OMSA’S HISTORY & MISSION

2021 marks the 53th anniversary of the Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. OMSA is one of the oldest and most comprehensive support programs in the nation. OMSA began as the Special Educational Opportunity Program in the late 1960s to serve a newly admitted cohort of underrepresented students, now known as Project 500. After the success of the Project 500 initiative in 1968, the campus continued admitting underrepresented students while OMSA provided the resources they needed for success.

In this way, OMSA has embodied Illinois’ land grant mission by championing access for all students and providing a comprehensive array of college preparatory services and collegiate academic support services aimed to bolster our students’ success. Over the years, OMSA has served historically underrepresented, first generation, low-income, and other marginalized students from communities across the globe and has worked diligently with colleagues in Student Affairs and beyond in advocating for diversity, inclusion, and the establishment of a safe and welcoming environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

Although the campus has changed drastically over the last 50 years, OMSA’s commitment to providing academic support services and mentoring for underrepresented student communities have endured. Currently, OMSA coordinates more than a dozen programs and services to improve the academic success for students participating in the Educational Opportunities Program (EOP), the President’s Award Program (PAP); and students who are from historically underrepresented, first generation, or economically disadvantaged communities.

OMSA’s Mission is to provide leadership in developing, implementing, and delivering student support services designed to assist underrepresented students’ personal development, academic achievement, and graduation.

The annual Mom’s Day Scholastic Awards Ceremony began in the spring of 1969 and was known as the Black Mom’s Day. The Special Educational Opportunities Program (SEOP) recognized Project 500 and those students that achieved excellent grades in their first semester in the fall of 1968. The SEOP awards program for Black Mom’s Day was held in collaboration with the African American Cultural Program that was established in 1969. After, La Casa Cultural Latina was established in 1974, we worked closely with their staff to increase the Latino population’s participation in the ceremony. Over time this event, which started with minimal participation, became a highly anticipated and well attended annual event.

As the campus evolved, so did Mom’s Day. The event expanded to include OMSA’s expanding student population of students from the Educational Opportunity Program, the President’s Awards Program, as well as, other historically underrepresented student populations. Today, we celebrate an amazing diverse array of scholastically talented students. The quality of our students continue to drive the bar for recognition even higher.

We count it a privilege to host this amazing celebration for our best and brightest undergraduate students and their families each year.

HISTORY OF MOM’S DAY

On behalf of the staff in the Division of Student Affairs, I would like to wish you congratulations on your academic achievement!

One of the greatest honors being vice chancellor brings is the opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments during your years at Illinois. For over 50 years, the Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) has sponsored the Moms Day Scholastic Awards Ceremony, which is one of our university’s signature events recognizing students for academic excellence and success. You represent the best of who we are as a university, and today’s celebration is just one way for us to recognize your hard work, perseverance, creativity, and talents.

The University of Illinois prides itself on the academic and personal achievements of our students, and the innovative spirit they bring to addressing the critical issues that face our world. We are a university charged with enormous potential, and that potential is reflected in each Honoree today—your goals, and the commitment that you have made to yourselves to reach them. I am so very proud of all of your successes.

To the people in your lives who have helped you to get to this point, including parents, mentors, professors, family, or friends, thank you for supporting your student. You are an essential part of why they are here today.

I appreciate Director Cobb and the OMSA staff for coordinating such an important event. Congratulations once again, I wish you continuing success in your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Dr. Danita M. B. Young Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs

Dear Scholars and friends:

Welcome to the 53rd Annual Mom’s Day Scholastic Awards Ceremony. We are especially excited about this year’s celebration because it marks the return to us joining together—even virtually—to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our students! We are extremely proud of our legacy of service and support to the campus, the community, and most importantly to you our students and Illinois family. You are our most important stakeholders, and we are delighted with this opportunity to celebrate your academic accomplishments.

Poised at the crossroads of academic and student affairs, the Office of Minority Student Affairs (OMSA) is one of the oldest and most comprehensive student support programs in the nation. Since our inception, OMSA has embodied the University of Illinois’ land grant mission by championing access for all students and providing a wide array of academic services to bolster their success. Over the years, OMSA has served first-generation, low-income, and a range of historically underrepresented student communities.

