Samuel E. Kelly Ethnic Cultural Center

GALA | Recent Award Recipients

These are the recent recipients of the Kelly ECC RSO Awards in the past few years. These Organizations and Individual leaders have made exceptional efforts toward supporting the mission of the Kelly ECC.

2023 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community & Service: A Vision for Electronic Literacy & Access (AVELA)
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
  • Most Impactful Programming: Latine Student Union (LSU)
  • Breakout Organization: East African Student Association (EASA)
  • Organization of the Year: Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE)

Individual Awards

  • Leadership:
    • David Melgoza
    • Hadi Yusri
  • Branching out:
    • Aisha Cora
    • Mia Johnson
  • Activism: Rhandell Balboa Saya

2022 Award Recipients - Golden Anniversary

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: Kappa Delta Chi
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Huskies for Opportunities in Prison Education (HOPE)
  • Most Impactful Programming: First Generation Business Leaders
  • Breakout Organization: Nikkei Student Union
  • Organization of the Year: Unidas Seremos

Individual Awards

  • Leadership:
    • Mayra Galvan (Unidas Seremos)
    • Jada Rasmussen (First Nations)
    • Sophia Callan (Modality)
  • Branching out: Jess Schnitzer (Chinese Student Association)
  • Activism: David Melgoza (Latinx Student Union)

2021 Award Recipients

  • Commitment to Community Service: Unite UW Student Association
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Chinese Student Association
  • Breakout Organization: Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA)
  • Impactful Programming: Vietnamese Student Association (VSAUW)
  • Organization of the Year: Synbio for Everyone
  • Leader of the Year: Judy Khun and Deena Osman

2020 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: Kappa Delta Chi
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Nikkei Student Union
  • Most Impactful Programming: Filipino American Student Association
  • Breakout Organization: Vovinam Lion Dance
  • Organization of the Year: Polynesian Student Alliance

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: Thu Nguyen
  • Branching out: Khatami Chau
  • Activism: Dominick Ta

2019 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: First Nations
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Khmer Student Association
  • Most Impactful Programming: Micronesian Islands Club
  • Breakout Organization: Students of Color for Public Health
  • Organization of the Year: African Student Association

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: Irvin Garcia
  • Branching out: Ariela Sanchez
  • Activism: Sierra Redbow & Bennet Vining
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff: Jaime Soto

2018 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: API Cares about Mental Health
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Omega Delta Phi Fraternity
  • Most Impactful Programming: Black Student Union
  • Breakout Organization: Purple Group
  • Organization of the Year: Khmer Student Association

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: Cindy Pulido
  • Branching out: Faridah Abdullah
  • Activism: Kat Punzalan
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff: Gonzalo Guzman

2017 Award Recipients - Sapphire Anniversary

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: Black Student Union
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Filipino American Student Association
  • Most Impactful Programming: RETRO Revolutionary Poets
  • Breakout Organization: Leaders Del Futuro
  • Organization of the Year: Unidas Seremos

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: Maricarmen Garcia
  • Branching out: Annel Garcia
  • Activism: Olivia Smith
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff: Maria Gillman

Sapphire Awards

These recognitions were awarded to commemorate the Kelly ECC’s 45th Anniversary and was based on alumni feedback, cross-campus staff voting, and careful consideration of community involvement and engagement both within and beyond the Kelly ECC and UW Community.

  • Sapphire Exemplary Alumnus: Jaebadiah Gardner
  • Sapphire Esteemed Faculty: Dr. Ralina Joseph
  • Sapphire Distinguished Staff: Raul Anaya

2016 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: Unidas Seremos
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: RETRO Revolutionary Poets
  • Most Impactful Programming: Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlan (MEChA)
  • Breakout Organization: Asian Coalition for Equality
  • Organization of the Year: Filipino American Student Association

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: 
  • Branching out:
  • Activism:
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff:

2015 Award Recipients

Organizational Awards

  • Commitment to Community: Unidas Seremos
  • Outstanding Collaboration & Participation: Black Student Union
  • Mentoring & Helping Hands: National Society of Black Engineers
  • Impactful Programming: African Student Association
  • Organization of the Year: Polynesian Student Alliance

Individual Awards

  • Leadership: Maggie Negussie
  • Branching out: Soffonias Gebrehiwot
  • Activism: Patricia Allen
  • Outstanding Faculty/Staff: Dr. Gabriel Gallardo