News and Events

The annual awards and this year’s winners are:

• Foster G. McGaw Scholars: Gabe Anzeze ’23, Tebatso Duba ’22, and Diayan Rajamohan ’21. Recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership ability and excellent academic achievement. They have made a unique and lasting contribution to the Lake Forest College community.
• Edward H. Oppenheimer Memorial Prize: Claire Grebner ’20 and Deja McClellan ’20. Recognizes two seniors who are judged to have contributed the most to the College community. This prize is one of the highest honors bestowed on a student by the College. 
• Alpha Sigma Kappa Class of 1938 Memorial Prize: Zaria Sydnor ’20. Awarded to a senior student who has sustained a 3.4 cumulative GPA, participated in co-curricular activities and demonstrated a strong commitment to community service for at least two years. 
• Jacob Wardwell Edwards Prize: Vitoria Andrade Carnier ’23. Recognizes the outstanding qualities of leadership demonstrated during their first year at the College. 
• Christopher Mojekwu Award: Lake Forest College Theater Department. The award is given to a student, faculty, staff, or community member for their dedication and work in cultural understanding.
• Peter C. Clute Award for Outstanding Character: Rodney Bethea ’20. Awarded to the student whose uniquely positive attitude and joy in living inspires and enhances the lives of those around them. Selected by Lake Forest College Student Affairs staff in consultation with students.
• Rising Star Award: Ashlyn Pope ’23. Presented to an outstanding first-year student who has demonstrated strong leadership potential and who is an up-and-coming leader in the Lake Forest College community.
• Excellence in Marketing Award: Muslim Student Association’s (Islamic Awareness Week). Recognizes outstanding marketing initiatives executed by a recognized student organization to promote a particular program or to promote the organization. 
• Charles F. Behling Award: Esther Kim ’22. Awarded to an individual student or student organization who has exhibited outstanding commitment to the promotion of cultural diversity. 
• Make a Difference Award: Sana Shariff ’20. Presented to an individual or student organization who has demonstrated a strong commitment to helping others through education, service, and outreach.
• Commitment to Campus Well Being Award: Diayan Rajamohan ’21. Recognizes the student who has made the most outstanding contributions to promoting the health and wellness of Lake Forest College community.  
• Anita Chen Li ’51 International Student Prize: Sadiq Dabire ’22. Awarded to an international student who has earned academic distinction and has demonstrated distinguished service to the College community. 
• Community Builder Award: Jordan Briggs ’21. Given to a student, faculty, or staff member for their active involvement and consistent contributions to creating a strong campus community. The winner demonstrates a commitment to bringing various constituencies of the campus community together.  
• Tamara Lee Wefler Award: Kotch Mmopi ’20. Awarded annually to the senior whose independent spirit has encouraged the acceptance of a diversity of values and beliefs within the student body, whose inspiration and enthusiasm have promoted the highest standards of character and integrity in others, and whose actions have consistently demonstrated a sensitivity for and an interest in the welfare of others. 
• Commitment to Student Development Award: Anna Trumbore Jones. Presented to an outstanding faculty or staff member who has created an environment that fosters student development throughout the academic year. The recipient sets clear and ambitious standards for students to follow and challenges students to step outside their comfort zones to learn about themselves and the Lake Forest College community through exploration and understanding. 
• Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award: Muris Hadzic (Muslim Student Association). Presented to the faculty or staff member who has served as an official advisor to a registered college student organization and has gone above-and-beyond the call of duty to ensure the organization’s success.
• Outstanding Program of the Year Award: United Black Association’s The N Word Panel. Awarded to a student organization or student leader for the planning and execution of an exemplary on-campus program.
• Collaborative Effort of the Year Award: Muslim Student Association, Hillel and Intervarsity’s Interfaith Dinner and Summit. Recognizes an outstanding program that was a collaboration between two or more registered organizations.
• Student Organization President of the Year Award: Uche Okeke ’21. Honors the student organization president who has significantly impacted their student organization over the past academic year. 
• Student Organization of the Year Award: PRIDE. Recognizes the outstanding contributions the registered student organization has given to the Lake Forest College community throughout the course of the year. Nominees are evaluated based on membership, recruitment, programming, service, and collaboration.
• Student Leader of the Year Award: Deja McClellan ’20. Presented to a student who, through their leadership skills and initiative, has made a significant impact on the Lake Forest College community over the past academic year and demonstrated examples of outstanding service to others and within the community.