As the Office of Minority Student Affairs embarks upon our next 53 years of excellence at Illinois, we affirm our commitment to championing student success, equity and inclusion, and the establishment of a welcoming, scholarly environment for all students.

Sincerely,

Domonic CobbDirector, Office of Minority Student Affairs and TRIO Programs

STUDENT SPEAKERS

Katelynn SotoSenior, Media

Nevers MushimataSenior, LAS

Ciara Johnson, Senior, LAS

Highest Honors

Iya N Caffrey

Litzi Ceron Conde

Kourtney Rose Cordes

Taylor Danielle Ferguson

Brianna Ella Huff

Brianna Morgan Juarez

Solange S Leon Vazconez

Susana Isabel Lopez

Cristina Marie Mcnamara

Roxanne Patino

Victor Jesus Reyna-Solis

Emma Brooke Riedl

Andrea Giselle Robledo

Hannah Colleen Spangler

Honors

Ivana Adetayo Adedun

Ismail Mohammed Ahmed

Caroline Wanda Dutkiewicz

Gloria-Marianna Escobar

Litzy Flores

Paola Gordillo

Breanne G Gullidge

Daniel W Holmes

Danhee Kim

Angelique Klimek

Jennifer Mariano

Kristen A Moreno

Justin Michael Murray

Shailey Noelle Park

Nora Bridget Yingting Ryan

Katelyn Ann Sanders

Esteban Solis

Vanessa Cristina Soliz

Highest Honors

Aamina-Nikole Adebayo

Adrianna M F L Althaus

Emma E Glennon

Daniela Hernandez

Johana Machuca

Ayan Njiri Walker

Honors

Tania Paola Barragan Anaya

Olivia Beth Bohleber

Brenda Bravo

Kennedy Katalinda Campbell

Olivia Marie Chester

Tashara Javon Davis

Adriana Guevara

Hadiya Chaya Jagroop

Melanie Victoria Masalski

Jade Winter C Oribello

Nijah Ariyanna Wynter Randolph

Angel D Rodriguez

Zaria P Syfu

Carolina Valenzuela

Alyssa C Zirngibl

Highest Honors

Hafsa Amir

Michael Astorga

Angela Alyssa Hernandez

Brian Oviedo

Aiah O Radwan

Alivia Marie Thomas

Carolyn Liliana Trankle

Olivia Rose Wantuck

Kaijing Yan

Honors

Jennifer Bautista

Gabriela Bernal

Camden C Cortes

Diana Graciano

Darriel Lynnya Hargrett

Xinyan Lin

Highest Honors

Tangela Mya Norals

Lonye Allen

Kaiya C Bernard

Veronica Espinoza

Gregory Kyungwu Jun

Sydney Bree Taylor

Anna Wymoczyl

Honors

Kejsi Ago

Yetzareli Badillo-Acosta

Kiyla M Clincy

Grace Lian Crawford

Dhanai Haderaj

Anna Nawara

Pedro Ocampo

Felipe David Pallo Rivadeneira

Diana Roque

Nina Marie Shearrill

Kristina Rose Wilson

Highest Honors

Calia Annmarie Brooks

Shana Le-Nae Calhoun

Alancia King

Raina Kutliroff

Qianxu Luo

Emma Lynn Messman

Ruby Elana Pelayo

Jernesha Walls

Jamie Corona Young

Honors

Yulissa Trinidad Alcantar

Mia Isabella Escobar

Erin Rachel Molay

Ariana Grace Pestano-Holt

Sabrina Resendiz

Abril Salinas

Rayna Lucile Zirkelbach

Highest Honors

Jesus Francisco Alvarado Garcia

Mariana Conde

Nicholas Arthur Dailey

Ying Qi Guan

Stefan R Kamzol

Basit Faheem Malik

Teagan Anoop Mathur

Stephanie Marie Mireles

Xiangyu Wang

Honors

Teresa McClafferty Barrett

David John Moskal

Long Bao Nguyen

Sarah Schaber

Alexander A Sudrzynski

Vongai Tizora

Andrea Vivar

Highest Honors

Faith Destiny Brown

Latrel Crawford

Emmerson Doody

Madeline Paige Farace

Shauri Elizabeth Gonzalez

Kathrine Mary Koncel

Courtney Anne Mazeika

