By Megan Walsh, Staff Writer
The first ever Olive Plunkett Awards Ceremony occurred Wednesday night at The Hofstra University Club and was hosted by Hofstra's Nexus Yearbook in conjunction with the Student Government Association (SGA).
Kenny Cordero, creator of the Olive Plunkett Awards, as well as the Greek section editor for Nexus, explained that Olive Plunkett inspired these 25 awards. She was the first Nexus Editor-in-Chief and proved to be an outstanding member of the Hofstra community.
"The awards were started to create a peer community," said Cordero. "It's about students recognizing their peers and other factors that help them to be successful." He then went on to explain that anyone could place a nomination through a Google Doc link revealed in flyers throughout the school.
According to Carrie Lones, Vice Chair of the Olive Plunkett Awards and Nexus Copy Editor, "On a promotional level, it gets Nexus' name out. On a different level, I hope I can speak for Nexus and SGA by saying we also think there are a lot of amazing people on this campus who are overlooked when they should be recognized for their deeds around this campus. We have what, more than 10,000 students and who knows how many faculty members on this campus, and a lot aren't even known to the general public."
"The award was created this year because it's the 75th Anniversary of Hofstra and the yearbook. We wanted to do something to celebrate the work we have done as a staff over the past few years but also the work all the yearbook staffs have done in the last 75 years. It seemed only appropriate to celebrate our founder, and as far as I know the only four year Editor-in-Chief, Olive Plunkett," said Svenja van den Woldenberg, Co-Editor-in-Chief of Nexus Yearbook.
The recipients and the awards distributed in this year's ceremony were:
Outstanding New Organization: Hofstra Afrikan Student Organization
Outstanding Academic Organization: Health and Wellness Club
Outstanding Media Organization: Hofstra Filmmakers Club
Outstanding Multicultural Organization: Hofstra Organization of Latin Americans
Outstanding Performance Organization: Imani Dance Ensemble
Outstanding Pre-Professional Organization: Public Relations Student Society America
Outstanding Religious Organization: Newman Club
Outstanding Social Organization: Entertainment Unlimited
Outstanding Social/Political Organization: Students for a Greener Hofstra
Outstanding Sports Organization: Women's Club Lacrosse
Outstanding Fraternity: Phi Iota Alpha, Fraternity Inc.
Outstanding Sorority: Phi Epsilon Sorority
Outstanding Administrative Assistant: Anna Arena
Outstanding Alumnus: Anita Ellis
Outstanding Club Advisor: Rosie Scavuzzo
Outstanding Professor: Mary-Ann Allison
Outstanding Athlete: Matt Farra
Outstanding Freshman Leaders: Mariel Carbone & Dennis Vasquez Montes
Outstanding Sophomore Leaders: Haley Tynes & Agnes Mathenge
Outstanding Junior Leaders: Omar Peele & Amy-Lee Levey
Outstanding Senior Leaders: Andreina Nunez & Yaneke Douglas.