On Tuesday, May 4, members of Worcester State’s student organizations came together to celebrate the end of the year. The annual All-Organization Banquet was held on campus in the Student Center, and featured a food truck, airbrush novelty, and giveaways for those students who were able to attend.
The All-Organization Banquet is held at the end of each academic year and provides an opportunity for members of student organizations, their advisors, members of the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development, and special guests to recognize the successes of student leaders and hand out awards to club members.
The most prestigious of these awards is the Outstanding Student Leader Award, which was won by Sydney Howe ’21, a senior and president of the Pre-Health Club.
The recipient of the Outstanding Student Leader Award has made a significant contribution to student life as a member of one or more student organizations. The recipient is expected to have exceeded all expectations in leadership, engagement, and campus citizenship, and have also made notable contributions toward the development of leadership qualities in their fellow students. This student has shown motivation, initiative, dedication, and perseverance, and will leave a lasting legacy upon graduation from Worcester State.
Howe’s nominators highlighted her compassion, positivity, and kindness. She coordinated many panels and alumni visits for the Pre-Health Club, and members were able to learn more about the healthcare field and what they can expect working as a healthcare professional. Howe also works at UMass Memorial and was recently promoted to a Patient Care Assistant 2.
One nominator said Howe “is an amazing leader and always goes above and beyond to do what is best for the club. This past year has been a difficult one and Sydney never failed to look at the positives and made sure everyone was updated.”
Another nominator shared, “Sydney has worked incredibly hard to maintain and expand the Pre-Health Club. She is consistent in her work ethic and has never failed to miss sending a weekly email, reaching out to other clubs for events, and trying to mentor younger students pursuing a pre-health career. Furthermore, Sydney was dedicated to keeping this new club up and running only one year after it became an official club, which is amazing that she was prepared to take on such a big responsibility while being a full-time student and PCA! She united many different majors and concentrations into one community, and I feel that this club helped me excel in both my academics and school involvement because of her willingness to promote inclusivity on campus.”
Additional nominees for the Outstanding Student Leader Award were:
Anna Johnson
Benjamin Morin
Brett Willand
Charlotte Mullane
Christine Babbitt
Jaymi-Lyn Souza
Karen Shalev
Nilka Rodriguez
Sydney Howe
Victoria Lemire
The Worcester State Cheer Team was also recognized for their national champion title in the National Cheer Association (NCA) Intermediate All-Girl Division III Championship.
Written by Sarah Potrikus, assistant director, Office of Student Involvement
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