By Sloane Barlow
The 9th annual Honors Giving Back Awards, hosted by the Honors College in partnership with the Michigan State University Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU), awarded six students for their experiences serving their communities.
To apply, Honors College students submitted a two-to-three-minute visual presentation telling the story of their community engagement while at MSU.
This year’s submissions included involvements such as: promoting arts education in Ghana, empowering human trafficking survivors in Bangladesh, and encouraging leadership for 40+ girls at the East Lansing Islamic Center.
Applications were reviewed by preliminary judges, including Bess German, assistant dean of the Honors College, Sadiq Khan, an Honors advisor, and Sloane Barlow, Honors College student.
The Honors Giving Back Awards started as a conversation between German and Khan nine years ago. Their talks were spurred by the annual opportunity MSUFCU makes available through their Dean’s Choice Awards, where deans get to propose how best to directly award funds to students.
This led to the creation of the Honors Giving Back Awards to celebrate community engagement as a pillar of the Honors College, as illustrated by similar programs like the HC IMPACT Week of Service.
The final judging included Honors College Interim Dean Glenn Chambers, MSUFCU Chief Financial Officer and Honors College alumna Sara Dolan, and Stephanie Brewer from the MSU Center for Community Engaged Learning. Dolan made an additional generous donation toward three honorable mention awards.
“It is always inspiring to attend the MSU Honors College Giving Back Awards,” Dolan said. “The students’ presentations demonstrate that these individuals not only excel in the classroom but are committed to making the world a better place.”
The first prize of $1,500 was awarded to Sumaiya Imad, a second-year international student studying economics and psychology through the College of Social Science.
“I always feel very supported by the Honors College, whether it be research or taking classes,” Imad said after winning first prize. “[Khan] is my advisor, and he was the one who told me to apply for this award and I’m so grateful he did.”
“And [German] has been such a big advocate and supporter for my aspirations and dreams since my coming onto campus,” Imad continued. “She has been kind of my guiding light and someone who has been so nurturing for me.”
Imad said she intends to put this award toward her non-profit organization, Sincerely, Her to support survivors of human trafficking in her home country of Bangladesh. Imad has also received past support from the Honors College through the Schoenl Family Undergraduate Grant for Dire Needs Overseas.
“Without the support that I have from the Honors College, I would not be able to expand the impact that I have,” Imad said.
The second prize of $750 was awarded to Eleazer Asase. Asase is a second-year international student studying mechanical engineering through the College of Engineering.
Asase plans to use the funds he was awarded for his non-profit organization in Ghana, Nutata Network, that provides resources for students interested in pursuing careers in arts and technology.
“The Honors College Giving Back Awards lays a solid foundation for me to continue with the work I’m doing and to expand my work to help others,” Asase said.
The third prize of $250 was awarded to Kaylin Casper for her advocacy work through the North American Indigenous Student Organization and other channels. Honorable mentions of $100 each were awarded to Alex Beck, Serena Westcott, and Shahed Mady.
Asase was also a recipient of the event’s first-ever Student Choice Award, a $500 prize funded by the Honors College and voted on by students who attended the event. This award was split between Asase and Shahed Mady, with each earning $250.
To view the full photo album from the 2025 Honors Giving Back Awards, click here. Finalists’ projects can be viewed here.