OSI Hosts Student Involvement Awards

From left to right, Production Editor Michael Sluck, Managing Editor Hanif Amanullah and award-winning Editor in Chief Ava Erickson at the event. (Courtesy of Caitria Demeroto/The Fordham Ram)

On Monday, April 4, the Office of Student Involvement hosted their annual Awards for Student Involvement. This event features awards for both club leaders and clubs themselves. Prior to the awards, students had the opportunity to submit nominations for clubs and leaders.

At the awards, there was food available for guests as well as tables for club representatives to advocate for their respective organizations. The award show was hosted by Stephanie O’Neill, the department’s Assistant Director for Student Organizations and Programming.

Fordham University South Asian Entity (FUSE) won the award for the best multicultural program of the year. FUSE provides a space for students to embrace South Asian culture. They host events for students like a Desi Mala, celebrations for Diwali, as well as general bonding opportunities.

The Mimes and Mummers won the award for outstanding program of the year for their performance of “Shrek, The Musical.” The Mimes and Mummers put on “Shrek, The Musical” at the end of February. The Mimes and Mummers have served as Fordham’s mainstage theatre group since 1857.
Our Story, a club focused on creating social impact through poetry and storytelling, won the new club of the year award.

Our Story hosts events featuring student storytellers who share intimate stories about their lives to inspire change in the Fordham community. Their next main stage event will take place on April 21 in Bepler Commons.

Ram Van, the student-run intercampus transportation system, won the award for campus partner of the year. The Ram Van is a large source of student employment on campus, as they employ students to drive vans between the Rose Hill and Lincoln Center campuses for other students.

Urban Plunge won the community service program of the year. Urban Plunge is a community service-based program for first-year students that begins before August’s New Student Orientation. Students spend time learning about and working in the local community while getting to know each other.

Luke O’Flaherty, GSB ’22, president of the university’s FinTech Network, won the leadership scholar award. The club is a platform for students to learn from each other as well as professionals about the financial technology industry.

Fordham Undergraduate Law Review won the award for the Student Organization of the Year. The Undergraduate Law Review is a peer-reviewed and student-run journal that features political and legal content.

Arthur Ze An Liu, FCRH ’23, cultural programming coordinator of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) committee at Rose Hill, won club leader of the year alongside the Editor in Chief of The Fordham Ram, Ava Erickson, FCRH ’23. The AAPI committee features events for students to connect with Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures. They host events celebrating specific holidays or traditions. Currently, the committee is hosting events all month long to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month in April. The Fordham Ram has served as the university’s newspaper and journal of record since 1918. The paper covers Fordham news, sports, cultural events happening in the area and student opinions on varying topics.

Lastly, Mark Conrad won the advisor of the year award. Conrad is an associate professor of law and ethics in the Gabelli School of Business, as well as the director of sports business concentration. Overall, the awards were a tremendous success for students and faculty alike.