TCU’s Celebration of University Leadership is an annual awards ceremony that honors and celebrates students who have displayed outstanding leadership on campus and in the community. This event recognizes individuals and organizations who have made a meaningful impact through service, innovation, and leadership.
Event Info
Date: April 13, 2026
Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Tucker Family Ballroom
This formal, invite-only event brings together selected students, faculty, staff, and guests to recognize the incredible contributions of TCU students. Attendees will experience a program highlighting nominees and award recipients across a variety of categories.
About the Awards
The Celebration of University Leadership features a range of awards that recognize excellence in:
- Student leadership
- Community engagement
- Organizational impact
- Innovation and initiative
Each award highlights the dedication and achievements of students who go above and beyond to shape the TCU community.
Meet The Nominees
More than 20 years ago, the idea for a scholarship grew out of a Clark Society Board meeting as a way to both directly impact students and promote awareness of the society. Clark Scholars, who have been nominated by faculty and staff, represent TCU with the highest degree of character, leadership and sense of service.
The 2026 recipients are listed below.
| Dominic Byles | Nate McCashland | Reagan Spickard |
| Jordan Eastty | Linette Del Val Medrano | Tyler Straley |
| Titus Fagan | Sarai Morales Fuentes | Cao Sam Tran |
| Shobe Manuel | Beau Simmons | Trang Phuong Vu |
The DAISY in Training Award recognizes nursing students for the above-and-beyond care and compassion shown to patients, celebrating what it truly means to be a nurse. We honor the nurse-patient connection that makes all the difference to patients and their families in their healthcare experience and that makes great nurses truly great.
| Dania Ahmed | Isaac Herrera | Simba Nyangaresi |
| Beatriz Arroyo | Zac Howerton | Dulce Sancen |
| Quinn Calhoun | Brynn Huskey | Sara Scott |
| Paige Douglass - Recipient | Eddy Marioni | Kiersten Weiler |
| Ella Farrell | Avery Grace Messner | Catherine Westover |
Religious Organization of the Year – TCU Wesley
Religious Life Leadership Award: Roshini Ruben
Footsteps of Social Justice Award: Katie Robb
Jean J. & William E. Tucker Award for Leadership & Service
This award honors a graduating student who has contributed in meaningful ways to both the local and campus communities through significant service and leadership roles. Additionally, recipients must have served as a role model to others in the tradition of Chancellor and Mrs. Tucker.
Alex Dam – Recipient
The Mission Statement Scholarship honors rising seniors who have demonstrated what it means to be an educated individual, ethical leader, responsible citizen, and member of the global community.
| Bobby Deftos | Cao (Sam) Tran | Madison Price |
| Johané Fritz | Kinsey Ganson | Oliver Mandel |
Honors a student organization that successfully planned and executed an event that fostered engagement, inclusivity, and connection within the TCU community.
| African Student Organization | TCU Management Club | |
| TCU Catholic | Illuminate | TCU Frogs for Wildlife |
| Good Neighbor Initiative | International Justice Mission | TCU Student Nursing Association |
| Italian Club - Recipient | Strike Down Cancer | The Christian Talk |
The TCU Religious Organization of the Year Award is an award presented to a TCU religious organization that has been intentional in their efforts to provide the campus community with opportunities for spiritual growth, offered service opportunities where students can care for others both on and off campus, and collaborate with other TCU organizations to serve the needs of the broader campus community.
| TCU Catholic | FOCUS | Living in Love |
| Sigma Phi Lambda | Orthodox Christian Fellowship | TCU Wesley |
The Religious Life Leadership Award focuses on a leader in TCU’s Religious & Spiritual Life Department who provides leadership, direction, and positively impacts the religious & spiritual climate on our campus. This award is for leaders who have a deep commitment to their faith, an understanding of their own tradition, and its relationship to the campus and the community.
| Hailey Gallegos | Sydney Long | Johane Fritz |
| Roshni Ruben | Joya Ogier | |
| Eleni Simatacolos | Matthew Bailey |
The Footsteps Award for Social Justice Leadership is an award presented to those who have worked to better their community and their world through social activism, grassroots organizing, and social justice education. It especially honors those that follow the thoughtful footsteps of other great leaders for social change such as the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Dorothy Day, and countless others.
| Katie Robb | Johane Fritz |
The following awards are given to students making impactful contributions to the Office of Student Identity & Engagement.
Pride Award
This award recognizes an individual or individuals for their exceptional contributions in promoting awareness of issues in the LGBTQ community and creating an inclusive campus for all gender identities and expressions.
Abby Coen – Recipient
Bold Award
The Bold award recognizes students whose contributions to leadership and service go beyond words and the intentional actions they take to improve their own development as well as the community that surrounds them.
