William Gould Award for All-Around Outstanding Achievement
![William Gould](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/William_Gould_thumb.jpg)
The Gould Award is presented to a senior in recognition of all-around outstanding achievement in the following areas:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student has held positions of leadership in organizations and/or programs; and he/she has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of others.
- Peer Relationships: The student has volunteered his/her abilities in the area of peer counseling, academic tutoring and/or other activities helpful to students in the University community, and is respected by his/her peers.
- General Services: The student has planned, initiated and/or coordinated activities within the University community relevant to furthering the strength and visibility of Black students, programs, organizations, etc.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.
Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to the University Community
![Martin Luther King](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/MLK.jpg)
The King Award is presented to a senior in recognition of outstanding service in the following areas:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student has held positions of leadership in organizations and/or participated in programs; and he/she has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of others.
- Volunteer: The student has volunteered his/her services in the area of peer counseling, academic tutoring and/or other activities helpful to persons in the University community.
- General Service: The student has planned, initiated and/or coordinated activities within the University community relevant to the University community.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty to further their leadership efforts and contribute to the University community.
Harvey Robert Turner Outstanding Service to the University of Rhode Island Black Community Award
![Harvery Robert Turner](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/HRTurner_thumb.jpg)
The Turner Award is presented to the senior who has made a significant contribution to the Black community of the University through activities which demonstrated a commitment to the community’s growth and recognition by others. The student must achieve in the following areas:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student he/she has held positions of leadership in organizations and/or participated in programs; and has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of the University’s Black community.
- Peer Relationships: The student has volunteered his/her abilities in the area of peer counseling, academic tutoring and/or other activities helpful to students in the University’s Black community, and is respected by his/her peers, especially black students.
- General Services: The student has planned, initiated and/or coordinated activities within the University community relevant to furthering the strength and visibility of Black students, programs, organizations, etc.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty to further the goals of the Black community at the University.
Reverend Arthur L. Hardge Award for Outstanding Community Service
![Arthur L. Hardge](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/ALHardge_thumb.jpg)
The Hardge Award is presented to the senior demonstrating outstanding service to the Black community outside the University. The student must achieve in the following areas:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student has held positions of leadership in organizations and/or participated in programs; and he/she has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of the off-campus Black community.
- Volunteer Service: The student has volunteered his/her services in other activities helpful the off-campus Black community.
- General Service: The student has planned, initiated and/or coordinated activities within the off-campus Black community relevant to its growth and development.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty regarding their efforts to serve the off-campus Black community.
Noreen Coachman Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Older Student
![Noreen Coachman](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/Noreen_Coachman_thumb.jpg)
The Coachman Award is presented to a senior who has achieved excellence in academic and extracurricular life while maintaining work and family responsibilities. The student must achieve in the following areas:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student has held positions of leadership in organizations and/or participated in programs and has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of others, especially the Black community.
- Family and Work Responsibilities: The student has demonstrated success in work related responsibilities and family duties.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty to further the goals of the Black community at the University.
![Estes Benson](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/Estes_Benson.jpg)
Estes Benson Award for Academic Achievement
The Benson Awards are presented to a male and a female senior
with the highest overall academic achievement based on
grade point average.
(Merit Based-Grade Point Average
provided by Office of Enrollment Services)
Sojourner Truth Award for Scholarly Persistence and Dedication
![Sojourner Truth](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/Sojourner_Truth.jpg)
The Truth Award is presented to a senior who has succeeded in spite of dire financial, physical and/or personal problems that would ordinarily impede progress. The student must have achieved in the following areas:
- Extracurricular Activities: The student has been involved in organizations and/or programs for the benefit of others, especially the Black community.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.
Jackie Robinson and Althea Gibson Awards for Athletics
These awards are given to a male (Robinson Award) and a female (Gibson Award) senior for participation in sports and distinguishing themselves in the following areas:
- Athletic Participation: The student must have held or currently holds a position on a varsity or non-varsity athletic team or club sports. Students may have been or currently participate in non-traditional sports, such as,
Capoeira.Recipients do not have to be a current member of an athletic team or organization.
- Volunteer Service: The student has volunteered his/her services in activities helpful to individuals, especially within the Black community.
- Good Sportsmanship: The student has demonstrated attributes of good sportsmanship on and off the field through positive relationships with students, faculty, and staff, especially the Black community.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.
Saint Elmo Brady Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science
![Saint Elmo Brady](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/Saint_Elmo_Brady.jpg)
The Brady Award is presented to the senior student with a high grade point average in the sciences and achieved the following:
- Organizational Leadership and Participation: The student has held positions of leadership in science organizations and/or participated in programs; and he/she has carried out those functions skillfully and successfully for the benefit of others.
- Peer Relationships: The student has volunteered his/her abilities in the area of peer counseling, academic tutoring and/or other activities helpful to students in science, and is respected by his/her peers, especially the black students.
- General Services: The student has planned, initiated and/or coordinated activities to further the strength and visibility of Black science students, programs, organizations, etc.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.
Saint Clair Drake Award for Outstanding Scholarly Research
![Saint Clair Drake](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/Saint_Clair_Drake.jpg)
The Drake Award is presented to a senior who has demonstrated the best aspects of scholarly research through the development, execution, and completion of a scholarly research project.
- Scholarly Research: The student has planned, initiated and completed independently or collaboratively an outstanding scholarly research project which may have been published and/or presented at a scholarly meeting or part of a course requirement/graduation requirement.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.
David Edmonds Award for Outstanding Artistic and Creative Expression
![David Edmonds](https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/209/David_Edmonds.jpg)
The Edmonds Award is presented to a senior who has demonstrated excellence as well as originality and creativity in the arts. The student must achieve in the following areas:
- Creative Expression: The student has created, designed and/or developed unique and original artistic works via any medium of expression.
- Competition and/or Exhibition: The student’s work must have been adjudicated and/or presented in an appropriate forum such as competition, gallery exhibition, etc.
- Academic Performance: Student nominees must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average; and senior standing of 90 credits.
- Relationships with Faculty: The student has skillfully and successfully worked with and/or engaged Black faculty.