Please join us in congratulating the following student leaders, staff, and organizations on winning this year’s Oski Student Leadership Awards.
A ceremony for award winners was held on April 8. We honored students, faculty, staff, and organizations who have contributed to the growth, development, and vitality of the University of California, Berkeley and the broader community. We also recognize students who completed the Berkeley Student Leadership Academy, an inaugural program that provides a customized experience for undergraduate Berkeley students to develop leadership competencies.
Outstanding Undergraduate Student Organization Award
This award is given to a group of students who have significantly impacted the undergraduate student population, the campus, or the community through innovation, collaboration, and the quality of leadership they have displayed.
Winner: The Middle Eastern, Muslim, Sikh, and South Asian (MEMSSA) Coalition for their commitment to serving marginalized communities. They have advocated for the rights and needs of MEMSSA students, fostered inclusive spaces, and conducted anti-discrimination training within their office.
Outstanding Graduate Student Organization Award
This award is given to a graduate organization that has significantly impacted the graduate student population, the campus, or the community through innovation, collaboration, and the quality of leadership they have displayed.
Winner: Economists for Equity at Berkeley (BEE) for their focus on increasing diversity in the economics profession at all levels, from undergraduates to faculty. BEE leads initiatives each year including wellness events, offering free tutoring services in economics courses to underrepresented minority (URM) Berkeley undergraduates, a mentoring program that matches Berkeley PhD students to undergraduate students interested in applying to graduate school.
Outstanding Student Staff Member Award
This award is given to a student employee who has significantly impacted the campus community through innovation, collaboration, and the quality of leadership they have displayed.
Winner: Wesley Veiga for his work as a Student Assistant in the UC Links Statewide Office in the Berkeley School of Education (BSE) for over two years. Wesley has significantly impacted the campus community through collaboration, innovation, and leadership. Wesley teaches a DeCal course focused on preparing teachers of color, and is the Retention Director for Mixed @ Berkeley. He will begin teacher training this summer and teach in Los Angeles this fall.
Outstanding Campus Partnership Award
This award is presented to a group of students, faculty, and/or administrative staff who demonstrate commitment to Berkeley’s Principles of Community and have positively impacted the student experience.
Winner: bridges RRR Week Study Jam Planning Committee for their work planning Study Jams designed to assist Berkeley students in preparing for their upcoming finals season. The Study Jams program provides BIPOC-identifying students, both undergraduate and graduate, with invaluable resources including a comfortable physical space on campus to study, free wellness-related products, and two free meals a day (lunch and dinner) to ensure their basic needs are met during this stressful time.
The Dean’s Award for Inclusive Excellence
This award is presented by the Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students to a student who has proactively demonstrated a commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, justice and has positively impacted the lives of UC Berkeley students.
Winner: Zhe Fu, the founding president of Representation of Asian and Pacific Islander in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (RAPID-CEE). Zhe’s impact extends through her participation in the CEE department’s DEIB committee, involvement with Women in Computer Science Engineering (WiCSE), and volunteer efforts with organizations like the Girl Scouts. Zhe consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to empowering underrepresented groups and fostering an inclusive academic and social environment.
Outstanding Faculty and Staff Advisor Award
This award is given annually to a member of the faculty, administrative, or support staff who has repeatedly demonstrated a commitment to the community and its needs, and who has also affected the lives of Berkeley students.
Winner: Jill Berrick, who co-founded the Cal Independent Scholars Network (CISN) (renamed Berkeley Hope Scholars) in 2006, has continued to play a key role as faculty advisor to the initiative. Professor Berrick has served as the Faculty Director of Berkeley Connect in Social Welfare, and is Chair of the Undergraduate major in Social Welfare. Professor Berrick served as Chair of the Cal Opportunity Scholarship Committee (CalOp), and Financial Aid (CUSHFA) and as Chair of CUSHFA since 2015. She has also served as co-chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Student Mental Health.
Vice Chancellor’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership
This award is presented by the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs to both an undergraduate and graduate student who has demonstrated significant leadership to the campus community through equity, innovation, and collaboration.
Undergraduate Winner: Kailen Grottel-Brown for his campus initiatives and collaboration. Kailen’s collaborative spirit is best exemplified by his work with OASIS, CalTeach, and our campus’ Registered Student Organizations (RSOs). Kailen’s commitment to equity is evidenced by his programming efforts rooted in making the campus and its resources feel more accessible. Some of these initiatives include: partnering on the Housing Fair, Commuter Town Hall, the Pre-Law Orientation and Summit, and a series of workshops on budgeting with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Graduate Winner: Myoungseok Kim for his work as a leader within the Korean Graduate Student Association (KGSA). Myoungseok has exemplified remarkable leadership and dedication to enhancing the academic and social integration of Korean graduate students. Myoungseok orchestrated several events that significantly contributed to the KGSA’s mission, including a “freshman” orientation for new Korean graduate students, and a semester opening ceremony that offered a platform for interaction among Korean graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.
Kenneth Priestley Award
Established by the Associated Students, the Cal Alumni Association, and friends in memory of Kenneth Priestley, the Kenneth Priestley Award recognizes a “graduating senior who is outstanding in student leadership and contribution to student welfare.”
Winner: Henry Isselbacher for his leadership in many roles, including Chair of the Student Union Board, member of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Student Services and Fees (CACSSF), inaugural Executive Director of the ASUC Grants and Scholarships Foundation, undergraduate student instructor for the Economics department, and member of various hiring committees. Henry has used these positions in order to have a strong, beneficial impact on the student experience.