Recognizing Our University of Miami Community
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Celebration of Involvement 2020
On Tuesday, April 14th we celebrated the 35th Annual University of Miami Celebration of Involvement Awards Ceremony! We virtually recognized exceptional members of the University of Miami community through our various social media outlets. If you missed the celebration, click here to experience the presented awards on social media. #CelebrationOfInvolvement
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Celebration of Involvement Award Recipients
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Excellence in Civic Engagement Award
Dr. Ashmeet Oberoi is an Assistant Professor of Professional Practice in the Department of Educational and Psychological Studies in the School of Education and Human Development, and the Director of the Community & Social Change Master’s Program at University of Miami. She has a graduate degree in Child Development and a Ph.D. in Community and Prevention Research with a distinction in statistics and measurement from University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Oberoi’s primary research interest is to examine how socio-cultural and contextual factors affect wellbeing of minority and vulnerable populations. Dr. Oberoi engages in education; community-engaged research and evaluation; collaboration and civic work around social justice issues.
Nominees: Dr. Esteban Petruzzello, Dr. Ashley Falcon, Dr. Denise Vidot, Dr. Richard Weisskoff and Xavier Cortada JD
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Graduate Award for Excellence in Student Leadership
Jake is currently finishing his work to become a triple ‘Cane as part of the Accounting Ph.D. program at the Miami Herbert Business School. After graduating with bachelor and master’s degrees in Accounting from UM in 2012, Jake joined the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as an assurance associate before being recruited back to begin his Ph.D. program in the Spring of 2015. During the PhD program, Jake has been invited to present at a number of national conferences. His research is forthcoming in Review of Accounting Studies, and he serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for The Accounting Review and Contemporary Accounting Research. In addition to his work towards a Ph.D., Jake served as the Fraternity Graduate Advisor to Sigma Alpha Epsilon, the Greek Life Graduate Assistant, and on the executive board of Iron Arrow Honor Society. He will graduate in Spring 2020 and join the Freeman School of Business at Tulane University as an assistant professor in New Orleans, LA.
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Iron Arrow Society Sophomore Leadership Award
Landon is a sophomore, political science scholar at the University of Miami hailing from Tallahassee, Florida. Landon has always found his passions in civic engagement, social activism, student leadership and public speaking. He presently and proudly serves on the 2020 Homecoming Executive Committee, the Undergraduate Honor Council, as the new president of United Black Students and as a President’s 100 Tour Guide and Student Ambassador. Landon's greatest involvement lies in his work in the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs in coordinating events, special programs and workshops geared towards creating safe spaces for students of color and speaking across social differences.
Nominee: Cecilia Amaro
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University of Miami Civic Scholar
Cachay Byrd, a recent Health Science student with minors in Africana Studies and Mandarin, will be continuing her studies in UM’s School of Nursing starting next Fall! As an undergraduate student, Cachay served as the Medicine Women of Iron Arrow, an organization recognized as the highest honor one can attain at the University of Miami. Cachay also works on campus in Student Activities and Student Organizations as a Student Assistant and Vice Chair for the Committee on Student Organizations. This semester, Cachay will also graduate as a UM Civic Scholar!
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University of Miami Civic Scholar
Stoni Drane is a Pre-law student from Boston, MA, majoring in Sociology with minors in Africana Studies and Education. At UM, she serves as the President of Kids and Culture; Vice President of the Sociology/Criminology Club; Supervisor at The University of Miami Calling Canes Telefund; and is an UM Civic Scholars! Next fall, she begins working towards her goal of attending law school, while also making positive strides in the field of education. In addition to studying for the LSAT, she will become a teacher for the Miami-Dade County Public School system. She thanks the Civic Scholars program for their unwavering support and for helping her find her voice at UM.
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Newman Civic Fellow Award
Jendayi is a junior at the University of Miami majoring in Public Administration and minoring in Communications and Criminology. Her accomplishments as both a scholar and engaged citizen embody the qualities of the Newman Civic Fellowship, transcending the traditional day-to-day college experience to dedicate time and resources to her local community, as well as to initiatives that address the socioeconomic inequities experienced by marginalized populations. Her involvement ranges from tutoring at-risk young men to help break the “school-to-prison” pipeline, to engaging in community-based research to improve law enforcement response to domestic violence and sexual assaults in South Florida. Her accomplishments are a testament to her determination and pragmatic approach to improve access to quality education, well-being, and social justice.
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Gerald J. Pierri '65 Read and Lead Award for Excellence in Academics and Intramural Sports Leadership Award
JC continues to lead by example on and off the intramural field. He serves as a proud member and the Intramural Chair of Federacion de Estudantes Cubanos (FEC) a student organization that is dedicated to keeping the Cuban culture alive and present in the UM community. Through his leadership on the field he has continued to serve as an Intramural referee and an Intramural Supervisor. As a ‘Cane he serves as the Men’s chair for the UCatholic Campus Ministry, a Miami Hurricane reporter/writer and a Canes Chat Volunteer.
