Nia Awards
Nia Award Recipients 2022
Every year, CMEP honors select members of our community with a Nia Award. The Nia (a Swahili word meaning purpose) Awards recognize NYU students, faculty, staff/administrators, and alumni for their efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion both at NYU and within broader communities. We received a host of nominations and are pleased to announce the following recipients of the 2022 Nia Awards:
Student Leadership Award:
- Renée Reed, College of Arts and Science
- Sarina Noone, Wagner
- Vanessa Aryee, Steinhardt
Faculty Excellence Award:
- Mike Funk, Steinhardt
Staff and Administrator Excellence Award:
- Diana Mendez, Stern
- Mx. Crystal "CD" Dilonez, Opportunity Programs
- Nicole Johnson, Tandon
Michael Parkes Distinguished Alumni Award:
- Folashade Otuyelu, Steinhardt
Nia Award Recipients 2019
Angela Davis/W.E.B. DuBois Faculty Award Suzanne Maria Menghraj, Liberal Studies
César Chávez / Clara Hale Community Outreach Award Taymy Caso, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Grace Lee Boggs / Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Anesu Nyatanga, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Lorraine Hansberry / Ralph Ellison Arts, Performance, and Media Award Harmony Hemmings-Pallay, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Malcolm X / Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Iris Carbonel, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Medgar Evers Administrator Award Yenifer Dalloo, Liberal Studies
Philip Vera Cruz / Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Grace Allende, Liberal Studies
Ronald McNair / Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Marilu Duque, Tandon School of Engineering
Sacheen Littlefeather / Nelson Mandela Dialogue and Education Award Paola Ponce, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Ruaa Elkhair, Global Public Health (GPH)
Winona LaDuke / Rigoberta Menchu Tum Innovative Response Award Tania Chowdhury, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Michael Parkes Distinguished Alumni Award Ron Rapatalo
Fannie Lou Hamer Student Organization Award GQ
Nia Award Recipients 2018
Angela Davis / W.E.B DuBois Faculty Award Dr. Kirk "Jae" James, Silver School of Social Work
César Chávez / Clara Hale Community Outreach Award Amanda Lawson, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
César Chávez / Clara Hale Community Outreach Award Diana Franco, Silver School of Social Work
Fannie Lou Hamer Student Organization Award Black Women’s Social Work Coalition, Silver School of Social Work
Grace Lee Boggs / Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Anesu Nyatanga, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Grace Lee Boggs / Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Julian Miller, Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Lorraine Hansberry / Ralph Ellison Arts, Performance, and Media Award Teagan Rabuano, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Lorraine Hansberry / Ralph Ellison Arts, Performance, and Media Award Sontenish Myers, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Malcolm X / Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Hüsniye Çöğür, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Malcolm X / Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Tyla Leach, Rory Meyers College of Nursing
Medgar Evers Administrator Award Krystal McLeod, Office of Global Programs
Michael Parkes / Janet Mock Distinguished Alumni Award M. Natalie Achong, MD, MHL, School of Medicine
Philip Vera Cruz / Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Christopher R. Hearn, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Philip Vera Cruz / Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Sonia Marie González, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Ronald McNair / Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Areerat Worawongwasu, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Ronald McNair / Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Taymy J. Caso, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Sacheen Littlefeather / Nelson Mandela Dialogue and Education Award Rose Asaf, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Sacheen Littlefeather / Nelson Mandela Dialogue and Education Award Lindsey Killett, Global Public Health (GPH)
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Mariyamou Drammeh, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Ari Melenciano, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Winona LaDuke / Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Angie Gonzalez, College of Arts and Science (CAS), Tandon School of Engineering
Winona LaDuke / Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Khalil Hall, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Nia Award Recipients 2017
Angela Davis / W.E.B DuBois Faculty Award Paula Chakravartty, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
César Chávez / Clara Hale Community Outreach Award Ryan Small, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
César Chávez / Clara Hale Community Outreach Award Aminata Kebbeh, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Fannie Lou Hamer Student Organization Award Native American and Indigenous Student Group (NAISG)
Grace Lee Boggs / Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Troizel Carr, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Grace Lee Boggs / Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Sumathy Kumar, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Lorraine Hansberry / Ralph Ellison Arts, Performance, and Media Award Austin S. Harris, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Lorraine Hansberry / Ralph Ellison Arts, Performance, and Media Award Michael Frazier, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Malcolm X / Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Angel Parker, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Malcolm X / Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Vince Vance, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Medgar Evers Administrator Award Amita Manghnani, NYU Asian/Pacific/American (APA) Institute
