From the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association to the Wrestling Club and everything in between, Cal State Fullerton was home to 330 student organizations during the 2017-18 academic year.
Recognizing the contributions of student organizations to the university and community, the Office of Student Life and Leadership hosted its fourth annual Tuffy Awards May 3 in the Titan Student Union.
“Student organizations are a large part of the Titan experience and provide students with the opportunity to learn and grow in areas that interest them most,” said Gleanne Kienzler, student organizations coordinator. “By getting involved, students meet new people, learn about themselves and the world around them, develop leadership skills and become better prepared for their careers.”
Nominated by the campus community, the Tuffy Awards are sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs and the Student Success Initiative. Recipients of this year’s awards include:
- Adviser of the Year: Risto Marttinen, assistant professor of kinesiology, Physical Education Teacher Education Club
- Emergent Organization of the Year: Upsilon Theta Tau
- Collaborative Program of the Year: Geek Night
- Outstanding Advocate of the Year: Ana Aldazabal, communications major
- Titans in Action Award: Community Service Programs
- Program of the Year: Engineering and Computer Science Diversity and Leadership Summit, Association for Computing Machinery and Association for Computing Machinery-Women
- President of the Year: Andrew Vo, communications major, Public Relations Student Society of America
- Student Organization of the Year: Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc., Gamma Lambda Chapter
- Titans’ Choice Award: Business Inter-Club Council
- Titans Leaving Their Legacies: Joelle Emilie Ngo, business administration major
“The Public Relations Student Society of America gave me the experience and knowledge needed to enter the industry as a freshman,” said Vo, who is graduating this spring and aspires to own a public relations agency. “Through my involvements with PRSSA, I have been able to complete numerous internships while building strong and meaningful connections.”
Ngo, who served as chair of the Community Service Interclub Council, plans to pursue a career in corporate citizenship. “Being part of student organizations has introduced me to some of my closest friends, allowed me to give back to the community and showed me what I am passionate about,” she said. “These experiences have not only shaped my leadership and professional skills, but also led me to know which career I want to pursue.”