Nominee: Anthony Dao
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Robert Bates Cole Award for Volunteer Leadership
Reina has been involved across campus in a variety of volunteer experiences and leadership roles early on in her collegiate career. As current co-president for the student organization Kids and Culture, Reina has created a sustainable partnership with the Gibson Bethel Community Center. Through the organizations mission to show young students’ college is attainable, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status she has provided students the opportunity to participate in developmental/reading comprehension workshops and overall impactful student to student interaction. Reina continues to make an impact in the community through her volunteer commitments at the Ronald McDonald House, The Lotus Women’s Shelter, Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church and through her role as the Vice President for Service of the Delta Sigma Pi Professional Fraternity.
Nominees: Mahagony Black, Landon Coles, Cecilia Amaro, Anna Heinzen and Alexander Sanjurjo
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Vivian Berger Giller Impact Award
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Kathleen has found a way to combine her passion for sports and mental health by founding UM’s first ‘Injured Student Athlete Support Group recognized by the University of Miami Sport Psychology Department. Through this creative platform she has established an opportunity for open dialogue for University of Miami student athletes on their journey through recovery post a sports related injury. Currently, she serves as the President for the student organization Best Buddies where she continues to create one-on-one friendships with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, volunteers at the Holtz Children Hospital and serves as the mental health liaison on the Camp Liaison Council all while being Captain of the University of Miami Rowing Team.
Nominees: Giovannia Sibila, Evelyn Menkes and Natalia Brown
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Sherwood M. Weiser Memorial Fund for Student Community Service
Albany is an excellent role model whose dedication to mentorship and service have been instrumental parts of her undergraduate experiences at UM. Through her dedication to civic engagement she has been able to successfully educate the UM community on their voter rights through Get Out The Vote (GOTV) and has been instrumental in UM receiving the distinction of being named a Voter Friendly campus. As a ‘Cane she is heavily involved within her Residential College serving as a First Year Fellow working to engage and mentor first-year students as they transition into the university, finds joy in being a Presidents’ 100 Ambassador and continues to serve as a mentor to first year students on campus through the Freshman Leadership Council in Student Government.
Nominees: Vivien Aruwa, Chloe Bragg and Demi Lisa Kang
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Sherwood M. Weiser Memorial Fund for Student Community Service
Evelyn has a strong passion for service and civic engagement and takes pride in cultivating the growth of our student’s experiential learning journey as a University of Miami Alternative Breaks participant and Co-Chair. She proudly serves as a counselor for the Camp Kesem organization that is a peer-based support system for children impacted by a parent's cancer. Additionally, she gives back to the UM community as the Vice President of Administration for the ‘Canes Emergency Response Team (CERT). CERT is a student-led team of motivated students who train to assist first responders in the event of a disaster that may affect the University of Miami community.
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Sherwood M. Weiser Memorial Fund for Student Community Service
Maya uses her compassion and sincere leadership for service within the campus, South Florida community and abroad. As a current member of Special Olympics, a student organization that prides itself on providing an avenue for students in the to engage in sports and other activities with individuals with intellectual disorders, she has continued to create genuine bonds with the athletes. She continues to be a collaborator in the greater Miami community and abroad through the Upward Bound program, in which she mentors first generation high school students, volunteering at the Lotus House Women’s Shelter and through the Minority Heath and Health Disparities International Research Training program through the School for Nursing and Health Studies. Through this, she partook in an 8-week experience in Santiago, Chile at La Universidad Catolica de Chile, on an HIV prevention intervention case study.
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Ann S. Waldman Endowed Scholarship
As a first-generation and first year student, Esther’s passion and dedication has led her to fully immerse herself in the ‘Cane experience. Some of her involvements include being an active member in the Freshman Leadership Council, where she has participated in a food packaging project for currently deployed service men and women’s families. She has been serving as a host for ‘Cane for a Day engaging newly admitted high school seniors, volunteering at FunDay and serving as an active member in the UM NAACP chapter. Additionally, Esther volunteered for the 2020 Tunnel of Oppression, which is a multi-sensory three-day experience that brings awareness to various social issues in our world.
Nominees: Maragrita Sinko, Mahagony Black, Jaime Williams-Smith and Alicia Novoa
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Magaly Santos Llaca Endowed Memorial Scholarship
Adrian has proven to exemplify the legacy of Magaly Santos Llaca, through his genuine love for his community and those he serves. He selflessly volunteers weekly at the Miracle League of Miami where he helps children with disabilities enjoy the comradery and inclusive nature of team sports, in the chemotherapy unit at the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Institute and mentoring fellow UM students through his role as a School of Nursing and Health Studies Ambassador. Adrian’s contribution to the broader South Florida community continues to grow as he is the involved in the student organization Hope for Refugees and is committed to sharing his knowledge and understanding of how microbiomes function and how they can be used to sustainably improve crop production. Adrian has dedicated his volunteer efforts to making a meaningful contribution to those around him in the University of Miami community and the greater Miami area.
