LEADERSHIP AWARDS NOMINATIONS ARE NOW OPEN | Deadline: March 7th, 2025
The Souza Student Leadership Center defines leadership as the act of being proactive to address needs and lead individuals to make a collective positive impact in a program, organization, or community. Leadership happens within formal leadership roles. However, leadership also happens when a student without a formal role is proactive and sees a need in the community that they then work to address. Every year the Margo F. Souza Student Leadership Center recognizes student leaders who have created a positive impact at UC Merced and beyond.
Spring 2025 Leadership Awards List
Please refer to our comprehensive list of awards below that have been organized into two categories: those that allow for self-nominations and those requiring a nomation made by others (i.e supervisor, professor, mentor, and/or friend). You can also refer to the comparison table for a quick overview of each award, it's criteria, and nomination requirements.
Review our Leadership Awards Nomination Application Questions & Guidelines and when you are ready to submit your nomination, select one (or more) of the awards below.
| Award Name | Award Description | Self-Nomination Alowed? |
| Distinguished Leadership Award | Recognizes exceptional leadership among undergraduate students in the past academic year. | Yes |
| Carol Tomlinson-Keasey Award | Celebrates academic excellence and impactful leadership among graduating undergraduate or graduate students. | No |
| Legacy Award | Highlights the best-of-leadership qualities and honors the lasting impact made by a graduating student (undergraduate or graduate). | Yes |
| Steven & Mia Kang Leadership for Social Change Award | Recognizes student leadership in social change with a focus on equity and social justice. | No |
| Margo F. Souza Trailblazer Award | Honors student innovation, vision, and leadership that enriches campus life. | No |
| Emerging Leader Award | Celebrates leadership potential among first-year and first-year transfer students. | Yes |
| Community Partner Impact Award | Recognizes community partners embracing challenges with collaboration, empathy, and reciprocal partnership. | No |
| CollegeCorps Fellow Award | Highlights civic responsibility and community impact among CollegeCorps Fellows. | Yes |
Distinguished Leadership Award
The Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes undergraduate student(s) who demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in the past academic year. The individual(s) have made significant strides within the UC Merced community through their exemplary leadership and changemaking in action. More than one recipient may be awarded. Self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE YOURSELF OR OTHERS FOR THE DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD HERE
Carol Tomlinson-Keasey Award
The Carol Tomlinson-Keasey Award recognizes an undergraduate or graduate student graduating during the 2024 - 2025 academic year who has excelled academically and shown leadership in their community. These Academic Scholars influenced ideas and activities through their college career, who have taken initiative in creating lasting and positive impacts on campus and throughout the Merced community for future generations of scholars to come. The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0. No self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE CAROL TOMLINSON-KEASEY AWARD HERE
Legacy Award
The Legacy Award recognizes a student graduating during the 2024-2025 academic year (undergraduate or graduate) who epitomizes "best of leadership" qualities within the UC Merced community through actions consistent with the University's Principles of Community. These principles include upholding a culture of dialogue and civility through civic engagement and environmental stewardship, while celebrating identities, values, and beliefs while affirming each person's dignity. The recipient of this award will be an individual whose actions and ideals displayed throughout their time as a student at UC Merced will leave a lasting, positive impression on the institution while rasing the standard of excellence for future generations. Self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE YOURSELF OR OTHERS FOR THE LEGACY AWARD HERE
Steven and Mia Kang Leadership for Social Change Award
This award honors Steven & Mia Kang's commitment to UC Merced students and inspires current students to strive to become change agents in society and continue to lead by example. The prize will be awarded annually to an outstanding sudent who has distinguished themselves by their demonstrated leadership in social change either on campus or the community. No self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE STEVEN AND MIA KANG LEADERSHIP FOR SOCIAL CHANGE AWARD HERE
Margo F. Souza Trailblazer Award (NEW Award)
The Margo F. Souza Trailblazer Award honors a student who has demonstrated extraordinary vision, innovation, and leadership by creating new clubs, organizations, events, and/or programs that significantly enrich the UC Merced community. Named in recognition of Margo F. Souza's legacy of groundbreaking leadership, this award celebrates individuals who have forged new paths, inspired change, and left a lasting impact on campus life. No self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR THE MARGO F. SOUZA TRAILBLAZER AWARD
Emerging Leader Award (NEW Award)
The Emerging Leader Award recognizes first-year and first-year transfer students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, initiative, and impact during their inaugural year at UC Merced. These individuals embody the spirit of leadership, dedication, and service; contributing meaningfully to their campus community through their actions, involvements, and/or influence. This award celebrates the promise and potential of emerging leaders, inspiring others to make their mark on the UC Merced community. Self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE YOURSELF OR OTHERS FOR THE EMRERGING LEADER AWARD
Community Partner Impact Award (NEW Award)
The Community Partner Impact Award recognizes an inspiring and thoughtful community partner who has worked with UC Merced during the past year in bridging the campus and community to collaborate and address community-identified challenges. With the dedicated leadership of this partner, we have been able to take action to address these challenges in an empathetic, resourceful, and reciprocal approach. No self-nominations permitted for this award.
NOMINATE A COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR THE COMMUNITY PARTNER IMPACT AWARD
College Corps Fellow Award (NEW Award)
The College Corps Fellow Award honors a Fellow who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to Merced and neighboring communities throughout the 2024-2025 academic year. This award recognizes a Fellow who has consistently participated in all program activities and shown a strong commitment to supporting other program fellows, their host site and the population they serve. The recipient of this award exemplifies the values of the College Corps program by actively engaging in service to address societal challenges while embodying the spirit of civic responsibility and leadership. The individual's efforts have benefitted the program and have had a lasting impact on the Merced community. Self-nominations are permitted for this award.
NOMINATE YOURSELF OR OTHERS FOR THE COLLEGE CORPS FELLOW AWARD
