The Student Leadership Awards Ceremony Premiere

Hollywood came to PCCC last spring for the premiere of the exciting Student Leadership Awards (SLA) presentation, held at the Wanaque Academic Center (WAC), PCCC’s campus for the arts. An initiative of the Center for Student Engagement (CSE), the SLA represents the first time the Athletics Department, the Student Government Association, and the Educational Opportunity Fund presented their annual awards at a shared ceremony on May 8, 2024, and it was a night to applaud.  

Produced and directed by PCCC students, this inaugural SLA awards ceremony took the theme of Hollywood’s Academy Awards event. Two standees of the golden Oscar statuette stood at either end of the stage in WAC’s black box theater, overseeing the strong turnout of guests, elegantly set tables, and delicious buffet prepared by PCCC’s food service and culinary arts students.  A star-studded slideshow created by Kat Colon, a PCCC alumna who now works as marketing assistant in the CSE, mimicked the famous MGM Studios logo with Leo the Lion replaced by the PCCC Panther.

The program was introduced by Dr. Ian Wolf, assistant dean of the Center for Student Engagement (CSE) and by Mr. Enrique Noguera, assistant dean of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and Men of Color Success Initiative (MOCSI), a comprehensive academic support program that offers academic, financial, and a range of other assistance to particularly vulnerable students.

Dr. Wolf was the impetus for the CSE, an innovative collaboration of the Athletics and Student Activities departments with the Student Government Association. The goal of the collaboration is to increase student leadership and participation in college life. “It’s about changing the thinking of these activities from extra-curricular to co-curricular,”  Dr. Wolf said previously, noting that studies proved that students who were more deeply engaged with the college also performed better academically.  

The stars of the event were the students who received awards for their academic achievement and for their involvement in and leadership of non-academic college activities. The opening remarks from PCCC administrators gave recognition to that dual achievement.

“This is a special night,” said Dr. Steven Rose, president of PCCC. “I know how dedicated you are, going to college and getting involved. I’m so proud of you.”

Dr. Jacqueline Kineavy, senior vice president for Academic and Student Affairs commended the students for their involvement. “You are all going to school, and some of you have families at home, and yet, you manage to get involved,” she said. “You proved you know how to manage your time, and that’s an asset that will benefit your whole life.”

 Dr. Leah Johnson, Associate Vice President/ Dean of Student Affairs, congratulated the students on their progress and related a personal story. “The reason I’m in higher education and love higher education is that when I was in college, I was a student leader.” She reminded the PCCC student leaders that they are “impactful and influential.”

Taking the podium next,  SGA Senator Ah’Janee Dunston put a twist on the celebration. Before congratulating the award-winning students, she paid tribute to those who supported them. “We are here to celebrate you,” she told the faculty, staff, and administrators, acknowledging the role they all play in student success.

Over 200 awards were presented during the ceremony. To highlight a few, the SGA Outstanding Service to Students Award went to Farhat Khan, a student success coach in the Student Support Services (SSS)-ESL department.

The EOF Alumni Recognition Award was presented by Mr. Noguera to Isaac Belgrave, an EOF student at PCCC who went on to NJIT’s EOF program, and graduated last spring with his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.  Mr. Noguera recognized Isaac not only for his academic accomplishments, but also for “the impact he continues to have through his work with us at EOF, with Phi Theta Kappa, with the STEM program on campus, and now as an AmeriCorps VISTA member.”

The SGA Outstanding Student Organization of the Year Award went to the new and vibrant Black History and Culture Club (BHCC), headed up by Ayana English-James, who also received the SGA Club Executive Board member of the Year award. Established only last Fall, the BHCC offered some of the most exciting and unique programs during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Mr. Wayne Martin, PCCC’s athletics director, announced the Scholar Athlete awards, which he called, “my favorite part of the awards ceremony.”  These awards are given to students who demonstrate a high level of commitment to and achievement in both their sport and academic studies.  Anais Peralta and Jason Vlavianos received the Women’s/Men’s Volleyball Scholar Athlete Awards.  The Women’s/Men’s Basketball Scholar Athlete Awards went to Elva Sanchez and Travis McKenzie.

Intermission offered a break for guests to enjoy food and desserts alongside the special screening of a dynamic photo collage created by Kat to illustrate the fun and fellowship experienced throughout the year by students who participated in fundraisers, field trips, athletics events, and more.

A highlight of the evening was the 1,000 Point Game Ball Presentation to Men’s Basketball star Devinir Garvey, who had a fantastic year, achieving over 1,000 career points, only the sixth student athlete in PCCC athletics history to achieve that goal.

The final award of the ceremony, the SGA Student Leader of the Year Award is given to a student who demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, citizenship, and dedication to being part of the PCCC community. The 2024 recipient, Bilal Gebril, served as PTK president, was named to both the NJ All-State Academic Team and the All-USA Academic Team, and has received strong recognition for his commitment to the College.

All in all, the premiere of the collaborative Student Leadership Awards Ceremony enjoyed a golden evening and was a big hit with participants and guests alike.  

“I am thrilled with how the first Student Leadership Awards ceremony went,” said Dr. Wolf. “Any time we get to celebrate students is an amazing time! We had so much to celebrate. I, and the Center for Student Engagement are happy to partner with the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) on this event and hope to collaborate again in the future! Last, thank you to the Wanaque Academic Center for allowing us to have this event in your space!” 

by Linda Telesco