Nancy Welch Award Recipients Named at UB

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Twelve University at Buffalo residential students have been named recipients of the Nancy Welch Award for developing, implementing or supporting creative programs and projects to benefit the university student community.

The award, now in its 25th year, is named for the former residential coordinator of UB's Rachel Carson College. First-, second- and third-place winners received a cash award and plaque.

Ayman Ezzat of Staten Island shared the first-place award with Cassie Johnson of Endicott and Ritu Sainani of Buffalo.

Ezzat won for organizing a trip in October to Six Flags Darien Lake for more than 417 students.

Johnson and Sainani won for their "Step with Soul" program that featured a performance by the UB Step Troupe, a lesson in the history of step performance and a home-cooked, soul-food dinner.

Rickey Brown of Brooklyn and Patricia Stewart of Jamaica, N.Y., shared the second-place award with the Governors Hall Council.

Brown and Stewart were recognized for their "Campus Dining Survey." The students designed a survey and collected data from more than 250 students evaluating food service at the university.

The members of the Governors council -- Gregory Brown of Buffalo, Zachary Schrader of Vestal, Michael Deeb of Tonawanda, Katherine Young of Staten Island, Brian Danielak of Hurley and Nirmit Kumar of Hampton, N.J. -- were honored for their "Haunted Hallway," a Halloween party that offered an alternative to alcohol parties. The festivities attracted more than 250 residents.

Alicia Beardsley of Portageville won the third-place award for "Powder-Puff Football," a series of events that included a football game with female players and trips to UB football games. UB football players coached the teams and refereed at the powder-puff game.