Michael Parkes / Janet Mock Distinguished Alumni Award Tanya Campbell
Philip Vera Cruz / Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Yizhao Sheng, Silver School of Social Work
Ronald McNair / Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Katherine DeAngelis, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Ronald McNair / Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Jasmine Johnson, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Sacheen Littlefeather / Nelson Mandela Dialogue and Education Award Kohtaro Kosugiyama, Liberal Studies
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Anooj Bhandari, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Shuang Hu, NYU Shanghai
Urvashi Vaid / Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Hina Afridi, Silver School of Social Work
Winona LaDuke / Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Astha Sharma Pokharel, School of Law
Winona LaDuke / Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Isha Mazumdar, Liberal Studies
Nia Awards Recipients 2016
Administrator Award Reka Prasad, Global Spiritual Life
Cesar Chavez/Clara Hale Commitment to Community Outreach Award Shafeka Hashash, Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS)
Faculty Award Mara Mills Ph.D., Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Grace Lee Boggs/Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Angie Kim, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Grace Lee Boggs/Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Briana Mathew, Residential Life and Housing Services (RLHS)
Lorraine Hansberry Arts, Performance, and Media Award Gisela Zuniga, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Mahatma Gandhi/Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Daniel Sully, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Angelo Baca, Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS)
Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Sana Mayat, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Michael Parkes Distinguished Alumni Award Mark Tseng Putterman, NYU Asian/Pacific/American (APA) Institute
Philip Vera Cruz/Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Victor Velasco, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Ronald McNair and Arthur Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Ayanna Legros, Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS)
Student Organization Award Muslim Student Association (MSA)
Urvashi Vaid/Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Humayra Mayat, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
W.E.B DuBois/Nelson Mandela Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award Pam Campos-Palma, Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
W.E.B DuBois/Nelson Mandela Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award RJ Khalaf, Liberal Studies
Nia Awards Recipients 2015
Administrator Award Carly DiGiovanni, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Cesar Chavez/Clara Hale Commitment to Community Outreach Award Kayana Jean-Philippe, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Emerging Alumni Award Hannah Pingelton, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Faculty Award Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Center for Latino Adolescent and Family Health
Grace Lee Boggs/Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Arielle Andrews, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Grace Lee Boggs/Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Danning Zhang, Silver School of Social Work
Grace Lee Boggs/Yuri Kochiyama Community Building Award Selima Jumarali, CMEP
Lorraine Hansberry Arts, Performance, and Media Award Marissa Sebastian, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Mahatma Gandhi/Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Devan Worth (2nd undergrad), College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Mahatma Gandhi/Rigoberta Menchú Tum Innovative Response Award Kristina Bogos, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Cecilia Hernandez, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Malcolm X/Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award Aaron Brandt, School of Medicine
Michael Parkes Distinguished Alumni Award Frank Roberts, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
Philip Vera Cruz/Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Andy Ng, College of Arts and Science (CAS)
Philip Vera Cruz/Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Anahi Galante, Silver School of Social Work
Philip Vera Cruz/Pete Velasco Mentorship Award Natasha Bean, Office of Financial Aid
Ronald McNair and Arthur Schomburg Academic Excellence Award Pilar Mendez, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Student Organization Award I, Too, Am NYU
Student Organization Award Bridges
Urvashi Vaid/Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Jordan Star, Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Urvashi Vaid/Melinda Paras Inclusive Programming Award Amari Boyd, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
W.E.B DuBois/Nelson Mandela Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award Sandra Honigman, Tisch School of the Arts (TSOA)
W.E.B DuBois/Nelson Mandela Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award Dee Mandiyan, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
W.E.B DuBois/Nelson Mandela Commitment to Dialogue and Education Award Alex Merchant, Residential Life and Housing Services (RLHS)