TU honors its campus leaders with the Student Affairs Leadership Awards

By Kyle Hobstetter on May 3, 2018

Towson University celebrated its campus leaders on Tuesday night inside the West Village Commons ballroom as the Division of Student Affairs held its annual Student Affairs Leadership Awards ceremony.

With over 200 student organizations on campus, the Division of Student Affairs honored outstanding students, staff, faculty and organizations that promote the spirit of active campus participation. This included those who excelled in student government, community service, student employment, student leadership and much more.

This event is a milestone for Student Affairs because it allows them to honor students who are not only excelling in the classroom, but also volunteering their time to help enhance TU.

“This is an acknowledgement of hard work and a job well done,” said Corey Bailey, TU director of Student Activities. “These students put a lot of time and energy into these different activities they are a part of…and they technically don’t have to. And by making that choice to get involved, these students are really making a name for themselves.

“I think it’s deserving recognition, and in this case, the highest level of recognition we can provide.” 

Tuesday night’s ceremony was the fourth of 10 events that are part of a “Celebration of Excellence,”—a series that showcases the university’s best and brightest students, alumni, faculty and staff. 

After Bailey’s welcoming remarks, he passed the microphone to Brandy Hall—former Student Government Association (SGA) president and now assistant director of student activities—who served as the evening’s master of ceremonies.

Under black and gold balloons, streamers and other decorations that transformed the West Village Ballrooms, more than 35 honorees received awards. Student Affairs received over 100 applications this year with nominees chosen by faculty, staff and students. Winners were selected through an applications review process, and all nominees were invited to the event.  

While Bailey understands that commencement is the ultimate goal for many students he freely admits that Student Affairs always looks forward to the leadership awards. 

“It’s very special and important to do this, because students need to understand they are as much a part of this institution as we are,” Bailey said. “This event is a culmination of the time and work we’ve put in to help these students grow, and their time and investment into their own growth.”

TU has developed many leadership programs to develop civically engaged and self-aware students who possess the skills necessary to create positive change not only in the campus community, but also in the greater global community as well.

Towson University has continued to develop programs, assessments, conferences and retreats that allow students to become exemplary leaders in the community.  Examples of leadership opportunities for TU students include: 

• The TU ILead Program
• LeaderShape
• Black Student Leadership Program
• Women in Leadership Conference
• The Environmental Conference[BROKEN LINK]
• The Retreat for Social Justice 
• The StrengthsQuest Assessment 

Along with these programs and conferences, many TU students dedicate their time and effort for causes and organizations.   

“This is a moment for us to brag on our students,” Bailey said. “I can take this list theoretically, and go to a conference tomorrow and say ‘look at all the great things our students are doing.’ For me that’s where I focus my attention—telling about the success of our students.

“Watching the joy of these student accepting these awards, it validates the time, money and resources we put into our programs and the different services we provide.”

Check out the complete list of honorees from the 2018 Student Affairs Leadership Awards.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel's priorities for Towson University: Diverse and Inclusive Campus and Culture of Philanthropy.