The Dr. Donald Brown Award, a new award initiated this year by the Office of AHANA Student Programs (OASP), was awarded to Jodi-Ann Burey, A&S '08, at a brunch on Saturday. The award remembers Brown's long history at Boston College, including his service as the director of OASP for 27 years where he was instrumental in building it to the presence on campus that it is today.
Brown took charge of OASP at a time when it was known as the "Office of Minority Student Programs." He spearheaded a variety of initiatives to improve the quality of AHANA programs at BC. The award is designed to honor those students who have continued the work that Brown began.
"The award is presented to a senior who, during the time they were here, made major benefits for AHANA students," said Dr. Inés Maturana Sendoya, OASP director. The award is open to students of any ethnic background. Sendoya said that the OASP sought to recognize a senior who demonstrated qualities of leadership and excellence. Sendoya said that the award committee looked at "the kind of leadership they had done … their work throughout the years, and they looked to see that they had been involved in different kinds of activities." She said that the award is best understood as a kind of "lifetime achievement award."
The award process began with faculty and student nominations in the fall. Interested parties could nominate any undergraduate whom they felt deserved the award. OASP received 16 nominations in all. These 16 nominees were then contacted and asked to fill out an application form, with an emphasis on diverse activities and demonstrated leadership.
The final recipient was decided by a University-wide committee composed of professors and administrators from a variety of departments.
The committee included Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences William Petri, Paulette Durrett of the Office of Student Development, and Eve Spangler, associate director of the sociology department.
"I've been in the AHANA Leadership Council for two years, and I was director of the AHANA Caucus," Burey said.
Burey was nominated by Professor Roberto Avant-Mier, of the communication department. Burey is a communication major, and is working on her thesis with Avant-Mier. She said that she had been in one of his classes, and is also currently working as his research assistant. "I took a class with him my junior year," she said.
Burey said that much of her academic research has been in the area of AHANA student issues.
Burey said that in addition to her involvement in AHANA programs, she was active in the Undergraduate Government of Boston College her freshman and sophomore years, and that she is currently planning a two-week service and immersion trip to Ghana.
The Dr. Donald Brown Award includes a cash prize and will be presented again to Burey at the commencement exercises by Brown himself.
Spring Break
