Western New England University held its Distinguished Golden Bear Awards ceremony on May 2 in River's Memorial Hall, where students and clubs were recognized for their leadership and community involvement throughout the year.
Organized by the Office of Student Involvement and Connections, the Distinguished Golden Bear Awards ceremony is a hallmark event that acknowledges a year of leadership, community service, and student programming by over 70 active clubs and organizations on campus. The award ceremony not only celebrates individual and collective achievements but also underscores Western New England University's commitment to fostering leadership, diversity, and community engagement among its student body.
Deserving nominees included 13 exceptional students and three distinguished clubs/organizations:
Golden Bear Award – Daniela Martinez-Duran
Residential Student Award – Stephanie Marcil
Commuter Student Award – Blanca Amaya
Community Service Award – Elizabeth Burnham
CHAMPS Life Skills Award – Jaylen Hawkins
CHAMPS Life Skills Award – Zoey Wexler
Excellence in Media and Arts Award – Allie Provost
Student Leadership Award – Aditya Shah
Yvonne S. Bodle '83/G'91 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Award – Mercedes McInnis
Athletics Impact Award – Kadeem Walker
Student Life Award – Riley Franzo
Undergraduate Student of the Year Award – Sean Alvord
Graduate Student (Law, COPHS, GRAD) of the Year Award – Daijah McKim
Outstanding Program Award – WARP Mario Party
Resilience Agility & Persistence Award – Women's Wrestling Team
Student Club/Organization Recognition Award – Psychology Club
