New award established to recognize graduate students

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The Graduate Student Advisory Committee at Western Michigan University hosted a gala April 12 to celebrate graduate students, particularly those who make a difference in the lives of their fellow students.

During the event, GSAC debuted a Make a Difference award for graduate students.

Winners of the inaugural award

• Chartanay Bonner, doctoral student in chemistry.
• Eric Denby, master's student in history.
• Sean Fields, doctoral student in psychology.
• Eric Mendes, master's student in comparative religion.

Also participating in the gala were Susan Stapleton, Graduate College dean and GSAC officials Damon Chambers, chair; Rebecca Sametz, vice chair; and Marcial A. Pineda, public relations chair.

About the award

The new Make a Difference award was modeled after the campuswide peer-to-peer program of the same name that recognizes University staff members for their outstanding accomplishments and daily investments of energy and creativity.

GSAC adopted that award model and tailored the model to fit its goals, which include recognizing graduate students who, in their various capacities at WMU, are making a difference in the lives of other graduate students.