Recipients of the High Paw award share their reactions to receiving the distinction

Between the rush of scrambling to get to class, leading meetings for our extracurriculars and looking for precious moments to eat and sleep, it can be easy to forget about how much Trinity students have piled on their plates. To ensure that every student has the opportunity to be acknowledged for their commitments to various educational and extracurricular activities, Student Involvement has introduced the High Paw award as a distinction receivable by students.

Faculty, staff and students are eligible to nominate any young leader on campus they feel deserves recognition from the community, and reasons for nomination may vary.

Many of the past recipients have expressed gratitude for the acknowledgment from their peers and professors.

“I felt very appreciated after I found out I was nominated. I do a lot of work, sometimes more than I should, so it was a  good feeling to know that someone was noticed,” said Maia Ogembo, a junior biochemistry and molecular biology double major.

Although unsure, Ogembo suggests her club’s faculty advisor may have nominated her for the substantial amount of work she’s done to help her organization.

“I’m pretty sure I was nominated for extracurricular involvement by Stacy Davidson, the faculty advisor for Black Student Union (BSU). As public realtor, I have done my best to make BSU visible on campus. Also, as the co-Mocha Month coordinator, I have also tried my best to plan a great month with a small budget,” Ogembo said.

Other recipients have also been excited to earn the award for their participation in various demanding extracurriculars while balancing a rigorous class schedule.

“I felt good to know that the organizations I am a part of actually value my efforts. I am on the football team and participate in intramural basketball, but I was nominated for my involvement in Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). I have been leading the worship songs since the beginning of the fall semester,” said Samuel Hinojosa, a first-year engineering major.

Hinojosa was aware that he had been nominated by one of his FCA peers, and he hopes her kindness doesn’t go unnoticed.

“Shelby DeVore nominated me; she’s the student leader of FCA. I actually think Shelby deserves a nomination. She works really hard to make sure FCA goes smoothly, and she always tries to give everyone the best experiences during clubs. She also presents us with opportunities to interact with other groups,” Hinojosa said.

DeVore, who has not received the distinction yet, was  honored to hear others felt she deserved the acknowledgment.

“I was really flattered to hear that Sam thinks I should be nominated; I am involved with a lot of things on campus, like yearbook, golf and intramurals.  Even though sometimes I sometimes feel overwhelmed, I’m grateful for the opportunity to be involved,” DeVore said.

If you are interested in nominating a student leader to receive a High Paw, contact [email protected] with a brief description of why you believe that student should receive the acknowledgment.