The 30th Annual BUS Ebony Achievement Awards, the Hulda Smith-Graham Freshman Academic Excellence Award and the 25th Annual Alpha Kappa Mu Induction Ceremony were all held last night in the Kiva.

Sponsored by the department of Pan-African Studies and Black United Students, students and faculty were recognized for their achievements during the year.

“This is a nice way to show the student population you don’t always need to be a shining star to be a shining star,” said Tim Moore, associate dean of the College of Arts and Science and master of ceremonies.

Nathaniel Reese, a Woodbury Elementary School teacher in Shaker Heights, spoke for the event.

Alpha Kappa Mu inducted 27 students into the local chapter of the national honors society, Mu Mu. Forty-eight students received the Hulda Smith-Graham Academic Excellence Award, a recognition for freshmen with a 3.0 GPA or better. Nineteen students received the Ebony Achievement Award for high academic achievement.

The other Ebony Achievement Awards singled out students and faculty specifically.

• Junior biology major Justin Aderhold and senior marketing major Malika Willoughby won Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively.

• Sasha Parker, political affairs and grievances chair, won Best BUS Student of the Year.

• Omega Psi Phi and Zeta Phi Beta received Fraternity and Sorority of the Year.

• Traci Williams, Pan-African Studies instructor, received the Outstanding Faculty Award.

• Shana Lee, BUS adviser and director of the Student Multicultural Center, received Outstanding Adviser of the Year.

• Senior secretary Brenda Richardson received the Shirley R. Crosby Service Award.

• Preston Mitchum, USS senator for student advancement and vice president of the Kent State NAACP, Shanelle Smith, president of the Kent State NAACP and Ryan Robinson, BUS programming co-chair received the Crosby Smith Leadership Award.

“It’s good to go into something not expecting to get recognized,” Mitchum said. “But when you do, it’s more fulfilling, especially coming from your own community.”

Contact minority affairs reporter Bryan Wroten at [email protected].