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Leadership and Engagement Achievements of Distinction, or LEAD Awards, recognize students, student organizations, programs, and events in Student Affairs. This collaborative awards ceremony showcases leadership, service, followership, collaboration, and more. The Awards are geared towards celebrating the outstanding efforts on our campus to promote leadership and engagement.

LEAD Awards are given to Cal Poly students or student organizations based on three categories:

• Leadership in Action
• Collaboration
• Program or Event of Distinction

Students can nominate themselves or others. Additionally, nominations can be submitted for the Allyship Award which recognizes faculty/staff or offices/departments at Cal Poly who are allies for students, programs or events, organizations, and beyond.

2021-2022 LEAD Awards Committee

Sarah Hawkins, Clubs & Organizations	Chair
Janet Jacquier, University Housing
Kelci Goss, New Student & Transition Programs
Kimme Huntington, Campus Health & Wellbeing
Savio Chan, Disability Resource Center
Dana Haxby, Clubs & Organizations
Trisha Sanchez, ASI
Katie Lynch, Leadership & Service
Hannah Steen, Career Services

Additional students from various Student Affairs departments are involved in the selection process for the award winners. 

Leadership in Action Award

Leadership is action – listening, facilitating, making decisions, asking questions, navigating ambiguity, engaging with others, being vulnerable, and more. This award will be given to Cal Poly students or student organizations who have exemplified leadership in action during the academic year. Leaders do not have to have formalized positions and often those who do are leaders because they lead through their actions and not through their title.  

Collaboration Award

Engaging with others takes leadership, persistence, patience, empathy, and more. This award will be given to Cal Poly students or student organizations who have exemplified effective and impactful collaboration with another Cal Poly member or organization or a local community group.  

Program or Event of Distinction Award

Programs and events are gifts to the Cal Poly community that take hard work, leadership, followership, time, energy, and more. This award will be given to Cal Poly students or student organizations who implemented a high impact program or event during the academic year. These programs may have been done with support from Cal Poly departments or faculty; however, they should be student planned and implemented.  

Allyship Award

Allyship is a verb – it requires action, intentionality, impact that is meaningful and supportive or validating, and more. There are individuals or offices/departments across campus who are allies for student events, leaders, organizations, and beyond. This award will be given to Cal Poly faculty/staff or offices/programs who have been allies for the students, programs, and events that exemplify leadership and engagement.