Are You OWU?
The September winners of You Are OWU: OWU Cheerleaders. (Photo by Mona Spalsbury)
Ohio Wesleyan is comprised of individuals who constantly strive to better themselves and the community in which they reside. As a result, the Student Involvement Office has created an award to honor those students who have risen above and beyond in their service of the community and the school. The “You Are OWU!” award originated in 2010 and has since been presented to more than 40 individuals and groups. These recipients range from entire fraternities and sports clubs to individual students. The most recent award recipients include October’s Whitney Weadock ’15 for her outstanding work as a resident assistant in Smith Hall and the November recipients, members of the Campus Programming Board, for hosting the successful A Cappellooza.
According to the original mission statement, this award “seeks to recognize both individuals and groups of students who have achieved in a significant way. The goal of this award is to find and recognize those students who have made an impact on the OWU community—whether benefiting one person, an entire organization or our campus community.” This award, in its totality, exists to give special attention to the OWU students who have seen and met a need around them. Their actions vary, from hosting speakers or cultural events to drawing attention to issues in Delaware that require action and even to acting as important figures and spokespersons within their organizations and clubs. The intention behind this award is to identify students or student organizations who have acted in an extraordinary manner.
Kelsey Brewer is a senior in the Student Assistantship Program (stAP) who has been working with the Student Involvement Office for several months. Her focus, she explains, is on leadership and recognition. This includes coordinating all of the presentations that occur within the year. Brewer, herself, holds several titles, including Vice-President Standards of Kappa Kappa Gamma, the Class Gift Chair for the Senior Class Advisory Board, and Chair of the Religion Department’s Student Board. Brewer and the entire selection committee seek out students who present “recognizable moments of greatness.”
Brewer works alongside Nancy B. Rutkowski, the Assistant Director of Student Involvement. They always are looking for those students who rise above the norm and achieve greatness through their acts of kindness, leadership, responsibility, and generosity. Together, they are helping provide attention to the students who have earned the title of “You Are OWU!”