Spring Break
Associated Students award campus leaders
Mark Powell
Issue date: 4/30/07 Section: News
For one night, San Jose State University went Hollywood.
Gold balloons, flashing cameras and a long red carpet turned the Student Union Barrett Ballroom into a party Thursday for A.S. 55, an awards ceremony that honors SJSU's student leaders, officials said.
"The original intent of this event was about celebrating unsung heroes," said Cheryl Vargas, executive director of Associated Students. "And it's evolved into the fact that everyone is a hero and we want to sing their praises, loud and strong throughout the campus."
Student leaders, staff, faculty and scholarship recipients were all honored during the event, which was started by A.S. in the late 1980s to honor those who showed outstanding commitment to the SJSU community, A.S. officials said.
"It's very encouraging that A.S. embraces this and puts this event on," university President Don Kassing said. "I think it's a wonderful thing. It shows the university's sense of community."
The main attraction of the ceremony was the exclusive recognition of 55 SJSU students, who were eligible to receive an A.S. 55 award by receiving just one nomination from a fellow student, staff or faculty member, A.S. President Alberto Gutierrez said.
"A committee comprised of students, faculty and staff reviewed applications that were submitted," Gutierrez said. "All nominees were picked for their leadership involvement."
Forty other SJSU students were honored with St. S. Saffold Scholarship awards, available to students with a minimum 2.5 GPA and at least 15 semester units completed.
To receive a Saffold Scholarship, students also must have shown involvement in campus life including student organizations, campus committees, sports, volunteerism and community and civic activism.
Applicants were placed into a pool and 40 of them were awarded the scholarships by the financial aid office, Gutierrez said.
"I think it's cool that every once in a while you get recognized by the university for all the time you've put in," said Lennon Protho-Jones, an A.S. 55 award winner and senior majoring in religious studies. "I think a lot of us love this campus and that's why we're here. People actually care, and they show it - they show it by putting on an award show like this."
Gold balloons, flashing cameras and a long red carpet turned the Student Union Barrett Ballroom into a party Thursday for A.S. 55, an awards ceremony that honors SJSU's student leaders, officials said.
"The original intent of this event was about celebrating unsung heroes," said Cheryl Vargas, executive director of Associated Students. "And it's evolved into the fact that everyone is a hero and we want to sing their praises, loud and strong throughout the campus."
Student leaders, staff, faculty and scholarship recipients were all honored during the event, which was started by A.S. in the late 1980s to honor those who showed outstanding commitment to the SJSU community, A.S. officials said.
"It's very encouraging that A.S. embraces this and puts this event on," university President Don Kassing said. "I think it's a wonderful thing. It shows the university's sense of community."
The main attraction of the ceremony was the exclusive recognition of 55 SJSU students, who were eligible to receive an A.S. 55 award by receiving just one nomination from a fellow student, staff or faculty member, A.S. President Alberto Gutierrez said.
"A committee comprised of students, faculty and staff reviewed applications that were submitted," Gutierrez said. "All nominees were picked for their leadership involvement."
Forty other SJSU students were honored with St. S. Saffold Scholarship awards, available to students with a minimum 2.5 GPA and at least 15 semester units completed.
To receive a Saffold Scholarship, students also must have shown involvement in campus life including student organizations, campus committees, sports, volunteerism and community and civic activism.
Applicants were placed into a pool and 40 of them were awarded the scholarships by the financial aid office, Gutierrez said.
"I think it's cool that every once in a while you get recognized by the university for all the time you've put in," said Lennon Protho-Jones, an A.S. 55 award winner and senior majoring in religious studies. "I think a lot of us love this campus and that's why we're here. People actually care, and they show it - they show it by putting on an award show like this."
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