2023
The ninth annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 21, 2023.
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Quoron Walker, School of Fine Arts |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Michelle Everard, Office of the Provost; Lyndsey Masterson, Student Activities |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Joanna Rivera Davis, First Year Programs & Learning Communities – Academic Achievement Center |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Kathy Erickson, History Department; Brandy Nelson, School of Business Undergraduate Programs |
| Team Award Winner | Graduate School: Graduate Student & Postdoctoral Affairs Team |
| Team Award Finalists | Office of Clinical Placement Coordination (OCPC), Facilities Snow Team Equipment Operators |
| University Citizen Award Winner | Shoshana Armington, Engineering Undergraduate Programs |
| University Citizen Award Finalists | Heather Parker, History Department; Susana Ulloa, Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS) |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Winner | Ada Rivera, academic Achievement Center |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Finalists | Justin Cheney, UConn Police Department |
| Behind the Scenes Award Winner |
Ivette Santiago, Stamford Campus – Operations |
| Behind the Scenes Award Finalists |
Richard Knowlton, Facilities Operations; Roberto Rios, Facilities Operations |
2022
The eighth annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 9, 2022.
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Carly Koebel, Political Science |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Mikala Kane, School of Nursing; Liane Lussier-Smith, Social Work Instruction and Research |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Mary Margaret Smith, Animal Science |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Jessica Baker, School of Business, Graduate Programs; Christin Donnelly, Geosciences |
| Team Award Winner | Custodian Employees – all Campuses |
| Team Award Finalists | CLAS Shared Services Facilities Team, The Dodd Center for Human Rights Dedication Event Team, SHaW Administrative Team |
| University Citizen Award Winner | Cody Ryan, 1st Year Programs and Learning Communities |
| University Citizen Award Finalists | Renee Constant, Student health and Wellness; Tracy Rittenhouse, Natural Resources and the Environment |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Winner | Lara Chiaverini, Computer Science and Engineering |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Finalists | Yudelka Nunez-Gonzalez, Financial Aid; Bidya Ranjeet, Center for Academic Programs (CAP) |
| Behind the Scenes Award Winner |
Kathy Koji, School of Pharmacy |
| Behind the Scenes Award Finalists |
Mark Davis, Facilities Mechanical and Plumbing Services; Lorraine St. Clair, Department of Extension, New Haven County |
2021
The seventh annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 25, 2021.
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Edward Junhoa Lim, University Libraries |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Erin Ciarimboli, Enrichment Programs/CETL; William Davenport, Department of Extension, Litchfield |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Hengameh Vosough, Campus Technology Services |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Sirrah Galligan, Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences; Amanda Wilde, ISS First Year Program and Learning Community |
| Team Award Winner | Dean of Students Office |
| Team Award Finalists | CETL: Education Technologies and Learning Initiatives Team; Office of the Registrar; SHaW COVID-19 Morning Huddle; Center for Clean Energy Engineering Support Team Staff |
| University Citizen Award Winner | Kay Gruder, Career Development Center |
| University Citizen Award Finalists | Eva Gorbants, Fine Arts; Sherry Zane, Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Winner | Lisa Famularo, Career Development Center |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Finalists | Dr. Willena Kempson Price, African American Cultural Center; Dr. Chao Song, Student Health and Wellness |
2020
The sixth annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on February 27, 2020.
President Tom Katsouleas and Jonathan the Husky pose with 2020 UConn Spirit awards recipients at the Wilbur Cross North Reading Room on Feb. 27, 2020. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Claudia Pina, Mental Health Resource Center-UConn Waterbury |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Michele Magliulo, Residential Life-UConn Stamford; Jonathan Ramos, Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Brian Boecherer, Executive Director, Office of Early College Experience |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Dawn Benjamin, Administrative Specialist, Undergraduate Student Government; Angela Brightly, Associate Campus Director, UConn Waterbury |
| Team Award Winner | Regional Campus Mental Health Resource Center: Jessica Musgrove, Katlyn Griffin, Claudia Pina, Cody Bergeron |
| Team Award Finalists | Central Warehouse; Safety Techniques and Awareness Resource Team |
| University Citizen Award Winner | Haleh Ghaemolsabahi, Director, Campus Technology Services |
| University Citizen Award Finalists | Kimberly Colon, Assistant Director, Office of Community Standards; Jen Person, Director, Payroll |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Winner | Hilarie Jones, Student Health and Wellness |
| Inclusive Excellence Award Finalists | Monique Cooper, Center for Career Development; Professor Linda Halgunseth, Department of Human Development and Family Studies |
2019
The fifth annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 28, 2019.
Rising Star Award winner Helena DeBald of First Year Programs and Learning Communities speaks at the UConn Spirit Awards ceremony held at the Alumni Center on March 28, 2019. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Helena DeBald, First Year Programs and Learning Communities |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Sarah Aggarwala, Student Health Services; Emily Zangari, University Communications |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Ellyssa Eror, Student Health Services |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Mary Ann Phaneuf, School of Pharmacy; Anonymous |
| Team Award Winner | Veterans Affairs and Military Programs: Alyssa Kelleher, Nikki Eberly, Daniel Kowalchik, Rob Passmore, Jonathan Ramos, Elizabeth Little, Jonathan Bartolotta, Paul Hanlon |
| Team Award Finalists | Center for Career Development, Diversity and Inclusion Committee: Monique Cooper, Amelinda Vazquez, Ana Clara Blesso, Eran Peterson, Nancy Bilmes, Ashley Brownin, Kay Gruder
International Student and Scholar Services: Rae Alexander, Catherine Barachkova, Libby Bush, Jason Escalera, Dana Foster, Arthur Galinat |
| University Citizen Award Winner | Cinnamon Adams, Graduate School |
| University Citizen Award Finalists | Mary Boston, Student Health Services; Pamela Heath-Johnston, Human Resources |
2018
The fourth annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 20, 2018.
