Nominated for their significant contributions to student life, Wildcat Impact Award winners exemplify the values of Student Affairs in their work.
The Office of Student Engagement recognizes both undergraduate and graduate winners each quarter through this award, formerly known as the Campus Life Awards. Here are the Spring 2017 Wildcat Impact Award winners!
Will Altabef, Integrity, 2017
Will has served in several roles on campus including Phi Delta Theta president, Interfraternity Council(IFC) president, Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault executive board member, Alternative Student Break trip leader, and participant in Mee-Ow and Titanic Players. In each of these roles, he has demonstrated integrity by seeking to improve group culture, linking organization and project missions to new initiatives and dedicating countless hours to encouraging peers and minimizing problems within theNorthwestern community. Will was heavily involved in a scholarship program supporting low-income students’ involvement in IFCchapters. Through it all he has demonstrated strong principles and worked with others to enact change
Sophia Etling, Social Justice, 2018
Sophia has dedicated her college career to her work on LGBTQIA+initiatives. She is responsible for creating a new position on the RainbowAlliance executive board, the “Activism and Outreach Chair,” which serves as abridge between administrative policies and LGBTQIA+ students’ voices. Sophia has consulted on the expansion of gender-neutral restrooms on campus and was instrumental in the free menstrual products pilot program, ensuring access to menstrual products in men’s, women’s, and non-binary restrooms. She is currently compiling amore queer- and trans-inclusive mental and reproductive health resource list for students. She serves as a community-based volunteer doula (birth support partner) in her free time, providing free birth assistance and advice to low-income women in the greater Chicago area
Jenny Halpern and Ian Pappas, Stewardship, 2017
Jenny and Ian have exhibited outstanding stewardship as the co-chairs of one of the largest campus endeavors, Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM). Through their leadership, they have encouraged committee leaders to consider meaningful impact in the community and have created strategies beyond the main fundraiser to make NUDM abetter partner. Jenny and Ian helped spearhead NUDM’s first grant campaign with campus sponsorships and alumni donations to fundraise for student participants with financial need. Their contributions will live beyond their term as co-chairs and re-shape how NUDM achieves its goals and removes barriers for theNorthwestern community.
Jamie Joeyen-Waldorf, Innovation, 2018
Jamie has demonstrated innovation through her leadership with WildcatsAdvancing Total Campus Health (WATCH). She has created a positive and healthy culture within the group by hosting informal one-on-one meetings with all new members and has put forward a long-term strategic plan for the program. She has developed creative ways to solicit feedback, expanded the organization’s aspirations as an emerging entity on campus, and led activities to empower individuals in planning ideas for growth and improvement in WATCH. Jamie has committed herself to a principle of making everyone on her team feel valued and exemplified this through her leadership behaviors and thoughtful dedication.
Michelle Pickett, Integrity, 2017
Michelle has gone above and beyond in her involvement in Northwestern toBenefit Special Olympics. This formerPresident of the organization has continued her commitment after the end of her term working to plan their annual Polar Plunge event, which raised over $3,500 last February. She worked to plan their End the “R”Word Week this year, a collaborative suite of programs that seek to educate the Northwestern community and raise awareness for people with intellectual disabilities. She also planned the Special Olympics’ FieldDay and has provided endless support to the current executive board.Michelle embodies the values of her organization weekly, serving as aswim coach with Special Olympics since her freshmen year. She has worked consistently to makeNorthwestern a safe space for people of all intellectual needs.
Joey Salvo, Collaboration, 2018
Joey Salvo has shown his dedication to his residential community by serving in many roles over the years, including the Director of InformationTechnology of Slivka, the President of Slivka, and the President of theResidential College Board (RCB) and of the National Residence Hall Honorary.He visits residential colleges regularly to connect them and make them more aware of RCB. He has led the efforts of the Slivka publications committee to create a website, which included podcasts. Joey truly brings the community together and is constantly working to make students’ lives better. He does this through actions ranging from planning fun activities to hosting bi-monthly riddle challenges and photo identification contests. His current project is transforming a room in Slivka to a usable makerspace, by adding a 3D printer, digital microscope and Aerogarden.
Ashley Wood, Collaboration, 2017
Ashley focuses on supporting students from low-income backgrounds. She has worked with administrators to follow up on theUndergraduate Academic ExperienceTask Force to adjust the Northwestern academic calendar to better accommodate the community. Ashley has been a managing editor at North by Northwestern, an Undersecretary for Northwestern University Model United Nations, and now AssociatedStudent Government’s VP forAcademics. Through these positions, she pushes her peers to do their best and learn how to make changes atNorthwestern. She also helped faculty, staff, and administrators become aware of the high price of textbooks and pushed them to post their syllabi earlier to give students time to search for more affordable alternatives.Ashley has advocated for increased funding for Student EnrichmentServices free laptop program and the library course reserves.