2008 Recipients

Outstanding Program/Event

Al-Madinah Cultural Center: This group's 7th annual Fast-a-thon event increased awareness of those who suffer from hunger and plight and raised money through pledges for charity. They had over 500 participants, including the student group members, classmates, friends, faculty, and staff.

Voices Merging: The biweekly Open-Mic Event Series reaches 200 students, artists, writers, and community organizers. Known as the largest amateur talent show in the Twin Cities, these events provide an open environment for people to express their cultural, political, emotional, and spiritual views while promoting racial, social, and cultural awareness and education.

Outstanding Co-sponsored Program/Event

Institute of Technology Student Board, Society of Women Engineers, and Plumb Bob: These groups organized a week of events that reached hundreds of members. Among others, events included a student leader recognition banquet, a golden calculator hunt, king and queen contest, and science quiz bowl with 34 teams. During an outreach event, 20 high school girls were brought to campus to explore careers in science and engineering.

Outstanding Service/Philanthropic Project

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) - UMN Chapter: This group sent six students and two professionals to Uganda, where they designed and constructed a rainwater system and a dry composting sanitation system for the Hope Integrated Academy. After four weeks of hard work, the completed projects now provide daily drinking water and improved ecological toilets to over 250 students.

Innovation Award

Xperimental Theatre: This group provided opportunities for budding artists to develop their writing and directing abilities and for previously uninvolved students to get theatre experience. This innovative event took place over a twenty-four period and concluded with a performance of their hard work.

Outstanding Undergraduate Student Group Advisor

Jane Phillips: Jane played an important role by supporting the students that founded this student group. Once the group formed, she was then asked to become their advisor. Her hard work, dedication, and commitment helped secure $6,000.00 in financial support and ensured the group's summer trip was successful.

Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student Group Advisor

Michael Madden: Mike is described as the backbone of the student group. To help motivate current officers to recruit new members, he pledged to shave his beard if the officers met their recruitment goal of 50 new members. His beard had not been shaved since high school and was his signature feature. In just one week, the group successfully recruited 90 new members. Mike is active, supportive, and a great resource to the group and its members-continually advocating for the groups and its goals.

Rookie Registered Student Organization (RSO)

Bharat: Through programs such as Diwali Mela (festival of lights), this group fosters awareness and enhances understanding of Indian culture. Since its inception in 2007, this group has become widely known to the University community, has recruited over 900 members, and has been host to many popular and well-attended cultural events.

Rookie Campus Life Program (CLP)

MSA Express: This group's purpose is to promote safety in the campus community by providing students with safe rides home. MSA Express transports students to and from many locations on and around the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses. In 2008, they provided over 2,800 such rides. In addition to providing rides home, this group transported students to fraternity and sorority open houses during Welcome Week and to their voting location on Election Day.

Outstanding Undergraduate Registered Student Organization (RSO)

Colleges Against Cancer: In 2008, this group made the front page of The Minnesota Daily for their "Paint the Campus Purple" marketing initiative where they placed over 200 purple balloons inside of the Washington Ave Bridge in order to promote their annual Relay for Life event which engaged over 1,600 students. This group has doubled their leadership positions, from 30 to 60, and expanded their footprint on the University through their many events.

University YMCA: This group recruited 766 college students who provided 66,120 volunteer hours, reaching over 1,996 youth and young adults through 7 community programs.

Outstanding Undergraduate Campus Life Program (CLP)

University of Minnesota Commuter Connection: This group partnered with Orientation and First-Year Programs to participate in Welcome Week where they welcomed commuter students and provided information about their group. They sponsored a Kick-Off Picnic attended by over 300 students, Hosted a Parents' Night where they presented on issues facing commuter students, and planned a retreat to Camp Ihduhapi.

Outstanding Graduate/Professional Student Group

Asylum Law Project: The group's mission is to provide services to a significantly underrepresented group-noncitizens seeking asylum-and encourages its members to pursue volunteer opportunities. Comprised entirely of first-year law students, this group organized service trips for 80 members to four cities across the United States where they logged over 3,000 hours working on legal briefs and cases.