Presidential Leadership Awards
The Presidential Leadership Award recognizes seniors for their scholarship and outstanding contributions to the Macalester Community throughout their careers. Seniors who receive this award have been successful in the classroom, made significant contributions in a variety of areas in campus life throughout their years at Macalester, are positive role models for the community, and have worked to promote one or more of the College’s core values of academic excellence, internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society.
Blythe Austin was nominated by Laurie Hamre, Vice President for Student Affairs. Blythe is a student liaison to the Macalester College Board of Trustees where she has numerous tasks including the training and overseeing Board Committee Student Representatives. Her nominator states that “being the first liaison was a huge responsibility – one she has done well. Her contributions have made a lasting impression on the institution.” She has also served as a student representative on the Macalester College Joint Committee on Faculty Expansion. She is a tour guide for the Admissions Department and also an Annual Fund Student Caller in the Development Office. Blythe has been an active member her first year in the Lives of Commitment Program.
Alexandra Douglas was nominated by Eily Marlow, Lilly Program Associate. Alexandra has volunteered in both the Lives of Commitment and Off-Campus Student Employment at the Jane Addams School for Democracy for four years. She has also interned for and currently volunteers at Advocates for Human Rights where she conduct interviews of immigrants and work on sex trafficking issues in MN. Alexandra is a leader in the Lilly Summer Fellows Program. She also teaches Yoga in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life and has classes which are overflowing. Alexandra was a finalist in the Global Citizenship Award. Her nominator states “Alex really has unstoppable energy for community engagement.”
Tinbete Ermyas was nominated by Karla Benson Rutten, Director of the Lealtad-Susuki Center, and Laurie Hamre, Vice President for Student Affairs. Tinbete has made significant contributions in the Department of Multicultural Life. He was involved in the Pluralism & Unity Program, has served as a board member for the Black Liberation Affairs Committee, and is the co-chair of the Diversity Weekend. He created the Black History Month Planning Committee and also is the co-chair of the Women’s History Month Planning Committee where he has been active in many aspects including the series program. Tinbete created the S.P.E.A.K. (Students Participating, Engaging, and Accessing Knowledge): A Series of Conscious Conversations. He has been the manager of the cultural house, a Scholar Mentor for the Emerging Scholars Program, and has been a senior leader in the Men of Color Collective. One of his nominator states “Tinbete is truly a talented go-getter; his charisma and personable demeanor allow him to engage a cross-section of student on campus in the programs and initiatives he leads in the Macalester Community.”
Hannah Gelder was nominated by Jim Hoppe, Dean of Students, and Joe Kaufman, Hall Director. Hannah has been on the Residential Life staff as an Resident Assistant during both her sophomore year and currently as a Senior Resident Assistant her Senior year, serving in Doty-Turck for Semester I and Dupre in Semester II. Hannah is a co-leader in the Macalester Jewish Organization and is also the captain of the Macalester Crew Team. She has been a participant in the Leadership Summit. She is also an active member of MacCARES and Afrika! as well as being an Admissions Tour Guide. Hannah is active in volunteering including Habitat for Humanity, the Bush Children’s Center, Big Brother, Big Sister, and many other organizations. One of Hannah’s nominators states that “she embodies the true spirit of Macalester, excelling academically, challenging herself through a variety of co-curricular activities, and contributing strong leadership to campus organizations and offices.”
Momchil Jelev was nominated by Wendy Weber, Political Science professor. Momchil is very active in the Political Science department. He was a Teaching Assistant in the Political Science department as well as is currently an Office Assistant in the College Relations department. He was a Macalester Chuck Green Civic Engagement Fellow at the Center for Victims of Torture and also a Minnesota International Center Development Intern. Momchil has served as an International Student Mentor and some of his many activities include being a member of the Institute for Global Citizenship Student Council and the Model United Nations member, President, and now Senor Adviser. He has been a part of the Emerging Leaders Program and was the Sophomore representative of the Mac International Organization. His nominator states “I believe that Mr. Jelev’s work, both in and outside of the classroom, have demonstrated that he…not only meets the criteria for the award, but he exceeds them in many ways.”
