The Residence Hall Association was named Organization of the Year by the 19th Annual H. Gordon and Francis S. Davis Student Organization Achievement and Recognition Awards. The recipients of the awards were announced from March 31 through April 8 via social media as an alternative to the campus event, which had been scheduled on April 7. The SOAR Awards celebrate the accomplishments of student organizations at the University of Georgia.
The Residence Hall Association strives to provide a unified voice for students residing in University Housing facilities, to ensure student participation in the policymaking process, and to provide a means for improving the physical, educational, social and cultural standards of living in residence halls. RHA also encourages and facilitates inter-hall cooperation and promotes student development.
Other award categories and their recipients:
- Most Innovative Program: Asian American Student Association for APIDA Night Market, bringing together 11 Asian Pacific Island Desi American student organizations.
- Organizational Improvement: Georgia Society of Health System Pharmacists for restructuring itself to host more creative and impactful events that align with national organization priorities.
- Organizational Collaboration: Women in Media, Women in Business UGA, and Her Campus at UGA for A Seat at the Table, an event designed to empower women and cultivate young women professionals.
- Outstanding Campus Event (Small): Black Affairs Council for the Unity Ball, a formal gala to encourage unity within and outside the black community at UGA.
- Outstanding Campus Event (Large): Vietnamese Student Association for Night in Saigon: Dare to Speak, a show designed to encourage members of the diverse Vietnamese community to speak out and advocate for one another.
- Outstanding New Organization: Medical Business Association for its efforts to teach undergraduate students about the duality between medicine and business in the health care setting.
- Commitment to Social Justice: Indian Cultural Exchange for Chai and Chaat, a series of monthly forums centered on meaningful conversations about cultural norms and current societal problems.
- Outstanding Cross-Cultural Program: Hispanic Student Association’s Noche Latina, a cultural showcase highlighting the diversity within the Latinx/Hispanic identity.
- Outstanding Service to the Community (Small): Serve UGA for promoting and advancing a culture of service and encouraging students to give back to the Athens community.
- Outstanding Service to the Community (Large): Serving Others Unconditional Love (SOUL) for working with community service organizations to connect with underserved populations and build genuine relationships through meaningful conversations.
- Pillar of the Community: Nia Waller, University Judiciary.
- Advisor of the Year: Maya Mapp, advisor to the Residence Hall Association.
- Candice Sherman Emerging Leader: Kevin Nwogu, Student Alumni Association.
- Bulldog Vision: Brett Feldman, president of the Georgia Israel Public Affairs Committee at UGA.
This year, 88 nominations were judged by a panel of 32 faculty and staff members.
There are currently 775 registered student organizations on campus.
The SOAR Awards are sponsored by the Center for Student Activities and Involvement within the Tate Student Center. Tate Student Center is a unit within UGA’s Division of Student Affairs.