The MIT RISE Awards

The RISE Awards - Recognizing Individuals Supporting Equity - is an opportunity to celebrate MIT faculty, staff and students on their work with diversity, inclusion and social justice on and off campus. MIT community members nominate their peers and colleagues for these awards. The RISE AWARDS is a collaboration sponsored by Intercultural Engagement (i.e.), Institute Community and Equity Office (ICEO), LBGTQ+ Services, Women and Gender Services (WXGS), Office of Graduate Education (OGE), and Office of Minority Education (OME). Click here for a description of all the awards. Nominate today! Deadline March 7th, 2025

2024 Winners

• Staff Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion: Gearóid Dolan
• Office of Graduate Education Service Award: Michael West
• Excellence in Programming Award: MIT African Student Association (ASA)
• Organization of the Year: MIT African Student Association (ASA)
• Emerging Leader Award: Tao Cai and Oluwadara (Dara) Deru
• Mens et Manus Award: Alvin Harvey
• Unsung Hero Award: Samantha Gutierrez Arango and Daisy Wang
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Excellence through Adversity Award: Alvaro Shagun and Ari Pero
• John S.W. Kellett '47 Award: TransMIT
• Faculty Ambassador Award: Dr. Claire Concesion
• Engineering Community Award: TransMIT
• Community Excellence Awards, Staff Award: Grace Conte-Bennett and Sam Salwan
• LBGTQ+ Pride Awards: Kate Trimble and Vela Velasquez

Past Winners

2023 RISE Award Winners

• Staff Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion: Lana Scott
• Office of Graduate Education Service Award: Alvaro Sahagun
• Excellence in Programming Award: African Students' Association (ASA)
• Organization of the Year: MIT South Asian Association of Students (SAAS)
• Emerging Leader Award: Adria Peterkin & Vela Velazquez
• Mens et Manus Award: Tunahan Aytas & Pamela Stark
• Unsung Hero Award: Erin Tevonian & Isabella Salinas
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Excellence through Adversity Award: Cal Gunnarsson & Amelia Dogan
• John S.W. Kellett '47 Award: MIT Biology, Ph.D: Gerardo Perez Goncalves & Laurel Kinman
• Community Excellence Awards, Staff Award: Dr. Tracie Jones - Barrett
• Community Excellence Awards, Student Award: Jonathan Tagoe
• LBGTQ+ Pride Awards, Staff Award, LBGTQ+ Services: Nina DeAgrela
• LBGTQ+ Pride Awards, Student Award, LBGTQ+ Services:Amelia Dogan

2022 RISE Award Winners

See the 2022 RISE Awards winner's reception here.

• Staff Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion: Danny Becker
• Faculty Ambassador Award: Dr. Canan Dagdeviren
• Office of Graduate Education Service Award: Juana Delao
• Excellence in Programming Award: PLEASURE
• Organization of the Year: Native American Student Association (NASA)
• Emerging Leader Award: Ilham Ali & Nicole McGaa
• Mens et Manus Award: Syed Zahid & Naksha Roy
• Unsung Hero Award: Cadence Payne & Sara V. Fernandez
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Excellence through Adversity Award: Chelsea Onyeador & Trinity Manuelito
• John S.W. Kellett '47 Award: Libby Hsu
• Community Excellence Awards, Staff Award: Jacklyn Liberman
• Community Excellence Awards, Student Award: Omar Rutledge
• LBGTQ+ Pride Awards, Staff Award, LBGTQ+ Services: Sophia Hasenfus
• LBGTQ+ Pride Awards, Student Award, LBGTQ+ Services:Cal Gunnarsson

2021 RISE Award Winners

To re-watch the 2021's virtual RISE Awards Celebration, click here.

• Staff Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion: Tiana Peña Colón
• Faculty Ambassador Award: Helen Elaine Lee
• Engineering Community Award: Society of Underrepresented Biologists and Biological Engineers
• Excellence in Programming Award: Black Graduate Student Association, "Reimagining Public Safety Event"
• Organization of the Year: FLI@MIT
• Emerging Leader Award: Letong (Carina) Hong & Mohammed Toure
• Mens et Manus Award: Sandy Jean-Charles & Rohini Shivamoggi
• Unsung Hero Award: Abena Peasah& Lou Beaulieu-Laroche
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Excellence through Adversity Award: Yu Jing Chen& Ufuoma Ovienmhad
• John S.W. Kellett '47 Award: Miranda Dawson
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellece Staff Award: Patricia Saulis
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellece Student Award: Mydia Phan
• LBGTQ+ ServicesLBGTQ+ Pride Staff Award: Rachel Ornitz
• LBGTQ+ ServicesLBGTQ+ Pride Student Award: Jack Forman

2020 RISE Award Winners

• Staff Award for Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion:Beatriz Cantada
• Faculty Ambassador Award: Tina Opie
• Engineering Community Award: Class Awareness Support and Equality (C.A.S.E)
• Excellence in Programming Award: African Students Association (ASA) - Culture Night, 2019
• Organization of the Year: Black Women’s Alliance (BWA)
• Emerging Leader Award: Deekshita Kacham&Bianca Lepe
• Mens et Manus Award: Jessica Quaye & Josue Lopez
• Unsung Hero Award: Mimi Wahid & Pedro Reynolds-Cuéllar
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Excellence through Adversity Award: Jeba Sania & Francesca Vaccar
• John S.W. Kellett '47 Award: Sam E. Turton
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellece Staff Award: DiOnetta Crayton
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellece Student Award: Danielle Geathers
• LBGTQ+ ServicesLBGTQ+ Pride Staff Award: Erin Erhart
• LBGTQ+ ServicesLBGTQ+ Pride Student Award: Maya C Lathi

2019 Multicultural Awards Banquet Winners

• Emerging Leader Award: Aiyah Josiah-Faeduwor
• Engineering and Community Award: Black Graduate Students Association
• Excellence in Programming Award: Sloan Africa Business Club
• Dr. Robbin Chapman Award:Ifueko Igbinedion
• Staff Award for Excellence Award:Andrés Felipe Salazar Gómez
• Faculty Ambassador Award: Danielle Wood
• Mens et Manus Award: Undergrad - Bruke Kifle, Grad - Supratim Das
• Organization of the Year Award: Undergrad - African Student Association, Grad - MIT Colombian Association
• Unsung Hero Award: Undergrad - Samira Okudo, Grad - Randi Williams
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellence Student Award: Jennifer Madiedo
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Community Excellence Staff Award: Joseph Granado
• Office of Multicultural Programs | Contribution Award: Alyce Johnson

Click here to see photos from the 2019 Multicultural Awards Banquet