Talha Khan was nominated by Helen B. Warren, Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations, and Denise Ward, Associate Dean for Student Services. Talha has made significant contributions all four years at Macalester. He is an intern for the Chief Investment Officer at Macalester and has been a Research Assistant with the Macalester College Corporate Development Office. He has had numerous internships and assistantships. Talha is the chair of the Muslim Students Association, was a Resident Assistant, and is on the Men’s Varsity Cross Country team. He has served on the Dean’s Advisory Committee and has also been a party of the Macalester College Student Government and their Student Services Commission. Talha was active in the Lives of Commitment and Emerging Scholars program. One of his nominator writes “In his four years at Macalester, Talha has become one of those students that you recognize on campus for all the right reasons!”
Allison MacWilliams-Brooks was nominated by Patrick Schmidt, Political Science professor. Allison has been the lifeblood and life of two organizations including Feminists in Action/Students Together Against Rape and Sexual Assault which was the 2007 Education Award for Leadership and Community Development. She has also been a significant leader in the Queer Union and taken on the liaison role to the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities Queer Alliance. She is an active participant in the Fresh Concepts Improv Comedy group and Kids All About Dancing All the Time (KADAAT) where she is a co-chair. She is a student member of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department’s Steering Committee. Her nominator writes “It is important to recognize Allison’s top-flight academic record, which in my experience has seen her standout as a role model of the intellect-activist.”
Hillary Mohaupt was nominated by Paul Schadewald, Associate Director for the Civic Engagement Center. Hillary is the co-founder of the Multifaith Council as well as the co-chairperson of the Mac Protestants. She has been involved in an internship for the Central Registrar at the Minnesota History Center as well as been an English teacher for the Guadalupe Alternative Programs as well as other volunteer opportunities in history centers and museums. She has worked in the History Department as a Writing Assistant and also the College Relations Publications as an Assistant to the Graphic Designer. Hilary was an intern for the Lilly Project and the Lives of Commitment program. Her nominator Hillary is not just an individual superstar. She has a quiet, encouraging, and behind-the-scenes servant-leadership style. She rolls up her sleeves and just works, works, works hard, and she inspires others.”
Batnairamdal (Nagi) Otgonshar was nominated by Jack Weatherford, Anthropology professor. Nagi is the first Mongolian student to graduate from Macalester. He and ten other students wrote, illustrated and published “Doorways to the World, Doorways to Ourselves Cross-Cultural Multilingual Folktales for Children”. He has also been the Secretary for Omicron Delta Epsilon (The International Honor Society in Economics), the Vice President of the Macalester Investment Group, and a Teaching Assistant in the Economics Department. He has had many internship and research appointments. He is very active in the Economics Department and works on many initiatives and programs. His nominator quotes “Nagi represents the best spirit of Macalester College. He is a person of the highest intellectual achievements combined with the greatest sense of public service.”
Héctor Pascual Alvarez was nominated by Karin Trail-Johnson, Associate Dean of Institute of Global Citizenship and Director of the Civic Engagement Center. Héctor has been very involved in a number of ways at Macalester including being a writing assistant for Academic Programs, a writer in the Crossroads International Maastricht program, a Resident Assistant in Residential Life, and a Language Tutor in the Hispanic Studies Department. He is a group member in Student Action for Burma and an Actor and Director in many of the plays at Macalester. He is a council member for the Institute for Global Citizenship Student Council and was a member of the Pluralism and Unity program. Héctor is an active member and a past co-chair of the Macalester International Organization. He has also received the Watson fellowship and the Global Citizenship Award. His nominator writes “I have great faith that Héctor will continue to make a great impact on the world in small personal ways but also in more systemic venues.”
Elissa Vinnik was nominated by Paul Schadewald,Associate Director for the Civic Engagement Center, and Lucy Forster-Smith, Associate Dean for Religious and Spiritual Life and Chaplain. Elissa is a member of the Multifaith Council, the co-chair of the Macalester Jewish Organization, and has been a part of many community organizations including a Youth Organizer for the Jewish Community Action, an Education Research Intern for the Mayor’s Forum, a Youth for Change Leader at Mount Zion Temple, an Assistant Classroom Teacher and Tutor in the Minnesota Internship Center, and a Classroom Teacher for the Foundation for Immigrant and Refugee education. She has been a Corps Member for AmeriCorps. She has also had the great honor to be nominated for a Truman Scholarship and the Global Citizenship Award. Her nominator writes “I believe Elissa is a remarkable student leader and exemplifies leadership in all of its qualities. She is a brilliant student, quick, insightful, self-aware, globally sophisticated and motivated. She has made significant contributions across the campus and the community.”