Nominees: Maragrita Sinko and Alejandra Curbelo-Paz
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Vice President’s Award for Service
Gabriela prides herself on fulfilling her role as Camp Kesem Co-Director, a student organization that serves children whose families have been affected by a parent’s cancer. Throughout her years at the University of Miami, she has continued to dedicate her time and efforts to enhancing the organization through effective Camp Kesem new family outreach. Through her leadership, Camp Kesem was successful in raising $120,000 in just one academic year. Gabriela also continues to bring communities together as a former Bronfman Interfaith Entrepreneurship Fellow, where she created meaningful programming to connect University of Miami students of various faith traditions.
Nominees: Mizelle Hornilla, Emily Kalbac, Chinoia Weir, Stephanie Perez, Joshua Class, Amanda Perez and Evan Sarmiento
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Vice President’s Award for Service
Asha has been actively involved throughout UM’s campus and embodies the spirit of a true servant leader within the campus community. Her involvement spans throughout various organizations across the University of Miami. She has served as a mentor and member of the executive leadership team for the Inspire U Leadership Academy, a program that matches first generation college students with high school students in the Miami community. Asha also served as a University of Miami Voter Registration Ambassador, been involved in First Generation U and has been an active member of the Caribbean Student Association. Asha continues to use the knowledge and experiences she has gained as a first-generation college student to empower those she serves.
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Vice President’s Award for Service
Brie has been actively involved in a myriad of organizations throughout UM’s campus and exudes the characteristics of a genuine student leader within the campus community. She prides herself in being the Chair of Counseling Outreach Peer Education (COPE), a group of peer educators that work in conjunction with the University of Miami Counseling Center to ensure that students are educated about the mental health resources available to them on campus while working to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health issues. She is also a proud dog trainer in the UPUP student organization that prides itself on service dog raising, training, and awareness. She has helped train three dogs over the course of her time at University of Miami to prepare them to ultimately become assistance dogs. Additionally, she has spent many hours volunteering as a Bedside Buddy at Nicklaus Children's Hospital to ensure that children in the hospital still have time to play games and create happy memories.
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Vice President’s Award for Service
Jeffrey has allowed his passion to serve, guide his involvement in both the UM and surrounding Miami community. While continuously maintaining a commitment to service, Jeffrey has made a great impact through his involvement as a volunteer dive instructor and board member of Divers for Education and Environmental Protection (DEEP). DEEP is a non-profit organization that focuses on teaching teenagers how to scuba dive and to conduct environmental protection activities, such as ocean clean-ups, coral restoration and national parks preservation. He has also used scuba diving as a method to assist Veterans to address symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. As a ‘Cane he is an active member of the Veteran Student Organization where he has built and designed obstacles for their annual Sweat with Vets event that raises funds for the homeless veterans in Miami-Dade County.
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Edward T. Foote II Award for Excellence in Student Leadership
Anyone who has had the opportunity to interact with Ezra will agree that he is deserving of recognition for his leadership. During his time at the University of Miami, he has been an active leader throughout the campus community. Ezra has proudly served as the lead naturalist on Student Government’s Eco Agency, serves as the resident Curator at the John C. Gifford Arboretum and also is a manager at the Billy Goat Coffee Kiosk. Following the destruction of Hurricane Maria on the small island nation of Dominica in 2017, Ezra has dedicated his efforts to starting and founding a non-profit entitled the Dominica Coffee Revitalization Initiative. The organization seeks to provide long-term disaster recovery through sustainable coffee agriculture. This venture also received national recognition along with a fellowship through the Atlantic Coast Conference-International Academic Collaborative (ACC–IAC) Fellows Program in Creativity and Innovation. As part of the initiative, Remer produced and directed the award-winning short documentary, “Powerful Little Island” which focuses on the nonprofit’s mission. Ezra is truly a changemaker on the UM campus and in our global community!
Nominees: Jason Prosper, Amanda Perez, Stephanie Perez, Joshua Class, Sara Stjuste, Herveline Saintil, Bonnie Stright, Emily Gossett, Alex Plumb, Jonathan Cola, Chinoia Weir, Samantha Waddell, Laura Florez and Gabriela Aklepi
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Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
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No matter where you are in the world, you have the opportunity to impact others in a positive way through volunteering. The Butler Center for Service and Leadership team of students and staff are excited to announce that we are here to serve your volunteer and leadership needs! Visit Butler Center for Service and Leadership to view various ways you can continue to be involved in community outreach.
For more information contact the Butler Center for Service and Leadership at leadandserve@miami.ed
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Do you want to know how to get involved with our programs? Have a question about finding volunteer opportunities? Need to know where our office is located? Fill out the Ask a Question Form, and a member of our staff will be happy to assist you with your inquiry!
Click here to Learn More
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Connect with Us/Follow Us
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ABOUT THE BUTLER CONNECTION
The Butler Connection is published once a week on Thursdays during the academic year. It seeks to provide the UM community with leadership and service opportunities on campus and in the Greater Miami area.
The deadline for submitting an event is TUESDAY at 5 pm. Submissions received by this deadline will be included in that week's edition of the Butler Connection.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS & UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENTS: Please fill out this form to make submissions for the Butler Connection.
COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Only official community partners may have a service or leadership opportunity published on the newsletter. Please contact the Butler Center to learn how to become a community partner. Community partners may submit events through this form to be added to the Butler Connection.
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