Winners of the Spirit Awards pose for a photo with Jonathan the Husky at the Wilbur Cross North Reading Room on March 20, 2018. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Bianka Horvath, Off Campus Student Services |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Bridget Inzirillo, Office of the Provost; Christie Soltys, Honors Program |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Stacey Stearns, Extension |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Micki Bellamy, Physics; Brandon Murray, Office of the Provost |
| Team Award Winner | Hartford Campus Staff & Administration |
| Team Award Finalists | Greenhouse Studios Working Group: Tom Scheinfeldt, Clarissa Ceglio, Greg Colati, Brendan Kane and Sara Sikes
University Events and Conference Services: Wendy Baker, Kate Copeland, Amy Erhart, Harley Erickson, Robbin Haboian-Demircan, Anne Hill, Juliet Kapsis, Carolyn Postemski, Lauren Schaller, Cara Workman and Karen Zajac |
| Outstanding Peer Award Winner | Kelly Wihbey, Office of Budget and Planning |
| Outstanding Peer Award Finalists | Bryanna Anderson, Center for Students with Disabilities; Ashlee Stone, Student Health Services |
2017
The third annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on April 25, 2017.
President Susan Herbst and Jonathan the Husky pose with UConn Spirit Awards recipients at the Wilbur Cross South Reading Room on April 25, 2017. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Omar Andujar, OACE, Minor Protection |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Amelinda Vazquez, Center for Career Development; Nicole Bruno, Student Activities |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Melissa Foreman, First Year Experience and Learning Communities |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Karen Bresciano, Dean of Students; Anonymous, Department of English |
| Team Award Winner | CLAS Business Services Center Team: Kane Lynch, Michelle Cahill, Amanda Cobb, Melissa Gugliotti, James Ouellette, Caroline Jadovich, Beth Bernobich, Allison Goldsnider, Francesca D’Antonio, Gabrielle Fish, Kyle Lewis, Nick Franconi |
| Team Award Finalists | Core E Team: Diane Bartlett, Linda Cunningham, Brian Delventhal, Chris Kelly, Irvin Cruz, Juan Perez Expanded Food and Nutritional Program Team: Mike Puglisi, Heather Peracchio, Sharon Gray, Heather Pease, Angela Caldera, Doris Little, Mickey Taylor, Zoraida Velazquez, Toni Ellis, Dianisi Torres, Erica Benvenuti |
| Outstanding Peer Award Winner | John Armstrong, Off Campus Student Services |
| Outstanding Peer Award Finalists | MiChelle Pereira Lopes, OVPR Sponsored Program Services; Milagros Marrero-Johnson, School of Social Work |
2016
The second annual UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 8, 2016.
Left to right, Pat Moriarty, Valerie Kiefer, Cindy Walsh, Hilarie Jones, Melanie Kraus, and Virginia Shea (not pictured), of the Student Health Services Sexual Assault Team, received the Team Award at the UConn Spirit Awards on March 8, 2016. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)
The winners and finalists were:
| Rising Star Award Winner | Aneesa Bey, Chemistry Department |
| Rising Star Award Finalists | Emily Merritt, Center for Career Development; Rebecca Blackett, Residential Life |
| Unsung Hero Award Winner | Renee Boggis, Human Resources |
| Unsung Hero Award Finalists | Michael “Mickey” Gorman, Facilities; John Parmelee, Dramatic Arts |
| Team Award Winner | Student Health Services Sexual Assault Team: Pat Moriarty, Hilarie Jones, Melanie Kraus, Valerie Kiefer, Virginia Shea, Cindy Walsh |
| Team Award Finalists | Center for Career Development Team: Amanda Carchedi, Ashley Pedersen, Beth Settje, Bryant Allen, Darlene Reynolds, Emily Merritt, Eran Peterson, Jennifer Grunwald, John Bau, Kay Gruder, Laura Evangelista, Lee Hameroff, Lisa McGuire, Michael Petro, Nancy Bilmes, Pamela Zagami, Paul GagnonExtension Master Gardener Program Team: Leslie Alexander, Julia Cencebaugh-Kloth, Regina Campfield, David Lewis, Jude Hsiang, Sarah Bailey, Gail Reynolds, Deb Prior, Deb Lee, Susan Munger |
| Outstanding Peer Award Winner | Carol Millette, Women’s Center |
| Outstanding Peer Award Finalists | Fe Delos-Santos, Asian and Asian American Studies Institute; Laura Hills, Education Abroad |
2015
The first UConn Spirit Awards ceremony was held on March 4, 2015.
Recipients of the 2015 UConn Spirit awards pose for photo with President Susan Herbst and Jonathan the Husky during an event held at the Student Union Ballroom on March 4, 2015. (Peter Morenus/UConn Photo)
Here are the winners:
| Rising Star Award | Ashley Hazelton, Office of Community Outreach |
| Unsung Hero Award | Inda Watrous, Department of English |
| Team Award | CHIP Administrative Team: Kelsey Barton-Henry, Josh Hardin, Lynne Hendrickson, Susan Hoge, Beth Krane,Lisa McDevitt, Kathy Moriarty, Melissa Stone, Chris Tarricone, and AnnMarie White |
| Peer Award | Karen DeMeola, Assistant Dean of Students at UConn Law |