The Bauer Leaders Academy, in partnership with Campus Life, is proud to celebrate another inspiring year of student leadership at WashU through the 2026 Excellence in Leadership Awards.

Each year, these awards recognize students, student employees, advisors, and organizations who are making a meaningful impact across campus. From creating inclusive communities to leading innovative programs, these individuals and groups embody what it means to lead with purpose.

This year, we received over 160 nominations across 13 award categories, a powerful reflection of the passion, dedication, and initiative our students bring to WashU. The nominations alone tell a story: one of students stepping up, supporting one another, and creating experiences that shape our campus in lasting ways.

The awards ceremony brought that story to life. It was an evening filled with reflection, celebration, and gratitude, highlighting not just achievements, but the people and values behind them.

Award Recipients

We are proud to recognize the following individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions:

Helen Davis Humanitarian Award
Bella Gomez

Program with Purpose
Made to Model
Black Anthology

Farwell Student Leader Award
Marissa Mathieson

Advisor of the Year
Otto Brown

Community Impact Award
Association of Black Students

Event of the Year
Black Anthology: It’s Easy Going
Diwali: Dhamaka

Sharon Stahl Award
Phi Chanda
Courtney Lucas

Student Employee of the Year
Bean Royal
Sam Robertson

Outstanding Student Group
Black Anthology
Muslim Student Association

Ripple Award
Phi Chanda
AnnLauren Djoko

Unsung Hero Award
Jennifer Ong
Grady Freeman

Alfred W. Hayes Award
Eliana Hanna
Ruth Mellin
Fred Ware
Morgan Mednick

Shepley Award
Ashton Lee
Abbey Clemens
Beni Bisimwa
Alex Zhang
Ella Scott

The Excellence in Leadership Awards serve as a reminder that leadership at WashU takes many forms. Whether through large-scale programming, quiet acts of service, mentorship, or community building, each recipient has contributed to making WashU a more vibrant, inclusive, and engaged campus.

We are grateful for the energy and commitment of our student leaders and campus partners, and we look forward to seeing how this work continues to grow in the year ahead.