Students recognized for service, leadership and academics

Eleven outstanding students were recently honored at the annual University Honor and Awards Ceremony, held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

One of the most prestigious awards, the Bonnie E. Cone Leadership Award, is presented to a member of the graduating class whose leadership, scholarship and service to the University embodies the spirit of Cone, who devoted her life to the development of UNC Charlotte.

This year’s recipient is senior Business Management major Chandler Crean, whose leadership positions include multiple roles with Student Government Association, most recently as outgoing student body president and Board of Trustees member; Undergraduate Admissions as a Niner guide and social media ambassador; and Fraternity and Sorority Life, as a member of Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, serving as secretary and president. Crean was a Greek Week chair and named Fraternity Man of the Year and 2019 Homecoming King. During his college career, he was involved with the Tuition and Fees Advisory Board, the Student Union Advisory Board, the Housing Ambassador program and is a graduate of Emerging Leaders and the LeaderShape Institute. He also served on the Niner Nation Remembrance Commission and Chancellor Search Committee and volunteered with Crisis Assistance Ministry, the YMCA Miracle League, Ability Weekend at Camp Horsepower, Relay for Life and Dance Marathon.

The Chuck Lynch Leadership Award is presented in honor of its namesake, a former vice chancellor for Student Affairs. The honor recognizes student leadership in building relationships, programs and mentoring. This year’s recipient is Sociology major and Venture minor Pablo Coria, who recently served as vice president and president of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, in addition to holding positions with TEDxUNCCharlotte and the Student Union Advisory Board. Coria is a graduate of Leadership Fellows and the LeaderShape Institute. He has led many trips with Venture Outdoor Leadership and volunteered with Special Olympics.

The Derrick Griffith Servant Leader Award was established in memory of its namesake, a University alumnus who was an outstanding student leader in the early 1990s; he died in a train derailment in 2015. The award is given to a first-generation college student of junior or senior standing. Imani Gill, a junior Communication Studies major and Urban Youth and Communities minor, has been an active member of Student Government and is the UNC Charlotte liaison to the statewide Association of Student Government. She has been highly involved in other organizations including the Black Student Union, Student Alumni Association, Student Niner Media, Collegiate 100, Student Ambassadors and Mind Over Matter. Her service achievements include work to promote STEM awareness with the 100 Black Men of America Movement; creating the YGG: You Grow Girl workshops and volunteering with Crisis Assistance Ministry, Helping Hands Mission, the Jamil Niner Food Pantry and the University Soup Kitchen.

The Provost’s Student-Athlete Academic Achievement Award, honoring a student who has excelled in the classroom and as an athlete for the UNC Charlotte 49ers, was awarded to Mary Manser, a Systems Engineering major and women’s soccer player. She is the current Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president, a three-time Conference USA Spirit of Service award winner and the recipient of the 2018 Women’s Soccer Coaches Award and the 2018-19 Pure Gold Skills Award. She was part of the 2016 Conference USA Tournament champion team, which gave the Niners a birth in the NCAA Tournament. Manser is a six-time Perfect Niner (4.0 GPA), a six-time Chancellor’s List honoree and has earned Conference USA Academic Medals and Honor Roll accolades every year.

The Noble Niner Award honors a student who leads with integrity and exemplifies the values of the Noble Niner: respect, accountability, dignity, honor, compassion, character, nobility and integrity. Jaylann Bennett, a Psychology major in the Honors Program and Public Health minor, has served as the Student Government Association Chief of Staff, past Senator and Sophomore Class President, a Resident Advisor, Student Ambassador, Orientation Counselor and Gold Rush Welcome Leader. She is member of Collegiate 100, the historian for Delta Theta Sorority Inc., a member of the Zeta Phi Chapter of the Order of Omega and a graduate of Emerging Leaders and the LeaderShape Institute. She has volunteered at University Meadows Elementary School, Crisis Assistance Ministry and the Second Harvest Food Bank and served on the April 30th Remembrance Committee.

The Chancellor’s Citations for Leadership and Service are presented to an elite group of graduating seniors in recognition of their outstanding leadership and commitment to the campus community. This year’s recipients were:

• Haziina Butler, a Sociology major with minors in American Studies and Psychology, who has served as an orientation counselor, a Week of Welcome leader and a SOAR student coordinator (2017). She is currently president of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and previously was sergeant-at-arms and social media chair. She held leadership roles on the National Pan-Hellenic Council Executive Board, was a member of the CAPS Student Advisory Board and a graduate of the Leadership Fellows program
• Zoe Cantu-Backhaus, a Public Health major with a minor in Biology, is the president of Wellness Ambassadors and served as vice president of the Women’s Club Soccer. She is a graduate of both Emerging Leaders and the Women’s Leadership Development Program and served as a housing ambassador, resident advisor, SAFE Mentor, orientation counselor and a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary
• Catrisse McDowell, an Exercise Science major with a minor in Public Health, was an orientation counselor, Gold Rush leader, LEAD team presenter and graduate of Leadership Fellows. She was a UTOP Student Council member, freshman class senator in Student Government, executive secretary of DIVAS and LeaderShape student coordinator in 2019
• Rom Profesorsky, a Computer Science major with a minor in Psychology, was philanthropy chair for Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity, where he led two events raising $10,000 for Special Olympics. He served as vice president of finance for Order of Omega and was a member of the IFC Judicial Board. He is a graduate of Leadership Fellows and was secretary of business affairs in Student Government and a STAR peer mentor
• Malak Ternanni, a Finance major with a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance, is president and former vice president of the Lebanese Student Association. A member of Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, she served as chief financial officer. She was involved with Beta Alpha Psi and Gamma Iota Sigma business professional organizations and volunteered with Autism Speaks, the Jamil Niner Student Pantry and Special Olympics Club.
• Connor Wood, a Geography major with a minor in Economics, is graduate of Leadership Fellows. He served as a STAR mentor and program coordinator. This past year, he was Royal Court chair for the Homecoming Committee. He served as resident advisor, CAB Live Programs coordinator and a committee member in several capacities in Student Government. He has participated in the institutes for Activate! Social Justice, LeaderShape and Noble Niner. He has been selected to be a TEDxUNCCharlotte speaker in fall 2020

Photos, left to right:
Top row: Catrisse McDowell, Chandler Crean, Connor Wood
Middle row: Haziina Butler, Imani Gill, Jaylaan Bennett, Malak Ternanni,
Bottom row: Mary Manser, Pablo Coria, Rom Profesorsky, Zoe Cantu-Backhaus