2006 Recipients

Outstanding Co-sponsored Program

Kappa Alpha Psi and Residential Housing Association: "In Remembrance of Corretta Scott King" featured a partnership with these two organizations along with University faculty and staff to celebrate Black History Month. The event included music, soul food, and guest speakers in an effort to remember and discuss the civil rights era and Mrs. King's role in the movement.

Outstanding Community Service/Philanthropy Project

Christian Student Fellowship: Demonstrating commitment to serving others, CSF sent three teams to the Gulf Coast of the United States following Hurricane Katrina. Students assisted homeowners in the area with the re-building of their homes and lives. The also conducted blanket drives, bringing sheets and blankets to distribution centers for families who were in need.

Students Today Leaders Forever: Four years ago, four freshmen came up with the idea of taking a bus full of students across the country to conduct community service in several communities. They called it the "Pay It Forward Tour" and by 2006, they had ten buses and 360 participants involved.

Outstanding Organization of the Year

Friendship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars: Recruiting more members than any previous year, FACSS keeps in constant contact with their members and works to make the University a welcoming place for international students. They also have arranged airport pick-ups for new students and temporary housing for those arriving to Minnesota in the summer months. They have collaborated with community organizations, churches, and other student groups to serve their membership.

Asian-American Student Union: Nominated multiple times by different individuals for their outstanding work, ASU serves as a resource for many student organizations working to create cultural competence and understanding.

Forestry Club, Ltd.: Campus Life Program of the Year, the University Forestry Club has been involved in all areas of organizational development. They have adopted a section of Highway 169 near Milaca, they host annual celebration of Forester's Day events, and hold an annual Christmas Tree Sale in St Paul. They also hosted the Midwestern Forester's Conclave and worked with faculty, staff, and alumni to organize the five participating schools.

Outstanding Program

Colleges Against Cancer: their "Relay for Life" event touched the lives of thousands and raised nearly $100,000. The event also brought together approximately 990 University of Minnesota students, staff, and faculty in an effort to raise vital funds for cancer research.

Hellenic Student Association: the event "Apology to Socrates" included a theatrical production and a panel discussion. The event brought nearly 300 people to the Coffman Theater to witness a production based on ethics, justice, and civic duty.

Graduate & Professional Student Assembly: their President's Reception helps graduate and professional students feel more connected to the University of Minnesota. More than 450 graduate and professional students attended, along with President Bruininks, members of the Board of Regents, and faculty and staff.

Rookie Organization of the Year

Undergraduate Women in Business: volunteers monthly for organizations like Ascension Place, the women's crisis center, and the Walk against Breast Cancer, and plans events to reach the greater campus community, such as Women and Work in a global society featuring guest speakers from India, Iran, and Africa. The group also holds a semi-annual networking event with over 100 participants, created mini-calendars, t-shirts, and newsletters, and created an officer transition plan. They have been in existence for just two years and already have an active membership of over 100 and have gone from an initial budget of $5,000 to a current budget $15,000 by establishing networking relationships with community members.

College of Biological Sciences Student Board: Many Campus Life Programs formed in the early days of the University, but this group was formed in the past two years. To recruit members, they reached out to students in all manners of communication: e-mails, fliers, posters, overheads, word of mouth, in-class presentations, university e-mails and websites. They also have hosted events like club kick-offs, town hall meetings, and Got Research? They went from an initial membership base of 20 students to more than 200 students just one month later.

Innovation Award

Campus Atheists and Secular Humanists: In attempting to establish a new institute at the University of Minnesota, they have used innovative thinking and approaches in their efforts to create a forum for critical thinking, respect, and ethics.

CLARION: Using innovation since its inception, this organization set out with the goal to train health care professionals in multiple disciplines. The group used their new community to create a case study competition that has gained international attention for its ingenuity and efforts to create interdisciplinary solutions to real world issues.

Student Network for Abuse Prevention: Finding ways to educate college age students about responsible alcohol use has never been an easy task. Through their "be WISE-er" campaign, this student group has created a unique and fun approach to get students interested in having dialogues about responsible alcohol use and to motivate them to make good choices.

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.: using strategic planning, marketing, and a unique approach to event planning to make their organization consistently great.

The Diversity, Ethics & Peace Club: In attempting to establish a new institute at the University of Minnesota, they have used innovative thinking and approaches in their efforts to create a forum for critical thinking, respect, and ethics.