The annual President’s Award Luncheon, affectionately called PAL, is a chance for the college president, dean, and others to appreciate some stand-out students, especially seniors, for their exemplary leadership, service and narrative skills. .
This year seven students were selected to receive the college’s eight commencement, leadership and president awards (one student, Ryan Britt ’22, received two): Jessica Bay ’22, Britt, Journey Brown ’22, Brie Cunliffe. ’22, Christopher Dehney ’24, Matt Hikida ’22, and Alice Hawking ’22.
The luncheon was held last Friday in the main lounge of Moulton Union.
Ryan Britt with Clayton Rose
President’s Award: Ryan Britt ’22
The Presidential Award was inaugurated in 1997 by President Robert H. Edwards in recognition of a student’s exceptional personal achievements and unusual contribution to the College.
This year, President Clayton Rose presented the award to Britt, who was elected by his peers during his college career as President of the Bowdoin Student Government, Class President, Class Vice President, and Chairman of the Student Affairs Committee for Student Government. Huh. ,
During his tenure as President of Bowdoin Student Government, he increased the visibility of student governance and increased its effectiveness, particularly around student mental health.
One of her most meaningful experiences at Bowdoin was working with the Department of Student Affairs to create a mental health board that meets monthly and communicates with students directly their opinions, challenges, and ideas with leadership from administrators and counseling services. Provides a shared space to talk in.
Britt, a religion major and government and legal studies minor from Mantua, Ohio, has been described as someone who has “one of the biggest hearts” and who “does his best to make this community a better place.” Wants to do everything in capacity.”
McKean Center Directors Sarah Sims and Alice Hawking
Micciche Award: Alice Hawking ’22
Michael F. The Mickish III Award is awarded annually to an individual who embodies the entire Bowdoin experience, engages the college community, achieves academic excellence, and earns the respect of their peers and professors. This individual should plan to broaden their education after graduation through enrollment in graduate school or through a structured travel or volunteer program.
An Asian Studies major and a Government and Legal Studies minor, Hawking has been involved in many aspects of college life. She was the head staff leader in residential life during the two most challenging years of college during the pandemic.
He has served as co-president of Hillel; as an eco-representative (a peer-to-peer educator for Bowdoin’s Sustainability Office); and as a member of the City of Brunswick’s Recycling and Sustainability Committee.
Hawking has also been involved with the McKeon Center, where she was a member of the Common Good Grants program for each of her four years here and was one of its two leaders this year along with Jessica Bay ’22.
She was also associated with the Writing Center and programs for non-violence and conflict resolution.
One of her nominees wrote: “Alice has been wiser than her years since she first stepped into our office as a year old. She’s organized, sees the big picture, and cares deeply for the Bowdoin community. We have been impressed by his chivalry, tact, intelligence and creative abilities.”
After graduation, Hawking attends law school at the University of Michigan.
Jessica Bay ’22 with the Haldane Cup
Andrew Ellison Haldane Cup: Jessica Bay ’22’
The Andrew Allison Haldane Cup, presented by fellow officers in the Pacific in memory of Captain Andrew Haldane, a member of the United States Marine Corps Reserve and Class of 1941, is awarded to a member of the Senior Class who demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities and character.
An anthropology major and computer science minor, the BA has been described as a natural leader.
Her peers call her friendly and kind and say she easily trusts every place she goes. As a proctor at Macmillan House, Jess fostered a welcoming environment and built relationships with nearly everyone in that community.
She has been part of the leadership team of the Bowdoin Outing Club, where, as a woman of color, she helped transform traditionally white places.
He is a McKean Center Fellow and has been involved in the center since his first year at Bowdoin. During the summer after her first year at Bowdoin, she was a Maine Community Fellow with the local non-profit ArtVan, and in her second year she worked as a Common Good Day assistant.
The themes of equality and inclusion speak volumes about the work of BAs. She helped the McKean Center develop its antiracism fellowship and worked with the center to broaden and deepen relationships with nonprofits led by BIPOC.
His other achievements include participating in the Bear and Cubs program as a mentor for local children and helping organize a Red Cross blood campaign.
A colleague spoke for many when she described Ba as a ray of sunshine that illuminates the lives of those around her. She is considerate, caring, and is always ready to drop everything to help a friend, despite being incredibly busy and involved on campus.
Chris Dehney with the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cup
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cup: Christopher Dehney ’24
Endowed by the Bowdoin Chapter of the Alpha Delta Phi Society, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Cup is awarded to a member of the three lower classes whose vision, humanity, and courage contribute most to making Bowdoin a better college.
A biology major and psychology minor, Dehney is a member of the men’s lacrosse team and is responsible for establishing Bowdoin’s Peer Counseling Initiative, which is run by the student group PeerHealth.
In his all-male high school, Chris participated in a weekly peer counseling program, in which the school counselor conducted a live session with one student to observe everyone before having a face-to-face discussion in pairs of students .
Dehney brought this program to Bowdoin to help destroy counseling by providing an informal entry way, and to create another outlet for students who want to talk with someone outside of the typical nine to five business hours. .
He worked with Counseling Services and Peer Health to design a program with ground rules working at Bowdoin. The first session of the program had about ten participants, but the number increased to about fifty the following week, as increasing demand led the program to increase the number of meetings held throughout the spring semester.
One of Dehney’s nominees wrote: “I was deeply impressed by Chris’s passion not only to meet a need I saw at Bowdoin but also to take the initiative and follow through. He was able to complete the program. He was going to do everything he could – and will continue to do – and that’s exactly what he did.”
Start and Level Speakers: Ryan Britt ’22, Journey Brown ’22, Bree Cunliffe ’22, Matt Hikida ’22
Elizabeth Pritchard, associate professor of religion and associate dean for academic affairs, presented awards for speakers at upcoming commencement and graduation ceremonies for four students selected by the committee.
This year, two Geoffrey Canada scholars—Britt and Brown—will speak at the commencement. For this honor, Britt received Goodwin Commencement Award and brown Prize of the Class of 1868,
Britt, from Mantua, Ohio, will give a speech entitled “The Great Hope of a Bowdoin Education” about his journey to Bowdoin as a low-income, first-generation college student. In his address, he described how “his practice of sticking to hope has helped him continue to do better and struggle to break his family’s cycle of poverty,” Pritchard said.
Brown’s speech, “The Victory Mindset”, will narrate her story of her recovery from the devastating loss of her mother in October 2021. She describes the “win-win mentality” she adopted after losing her mother, in which she saw small steps. Every day is managed – getting up in the morning, eating meals, attending class – as a win. “It was the accumulation of those small victories that helped him ‘get out of depression,'” Pritchard said.
Speeches from two other students were selected for and as a substitute for the graduation ceremony. Brie Cunliffe ’22 Gained DeAlva Stanwood for Alexander First Prize Her talk has been called “a dazzling effort.” In it, she uses the metaphor of diving in a sea of bioluminescence to describe the community she found in Bowdoin.
Matt Hikida’s ’22 speech “Maybe, Will Be, Change” was chosen as a substitute. Hikida’s efforts were identified with d’Alva Stanwood Alexander II Prize. His talk explores the messiness of life – its unpredictability, its pitfalls, and the mix of emotions we experience around it.
