On Tuesday, April 16, 2019, the Division of Student Affairs hosted its annual Celebration of Involvement reception to recognize and present campus-wide awards for service and leadership. University of Miami College of Engineering (UMCoE) undergraduate students Divya Bhansali (BSME ’19) and Mizelle Joy Hornilla (BSIE ’20) were among those honored at the reception for consistently demonstrating excellence.
Bhansali was awarded the 2019 Edward T. Foote Award for Excellence in Student Leadership in recognition of her exemplary campus and community involvement, leadership and achievement.
Hornilla received the Sherwood Weiser Memorial Fund for Student Community Service. She was recognized for the combination of character and compassion she possess along with her strong commitment to community service while at UM.
“We are all very proud of all the accomplishments you have made,” said Andrew Wiemer, director of the Butler Center for Service and Leadership. “Whether you were volunteering your time in the community, part of a team planning a program, or leading an organization it has been a great year because of your accomplishments and achievements.”
Wiemer – whose team of professional and student staff from the Butler Center coordinated the evening’s event – welcomed students, faculty, staff, donors, and community partners to the Shalala Student Center and showed his appreciation for the finalists.
Patricia A. Whitely, vice president for student affairs, addressed the audience to identify defining moments that have shaped the academic year. UM is now home to more than 300 student organizations. With the focus of student leaders, many of the organizations have raised thousands of dollars for various charities and local organizations.
“We’ve had a great year – from international week, to FunDay, to our Students of Color Symposium, to our Islam Awareness Week, to Native American Heritage Month, to our Greek Week,” Whitely said. “I think you will agree that there’s a wide diversity of events.”
The Wieser, Waldman and Coller families, all of whom endowed scholarship awards that were presented at the event, were also in attendance to celebrate the students’ achievements.
“We deeply appreciate the generosity of these families who continue to support and recognize the valuable contributions of our students,” Whitely said. “We are grateful that they are able to join us at this annual celebration.”
