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Career Exploration & Development 2025-26 Student Employee Awards Celebration

Student Employee Awards Celebration hosted by Career Exploration and Development

• Ashley Zelina (Adventure Center) won the Sunshine and Positivity Award, an award given to an individual who always brightens the day of others. They understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.  
• Additional Award Finalists:
  • Sunshine and Positivity - Morgan Miller (Student Personnel)
  • Inspirational Leadership - Olivia Ligget (Ice Arena) AND Isabella DeToto (Marketing)
  • Excellence in Culture and Belonging - Monica Fencial (KSoW and SRC)
  • Flashes GROW - RecWell Department

Student Leadership Awards 2025-26

The Student Leadership Awards, hosted by The Center for Student Involvement

• Arslan Kalandarov (Operations & Guest Services) won the Emerging Student Leader Award, which is presented to a first- or second-year student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership potential. This individual has shown initiative, dedication to positive change, and a commitment to the value of student involvement early on in their undergraduate career. 
• Michael Noga (Adventure Center) won the Unsung Hero Award, which is presented to an undergraduate student who consistently goes above and beyond, but does not seek out recognition and demonstrates a great deal of humility and selflessness. 

Departmental Awards of the Year 2025-26

• Emerging Leader Award: Rin Reikowski (Ice Arena) 
• Creative Innovator Award: Lettie Friona (ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì of Well-being) 
• Ray of Sunshine Award: Ava Hirsch (Fitness & Wellness) 
• Student Ambassador Award: Antajuan Hightower (Operations & Guest Services) 
• Patron Impact Award: Annie Perrotta (Fitness & Wellness) 
• Lifesaver Award: Payton Schramski (Operations & Guest Services) 
• Graduate Assistant Excellence Awards: Abby Traska (Ice Arena) & Liberty Prosser (Competitive Sports) 
• Area of the Year Award: M²¹°ù°ì±ð³Ù¾±²Ô²µ&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
• The Most Outstanding Student Employee of the Year: Bella DeToto (Marketing) & Taylor Smith (Operations & Guest Services) 
• The Most Outstanding Professional Staff Member of the Year: April Paulus (Fiscal Manager) 

Area Student Employees of the Year 2025-26

• Adventure Center: Ashley Zelina
• Aquatics: Audrey Peters
• Fitness and Wellness: Annie Perrotta
• Ice Arena / Outdoor Facilities: Nathan Kemer
• Intramural Sports: Liberty Prosser
• ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì of Well-being: Monica Fencil
• Marketing: Bella DeToto
• Operations & Guest Services: Taylor Smith
• Student Personnel: Sydney Stevenson

Career Exploration & Development 2024-25 Student Employee Awards Celebration

Student Employee Awards Celebration hosted by Career Exploration and Development

• Brooke Schwerha (Operations and Guest Services) won the Inspirational Leadership Award, which is given to individuals who demonstrate a positive impact on others and the ability to recognize and leverage personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals. These leaders motivate, energize, and bring passion and connection to their work environment.
• Seema Dhaher (Aquatics) won the Change Maker Award, which honors a distinguished disrupter who has made an outsized impact on their community through work and service. Their knowledge, skills, and involvement ensure that Kent remains at the forefront of pressing issues by enhancing the student experience, inspiring impactful research, and leading community-driven initiatives.
• Tess Golden (Adventure Center) won the Excellence in Culture and Belonging Award, in recognition of her awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills needed to equitably engage and include people from diverse cultural backgrounds. 

Departmental Awards of the Year 2024-25

• Emerging Leader Award: Taylor Dimmerling (Aquatics)
• Creative Innovator Award: Samira McWreath (Operations & Guest Services)
• Ray of Sunshine Award: Brynn Kler (ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì of Well-being)
• Student Ambassador Award: Annie Perrotta (Fitness & Wellness)
• Graduate Assistant Excellence Awards: Krishna Rathore (Adventure Center)
• Area of the Year Award: Ice Arena
• The Most Outstanding Student Employee of the Year: Michael Noga (Adventure Center)
• The Most Outstanding Professional Staff Member of the Year: Jeff Kingery (Coordinator, Student Personnel)

Area Student Employees of the Year 2024-25

• Adventure Center: Tess Golden
• Aquatics: Grace James
• Fitness and Wellness: Laissa Bellini Watanabe
• Ice Arena / Outdoor Facilities Maintenance: Joel Thomas John
• Ice Arena / Outdoor Facilities Operations: Lindsay Gordon
• Intramural Sports: Rylie Moore
• ÐÔ¸£ÎåÔÂÌì of Well-being: Brynn Kler
• Marketing: Megan Kocsis
• Operations & Guest Services: Liberty Prosser
• Student Personnel: Mario Pallotta

SRC Vitalant Blood Drive Scholarship 2024-25 Winners

• Rylie Lapikas (Fitness & Wellness)
• Meheraj Khatri (Operations & Guest Services)