The third annual Club Awards were held via Zoom last week as the Rice Student Center recognized the outstanding contributions of student leaders, organizations and club sponsors who have helped keep the university community engaged during a difficult school year — much of it virtual, as was the awards reception.
The Student Center even acknowledged Rice’s yearlong hybrid format with two new awards for 2021: In-Person Program of the Year and Virtual Program of the Year.
One of Rice’s longest-lived clubs, the Hispanic Association for Cultural Enrichment at Rice (HACER), established in 1972, took home a trio of awards this year.
Other clubs committed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were also saluted for their work on campus, ranging from professional societies such as the Rice chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Minorities in Social Sciences (MSS) and the Rice chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE).
A slew of creative organizations were also highlighted.
Rice Design members created a line of clothing and other merchandise designed, modeled and managed by students. The Rice Apollos are the only all-male acapella group. RAW Photography provides a space for photographers of all levels to connect and collaborate. And Happenings: The Social Puppet Club creates and performs poetry and theatrical performances to highlight global issues on campus.
A full list of winners is below.
2021 Individual Student Awards
- Student Center Values Award: Valentina Camacho, HACER
- Above & Beyond Award: Steven Kochvar, Rice Apollos
- Emerging Leader Award: Yessenia Ramos Silva, HACER
- Graduate Student Organization President of the Year: Vanessa Espinoza, Chemistry Graduate Student Association
- Undergraduate Student Organization President of the Year: Cynthia Sheng, Rice Design
2021 Club Awards
- Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award: HACER
- Member Engagement Award: Rice NSBE
- Undergraduate Organization of the Year: SHPE and the South Asian Society
- Graduate Organization of the Year: MSS and Rice Science Policy Network
- In-Person Program of the Year: Esperanza, Rice Program Council
- Virtual Program of the Year: Night of Networking Career Fair hosted by SHPE, Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, Rice NSBE and Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers
2021 Faculty/Staff Club Sponsor Awards
The C.M. and Demaris Hudspeth award was established to recognize faculty and staff sponsors who are dedicated supporters of student life and organizations. Each year at least one faculty member and/or one staff member are selected to receive this award. This year’s winners are:
- Esther Fernandez, Happenings: The Social Puppet Club sponsor
- Jeff Fitlow, RAW Photography sponsor
- Judy Radigan, Rice Splash Club sponsor
- Kristina Kennedy, National Organization of Minority Architecture Students Rice Chapter Club sponsor