Student Life

All nominations must be received with the nomination form and a letter of recommendation explaining why the nominee should be considered for the award and how they meet the qualifications. Any supporting documentation or letters of support which will aid the committee in their decision process should also be attached. Award recipients can be nominated by a staff or a faculty member, another student, or themselves. All nominations must be delivered to the the John and Christine Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth.

Rising Star Award
This award is for the first year student leader who has shown tremendous growth in their first academic year and is an emerging leader in the Lake Forest College community.  The nominee should be an active member of at least one registered student organization, be supported by their peers, and should demonstrate strong leadership potential at the College.  A minimum of a 2.75 GPA is required for this nominee.  The 2009 Rising Star Award went to first-year student, Becca Leland.



Make A Difference Award 
Awarded to a student who has committed her/his time, energy, and resources to making a difference, volunteering in the community. Demonstrating a passion for service others is an important quality for this nominee. This nominee should have at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA. The 2009 Make A Difference Award went to senior, Roz Turner.



Social Justice Award 
Awarded to one student or organization demonstrating concern for under-represented persons or groups. Students who endeavor to strengthen and to advance human issues concerning race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, nationality, gender, or any other area related to social justice could be nominated for this award. The 2009 Social Justice Award went to Jaime Perez.



Student Organization of the Year Award
This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the Lake Forest College community by a registered student organization. Student organizations will be reviewed on membership, recruitment, programming and service.  Organizations who have collaborated with other organizations, academic departments, or offices are prime candidates for this award.  Organizations nominated must be registered with the the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth.  To be eligible they must have an advisor, a roster and procedural guidelines registered with the the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth.  Organizations should include supporting documentation of the nomination such as pictures, flyers, program descriptions, and letters of support.  Student Alumni Association received the 2009 award for Student Organization of the Year.

Student Leader of the Year Award
Through their leadership skills and initiative, the award honors nominees who have made a significant impact on the Lake Forest community throughout the past academic year. Nominees will have influenced the development and mentoring of future leaders of Lake Forest. S/he must have demonstrated examples of outstanding service to others. Award recipients will be selected based on breadth and depth of involvement and leadership in co-curricular activities, including: membership and leadership of College-sponsored student organizations, leadership in an employment role on campus, service in the community, involvement in professional, academic, and leadership development experiences, and the overall impact on campus life and learning for students.

Community Builder Award
This award is open to all students and is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions towards building a strong campus community. This student will have been a positive, motivating, role model on campus. S/he will have worked to link other Lake Forest College students more closely with the campus, fostering a continuously positive environment for the campus community.



Outstanding Program Award
Open to all students and student organizations, this award is presented to an organization or individual who has facilitated an exemplary educational on-campus program.



Advisor of the Year Award
This award is presented to an advisor who has contributed significant time, energy, and resources outside of her/his job at the College to a registered student organization. This recipient should actively mentor the students within the organization and be someone to whom the students look for support and direction. 

Commitment to Student Development Award
This award is presented to an outstanding faculty and/or staff member who has fostered leadership development and personal growth though out the academic year. The recipient will have set clear and ambitious standards for students and will have challenged students to step outside their comfort zones and to learn about themselves and the Lake Forest College community through hands-on experience and opportunities to build stronger self-awareness.

 Recipients for all awards are selected by the Student Leadership Awards Committee.