Each year, Student Involvement and Leadership Development (SILD) has the honor of recognizing distinguished student leaders at its annual Kevin D. Knight Leadership Awards ceremony. The Kevin D. Knight Leadership Awards ceremony commemorates the life of Kevin D. Knight, an NIU alumnus who embodied what it means to be a student leader. He was an exemplary leader, serving NIU as a catalyst for positive change and as a role model for up-and-coming student leaders to follow. Knight used his time at NIU well, dedicating himself to the betterment of campus life for all students. He worked hard in various leadership positions while receiving numerous awards and recognition for his work.
More than 50 student leaders will celebrate their accomplishments with their families and friends at the ceremony on Sunday, April 30, in the Holmes Student Center. SILD bestows awards to students based on their leadership roles within various student organizations, dedication to volunteering in the community and academic excellence. The students who will be recognized at this ceremony serve as executive board members, mentors, volunteer coordinators, research assistants, athletes and much more.
2017 Kevin D. Knight Leadership Award Recipients
Freshman Leadership Award
- Ainsley Galvez
- Nancy Hernandez
- Lily Michaels
- Sheila Martinez
Sophomore Leadership Award
- Angel Hannah
- Nikole Torres-Turnage
- Cordnei Gibson
Junior Leadership Award
- Shivani Desai
- Rachel Shapland
- I Younan An
- Madeline Alger
- Taylor Donelson
- Jordan Arcilla
- Giuseppe LaGioia
- Felix Castillo
Senior Leadership Award
- Brooke Buttacavoli
- Brian Robinson
- Jazmin Bandera
- Megan Haduch
- Danielle Dyra
- Morgan Morris
- Mark Voelker
- Giselle Sanroman Gutierrez
- Jesse Laseman
- Lark Lewis
- Leyla Puskar
- Jaleel Savoy
Graduate Leadership Award
- Clare Kron
- Jalaine Hart
- Mar Louie Mayubay
Outstanding Student Organization Advisor Award
- Elizabeth Yee
Outstanding Student Organization Award
- Black Counselors Association
Applauding Excellence Award
- Marissa Dawson
NIU Women’s Volunteerism Award
- Martha Zuniga
Steven R. Agee II Award
- Karli Johnson
Parents’ Association Award
- Julie Goldberg
Institutional Tuition Waiver Award
- Rachel Shapland
- Madeline Alger
- Wataru Hashimoto
- Edgar Garner IV
- Alejandra Macias
- Shlena Bolton
- Adriana Aguilera Perez
- Cordnei Gibson
- Priscilla Montes
- Jordan Clayton-Taylor
- Diana Miguel
- Emily Schaumberg
- Giuseppe LaGioia
- Nancy Hernandez
- Jordan Arcilla
Who’s Who among Students in American Universities and Colleges
- DeAnna Fuller
- Amber Sayles
- Jordan Arcilla
- Marissa Dawson
- Karli Johnson
- Sagar Sudhakar
Congratulations to all award winners!