SPECIAL AWARDS
Andy and Ellyn Lansing Leader-Scholar
CHRISTIANA CROMER
In addition to performing well academically,
Christiana demonstrated significant
leadership on campus as a member of
student organizations associated with
her passion for entrepreneurship. As VP
of External Relations of UpRound Venture
Capital, she established partnerships
between that organization’s members
and Ann Arbor venture capital and startup
firms. She also planned a start-up career
fair as Project Director for the student
organization, MPowered.
Christiana also founded the Women Who
Do project, a networking event for women
leaders with twelve student organizations.
This work prepared her for her role as
President of the Organizational Studies
student organization, Women in Leadership,
which helps connect women leaders with
our students, helping them to prepare for
entering the workforce. Christiana also
demonstrated leadership in the program
in her regular advising sessions with
prospective students as one of this year’s
Peer Mentors.
Suzanne M. Jones Spirit Award
MITCHELL HOFFMAN
Mitch was a regular presence in the OS
suite early on, providing students and
staff with a friendly greeting from his
prime study spot in the reception area. He
attended most OS social events, very often
offering to help with clean-up. Together
with his co-lead of the event planning
team in senior year, he led study and
snack nights, service projects, and a U-M
basketball game outing to strengthen OS
connections. By organizing class project
work in Weiser, he demonstrated the value
of our space for study.
After we switched to remote learning,
Mitch worked hard on fostering
connections online, creating a CupPong
tournament to replace March Madness
brackets and organizing virtual gettogethers
for newly admitted students and
current students. With a quiet demeanor
but a firm dedication to students in the
program, Mitch was a clear winner of our
Spirit Award.
Jordan Harris Social Justice Award
ASHLEY SOTO
Ashley’s OS pathway reflects her desire
to “become an agent of change in the
field of post-secondary education by
identifying effective strategies to assist
under-resourced students in the university
context.” She has been doing this work
her entire time on campus. She facilitated
enrichment programming to promote
post-secondary learning in Latinx youth
in Grand Rapids, and co-led a 4-week
workshop for the Comprehensive Studies
Program (CSP) Campus Connections
program. She participated as a member of
the OS student organization, Organizational
Diversity Initiative (ODI) to recruit a more
diverse pool of applicants to the program
and focus on other areas of diversity,
equity, and inclusion. Her leadership in
community action and social change
gleaned her recognition as an MLK Student
Spirit award winner in addition to being
honored with this year’s Jordan Harris
Social Justice Award.
MICHIGAN DIFFERENCE STUDENT
LEADERSHIP AWARD
Each year U-M Student Life rolls out the blue carpet
to recognize student leaders that are doing amazing
things on campus, in Michigan, and around the world.
These student leaders are nominated by their peers,
faculty and staff.
Congratulations to OS Senior and U-M drum major, Kelly
Bertoni, on being named Senior of the Year!
FROM A NOMINATOR
“Everyone who has had the good fortune to have come
into contact with Kelly during her time at U-M has taken
away lessons in how to interact with others in a more
accepting, thoughtful and compassionate way, whether
in a leadership position or just working collaboratively
with others. She has spread so much good will in our
community.”
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