewed by ODPS Staff)
2. Leadership Award
3. Social Action/Social Justice Award
4. The Vision Award (Students)
5. The Vision Award (Faculty/Staff)

 

The 2009 Vision Awards were presented to:

• Corrine House, Communications Specialist for the Office of Student Activities, received the faculty/staff Vision Award. The award criteria included having made a meaningful contribution to students, the university and surrounding community through valuing diversity and encouraging respect for differences among students, faculty and staff; and having proved to be an excellent role model and mentor to both staff and students. 

• Mrinalini "Minu" Ramanan, a sophomore majoring in Biology, received the student Vision Award. This award is given for overall exceptional leadership, academic achievement and outstanding contribution to social justice. Whitney received a $1,000 scholarship. 

• Academic Excellence Honorees: Juliana Berde, Laura Bolt, Tiffany Cambridge-Williams, Julio Diaz, Lara Ek, Maryam Elsayed, M. Logan Greenwood, Daniel Hernandez, Nya Jackson, Peter Kadeli, Daniel Kwon, Kevin Larkai, Christina Lee, Wei Li, Yong-Bee Lim, Ann Lin, Lavanya Lingala, Marissa Mack, Salma Mahmoud, Shizrae Mallick, Muhammad Mansoor, Benjamin Masters, Martin McDonald, Maricel Medina Mora, Kumar Muthuswarmy, Miguel Perez, Jarrett Pettigrew, Daniel Pino, Lolita Ramsey, Kiyoung Rector, Christopher Robinson, Kristine Romero, Ruth Salcedo, Dakota Schreiner, Brandon Shepelak, Myca Taylor, Carolina Torres, Timothy Valadez, Ana Villanueva Vera, Nalini Vishnoi, Caixia Wang, Juan Wang, Daniel Waxman, Di Wen, Jevon Wright, Sarah Zeballos

• Leadership Award Honorees: Deirdre Bailey, Donna Brimmer, Garrett Claybrooks, Robert Crofton, Kimberly Curry, Thomas Epps, Tia Hall, Sarish Khan, Lisa Le, Andres Maldonado, Shizrae Mallick, Rex Marcelino, Ana Mendoza, Nelly Mobula, Marice Morales-Maco, Martha Mutisi, Tizoc-Perez Casillas, Fatima Pineda, Vi Nguyen, Mika’il Petin, Dakota Schreiner, Ashley Taylor, Melissa Wong, Veronica Vivas, George Yanez

• Social Justice Award Honorees: Camesha Amos, Anne Marie Dumain, M. Logan Greenwood., Marissa Mack, Daniel Pino, Maryam Sodeifi, Valerie Rosas

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The Atkins Award for Excellence in Leadership

This scholarship serves as an acknowledgment for an outstanding currently enrolled male and female student who has demonstrated the potential of substantive leadership through active participation in a Mason student organization(s) that has as its core values: improving the quality of life for minority students, enhancing the appreciation for diversity, and promoting academic excellence. This award is also intended to encourage future and intentional leadership and involvement of male & female students at George Mason University.

The 2008 Vision Awards were presented to:

• Erek Perry, director of the University Scholars program, received the faculty/staff Vision Award. The award criteria included having made a meaningful contribution to students, the university and surrounding community through valuing diversity and encouraging respect for differences among students, faculty and staff; and having proved to be an excellent role model and mentor to both staff and students.

• Whitney Gecker, a junior majoring in integrative studies, was awarded the student Vision Award. This award is given for overall exceptional leadership, academic achievement and outstanding contribution to social justice. Whitney received a $1,000 scholarship. 

• Tiffany Reaves, a junior majoring in sports management, received the Atkins Award. This award is given to a student who has demonstrated the potential of substantive leadership through active participation in a Mason student organization that has as its core values: improving the quality of life for minority students, enhancing the appreciation for diversity, and promoting academic excellence. This award is also intended to encourage future and intentional leadership and involvement of students at George Mason University. Reaves received a $500 scholarship.

• Academic Excellence Honorees: Carmen Ayala, Manasa Chandrashekar, Erin Clyne, Prianka Debnath, Ashima Dhawan, Laurel D'Souza, Maryam Elsayed, Jing Feng, Yingqi Feng, Avis A. Foster,Jacqueline Guevara, Gonzalo Gutiérrez, Naly Han, Sara B. Harsher, Katie Hemphill, Sarah Herschler, Jessica D. Hopson, Xiaoxiao Hu, Yan Huang, Yves-Renée Jennings, Shreekant Joshi, Jaykumar Kaimal, Yanlin Li, Wei Li, Marissa Mack, Shizrae Mallick, Benjamin Masters, Elizabeth Moore, Maiordys Moreira, Kumar Muthuswamy, Aparna Nagargadde, Erin Neff, Chun-Kit Ngan, Jingnan Ni, Daniel Odom, Brian Picone, Bianca Pineda, Hilda Rios, Jorge Ríos de Aragón, María J. Rivera Alveranga, Christopher Robinson, Nichole Sánchez, Paola Sandoval-Pérez, Nana K. Sarfo, Madhu Seethepalli, Brad Snyder, Tiffany M. Starks, Neda Tahir, Dashe Tesfaye, Fernando Villarroel, Mary I. Washington, Courtney A. White, Toya D. Williams-Tanis, Jevon L. Wright, Laura Yeatman, Jessica Yeh, Xiaochuan Yu.

• Leadership Award Nominees: Thanit Baker, Rubi X. Chavez, Garrett Claybrooks, Gabrielle D'Lima, Kathleen Dorn, Anne M. Dumain, Alexandra Gant, Stephanie Gunter, Ahsan Ijaz, Qiuyi Jiang, Elina Hung Kim, Vincent Lacsamana, Andres Maldonado, Shizrae Mallick, Rex Marcelino, Lizsandra Maria, German Martínez, Benjamin Masters, Ana Mendoza, Liana Montecinos, Meg Nicholas, Hreiruka Onuniwi, Fatima Pineda, Alook K. Sahoo, Dakota Schreiner, Ericka Varillas, Fernando Villarroel, Veronica Vivas.

• Social Justice Award Nominees: Donna Brimmer, Julio Diaz, Gabrielle D'Lima, Whitney Gecker, Marissa Mack, Liana Montecinos, Maricé Morales, Erin Neff, Daniel Odom, Alexandra Sims, Maryam Sodeifi.

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Good news!!

As a result of efforts from faculty members, the American Indian and Alaskan Native Student Association (AIANSA), as well as local native community members, a new interdisciplinary minor in indigenous studies is slated for 2008!  For more information please contact Eric Anderson.

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