Blessing Musau – Recipient
Beacon of Belonging Award
This recognition honors a student whose leadership is defined not by title, but by the way they cultivate belonging and connection wherever they go.
Julybeth Enriquez – Recipient
Vanguard Bridge Builder Award
This honors a student leader who intentionally creates pathways of access, belonging, and opportunity for others.
Dynasty Coe – Recipient
The Senior Legacy Awards are designed to recognize students across the University who have made an outstanding impact on the campus. Graduating and continuing seniors are eligible to be nominated by their peers, faculty, and staff. Every student nominated is an extraordinary example of an ethical leader and responsible citizen.
| Christine Abels - Recipient | Sam Brownawell - Recipient | Marcus Fan |
| Ellie Adamson - Recipient | Abby Coen | Moriah Fernandez - Recipient |
| Regan Albertson | Caroline Conkle | Lauren Garner |
| Saba Anjum- Recipient | Judah Crawford | Lilli Gonzales |
| Mar Ayala-Ortiz- Recipient | Sarah Daly | Ellie Griffin |
| Jaden Bates | Alex Dam | Jalyn Gryskiewicz |
| Tatum Harvey | Maeve Molina | Mark Sayegh |
| Alex Holder | Chase Morrison | Sameep Shah |
| Titus Hunter | Chau Nguyen | Afrin Shekh |
| Sam Hunter | Abigail Owens - Recipient | Anne Shubert |
| Brynn Huskey | Natalie Pelan | Alexis Stanley - Recipient |
| Brooklyn Hutson | Kaitlin Peña - Recipient | Joe Staubach |
| Daisy Li- Recipient | Catherine Piskurich - Recipient | Reagan Stephens - Recipient |
| Lance Lincoln | Ezra Power | Anslee Tatum |
| Adelaide Lovett- Recipient | Skandha Rajnarayanan | Claudia Urbina |
| Austen Matzig - Recipient | Grace Rickey - Recipient | Emily Wilson |
| Janea McCoy | Ryan Sanders |
The Pillar of University Leadership Awards are designed to recognize students across the University who have made an outstanding impact on the campus. First-year, sophomore, junior, and graduate students are eligible to be nominated by their peers, faculty, and staff. Every student nominated is an extraordinary example of an ethical leader and responsible citizen.
| First-Year | ||
| Amelia Allen | Kate McGuire | Anne Douglas Nunnelley - Recipient |
| Ty Bayless | Stephanie Martinez | David Rozek - Recipient |
| Derek Haselhoff - Recipient | Emmett Mitchell - Recipient | |
| Sophomore | ||
| William Bonnett | Owen Forsthoffer - Recipient | Natalie Plascencia |
| Keyshawn Cahill - Recipient | Aly Harbin - Recipient | Robby Rasberry |
| Taryn Campbell - Recipient | Miranda Hernandez - Recipient | Madison Thompson |
| Sophia Carranza | Tryn Kerandi | Davis Wagnon - Recipient |
| Jackson Ford - Recipient | Samantha Leos | Mya Young |
| Junior | ||
| Jacque Balderas - Recipient | Michelle Jordan | Roshni Ruben - Recipient |
| Caleb Bartelson | Izzy Landry - Recipient | Sydnee Salcedo - Recipient |
| Jenna Brand - Recipient | Claudia Langiulli | Isabella Sullivan |
| Ana Bueso Romero - Recipient | Nate McCashland - Recipient | Kristy Tom |
| Emma Delgado | Aidan Meek | Corey Townsend |
| Novalie Flores - Recipient | Chau Nguyen | Cao "Sam" Tran - Recipient |
| Chloe Guidry | Tam Nguyen | Claire Troshynski |
| Marisol Gutierrez - Recipient | Diego Ortiz-Segura | Sophia Tunks |
| Jackie Ha | Wyatt Peirson | |
| Janae Jackson | Natalie Pelan | |
| Graduate Students | ||
| Andrew Armstrong - Recipient | Ruston Farrington | Ethan Ridenour |
| Raika Bourmand | Caren Fayyad - Recipient | Hannah Whorton |
| Wade Burchett | Maegyn Grubbs | |
| Caroline Conkle | Angel Sheu - Recipient |
The Service Legacy Award recognizes students who act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens through service and civic engagement. Recipients have generally been involved in developing new programs or initiatives that encourage students to think more proactively about their responsibility to the community.
| Ellie Adamson | Piper Haley | Alyssa Schexnayder |
| Saba Anjum - Recipient | Spencer Lanyon | Angel Sheu |
| Sam Brownawell | Lance Lincoln | Cao "Sam" Tran |
| Alex Dam | Nate McCashland | Claudia Urbina - Recipient |
| Maegyn Grubbs | Natalie Pelan |