Congratulations 2021 Nominees and Award Recipients!

The North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Awards are given to students, student organizations, staff, and faculty in North Campus schools and colleges at the University of Michigan who exemplify the leadership and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through their commitment to social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, including within the context of the pandemic and our reignited sense of urgency to address root causes of social injustice.

The annual awards are hosted by the A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban PlanningCollege of EngineeringPenny W. Stamps School of Art & Design; and School of Music, Theatre & Dance, in collaboration with ArtsEngine and the Duderstadt Center as part of U-M’s MLK Symposium to honor and commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. King.

First performed as a poem to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” has been a part of every North Campus MLK Dean’s celebration since its beginning. The poem was written by James Weldon Johnson and then set to music by his brother, J. Rosamond Johnson, and first performed as a choral work in 1900. In 1919, the NAACP designated it the “national anthem” of Black people in America, giving them a powerful voice in its call for freedom and affirmation. When sung, it is customary to stand as one would for a national anthem, and there is an effort underway in Congress to designate the song as an official U.S. national anthem alongside the “Star-Spangled Banner”.

Read more about Samantha Williams,
a 2021 award recipient HERE!

Students

Award Recipients

  • Serena Brewer (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Emily Ebersol (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Keesa V. Johnson (Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design)
  • Hyo Jin Moon (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Himaja Motheram (College of Engineering)
  • Ruby Pérez (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Soneida Rodriguez (College of Engineering)
  • Kwesi J. Rutledge (College of Engineering)
  • Brooke Taylor (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Anna Thompson (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Samantha Williams (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)

Nominees

  • Juan Jhong Chung (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Lindsey Dowswell (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Yeager Edwards (Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design)
  • Zekkereya El-Magharbel (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Tal Ayala Kamin (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Ifeanyi Kizito Madu (College of Engineering)
  • Prince Kuevor (College of Engineering)
  • Cierra Madison McBride (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Ian Hunter Robinson (College of Engineering)
  • Madison Rogers (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning) 
  • Allison Taylor (School of Music, Theatre & Dance)
  • Channing Wan (College of Engineering)
  • Noah Zaatar (College of Engineering) 

Faculty

Award Recipients

Nominees

Student Organizations

Recognized for their commitment to decolonized architecture and urban planning education

INFORMS (Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences)

Recognized for their education, advocacy, and community engagement initiatives that support an anti-racist and inclusive academic environment

Staff

Award Recipients

  • Kimberly Johnson (College of Engineering)
  • Mahendra Kumar (Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design)
  • Holly Naveh (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)
  • Sarah St. Amie (A. Alfred Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning)

Nominees

  • Brian Scott Banks (Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design)
  • Stacie Edington (College of Engineering)
  • Hayley Hanway (College of Engineering)
  • Debby Mitchell-Covington (College of Engineering)
  • D. Todd Richardson (College of Engineering)
  • Alexandra Thébaud (College of Engineering)
  • Ashli Wilson (College of Engineering)
  • Bakari Wooten (College of Engineering)