Honors Giving Back Awards
Through the Honors Giving Back Awards, the Honors College encourages students to reflect on and share their experiences working in their communities.
Awards
- $1,500 Grand Prize
- $750 Second Place Prize
- $250 Third Place Prize
- $500 Student Choice Award
Prizes are deposited to winners’ Financial Aid accounts and, as such, are subject to Office of Financial Aid rules.
Criteria for Applying
- Demonstrated significant and sustained involvement in a local, national, or international community project or organization.
- Indication and explanation of connection to academic work (e.g., course, project, research, internship, study abroad).
How to Apply
Submit a 2–3-minute video/slide or other visual submission that tells the story of your community engagement while at MSU. Submissions will be accepted by sending a file or link (YouTube, Vimeo, other) to honors@msu.edu. Submissions are due by Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Impact – who is helped by the work, magnitude and duration of service
- Connection of service to academic work and goals
- Demonstration of working outside one’s comfort zone
- Reflection on personal growth
- Quality of the presentation/video
Awards will be given at a colloquium and ceremony for finalists on Tuesday, April 1 from 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Thank You to Our Partners
Award Winners
Grand Prize
- Sumaiya Imad
- “Sincerely, Her”
- Watch video
Second Prize
- Eleazar Asase
- “Nututa Network”
Third Prize
- Kaylin Casper
- “Rooted in Community”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Alex Beck
- “MSU Partners in Health Engage”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Shahed Mady
- “Girls Youth Activity Group”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Serena Westcott
- “Citizens’ Climate Lobby”
- Watch video
Student Choice Award
- Eleazar Asase
- “Nututa Network”
Student Choice Award
- Shahed Mady
- “Girls Youth Activity Group”
- Watch video
Grand Prize
- Laura-Simone Martin
- “Queen Amina Music Program”
- Watch video
Second Prize
- Saif Juma
- “Student Emergency Response Team”
Third Prize
- Brennan Haugen
- “All Together”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Anum Latif
- “REACH (Representing Equity for Adolescent Change in Healthcare)”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Roberto “Marcos” Garcia
Grand Prize
- Nupur Huria
- “Changing the Cycle”
- Watch video
Second Prize
- Seohee Kim
- “The Pearl Project”
- Watch video
Third Prize
- Aya Abu-Zama
- “Mentoring at the Refugee Development Center”
- Watch video below
Honorable Mention
- Ellie Friedman
- “My MSU Community Engagement Story”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Saif Juma
- “My Volunteer Story: From Refugee to Volunteer”
Grand Prize
- Madelyn Snider
- “Service in Immigration Policy”
Second Prize
- Erika Buhk
- “Listening Ear Service”
Third Prize
- Ceco Maples
- “Building a Community During COVID-19: Global and Local Service”
Honorable Mention
- Emma LaBarre
Honorable Mention
- Zainab Fayyaz
Grand Prize
- Eliot Haddad
- “COVID-19 Hospital Volunteering”
- Watch video
Second Prize
- Viji Jambunathan
- “Various COVID-19 Relief Efforts & the Premed Perspectives Podcast”
- Watch video
Third Prize
- Amy Montalbano
- “Literacy KC Adventure App”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Avery Tillery
- “Fisheries and Wildlife | Molecular Genetics and Genomics”
Grand Prize
- Joy Chepkorir
- “Breast and Cervical Cancer Awareness in Kenyan Women”
- Watch video
Second Prize
- Eric Locker
- “Jailhouse Rock: Music in the Unlikeliest of Places”
- Watch video
Third Prize
- Sierra Richards
- “Media Sandbox Street Teams”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Evan Brook, Gabriel Moreau, Matt Ring, Aalayah Spencer, and Dylan Smith
- “Ghana Physics Education Initiative”
- Watch video
Honorable Mention
- Nyimasata Danjo
- “Community Engagement”