Emma Teresa Osuna

Livia T Pereira

Erika N Pogorzelska

Alejandro Edgar Pulido

Natalie Qiancui Wess

Honors

Veronica Alarcon

Kayla Marie Baldwin

Sarah Kaleen Clement

Jenny Han

Rachel Ann Lyons

Christopher A Moore

Valerie Nicole Ortiz

Tyler Nicole Palmer

Malaika Isis Spencer

Ruixuan Zhao

Highest Honors

Precious Adebayo

Faith Adebusola Adekeye

Lydia Socorro Alvarez

Maria Elizabeth Becerra

Patricia Jalanise Bejarano

Zolzaya Byambasuren

Arielle M Capel

Savannah Cornejo Garcia

Taylor Jolene Eastwood

Amaya Leigh Ellis

Brandon Antonio Garcia

Miranda Castora Gonzalez

Hayley Jade Henderson

Alex Hernandez

Artemio Herrera

Ciara Lauren Johnson

Jiho Kahng

Claudia Kobylarczyk

Emmanuel Fangyong Kuma

Samantha Lopez

McKenzie Mercedez Macon

Taylor Ann Mazique

Isabella Jean Medina

Kimberly Ornelas

Ashley Nicole Owen

Charmi Sanjay Patel

Rica Gale Pender

Brianna Miranda Perez

Angelina Popovic

Ahmad Yaser Ramahi

Krystal Jasmine Sanchez

Jerusha Ratna Seesala

Kyle Evan Louis Semper

Ashley Serna

Erin Louise Smith

Madeline J Stamas

Kruti P Thakkar

Anna Maria Wach

Honors

Oluwaseun N Adediran

Iqra Azfar

Maria Esperanza Carrasco

Luisa D Carrillo

Jordyn Rae Carton

Abigail Corral

Kacie Lynn Cusick

Kimora Custon

Jessica Mary Cuthbert

Catalina Desmond-Lopez

Alejandro Diaz

Olabisi Adebusayo Efunnuga

Savannah Maria Fisher

Amber Haines

Ethan L Harlan

Mercedes H Heredia-Ferran

Alondra Herrera

Kevin Ki Pyo Hong

Ciera Kathleen Johnson

Katarzyna Julia Klimek

Samantha Catherine Knight

Samantha H Kraus

Briajia Levi

Ruben Martinez

Jasmine Medina

Honors (cont.)

Xiadani Rocio Mendoza

Emily Rose Mielke-Hauben

Katherine Elizabeth Miles

Evelyn Montiel

Nevers M Mushimata

Mariam Jihane Ouzidane

Claudia Irene Pensamiento

Victoria Renee Perez

Alina Popatia

Jessica Paula Ramirez

Yolanda Rivera

Keeley Lyn Robinson

Citlalli Ruiz

Marlene Santos

Abdul Wasay Siddiqui

Sofia K Sinnokrot

Breana Kalise Spight

Mia Spina

Kaylyn Stone

Erinn Janell Thomas

Sera Trigo

Andrew Harrison White

Tszyan Wong

Hailey Amaya Zizumbo

Klaudia Zwijacz

Highest Honors

Tristen Monet Clark

Honors

Megann Elizabeth Billedo

Katelynn Abigail Soto

Mario Deshone Wiggins

Benedicte Yenyi Mulumba

Highest Honors

Denise Bahena

Honors

Mateo Bobby Strainis

Highest Honors

Guadalupe E Garcia

Rileigh Nicole Kilgore

Aleksandar Lucic

Kristian A Nelson

Honors

Emily Rose Gawel

Abigail Hernandez

Khayla Tanae Moore

Ta'ah Sharae Tompkins

Sydnie Marie Vahling

Congratulations!

Domonic Cobb* Director, Office of Minority Student Affairs & TRIO Programs

Kimberly Alexander-BrownSenior Associate Director, Student Success

Dr. Nameka BatesAssistant Director, TRIO McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement

Brian BeckerStudent Success Advisor, Academic Outreach Advisor

Curtis K. Blanden, Sr.Assistant Director, TRIO Talent Search

Grace CasillasAssistant Director, Tutoring and Instructional Services

Angela Clark TerrallBusiness Administrative Associate

Vincent CunninghamAssociate Director, TRIO Programs

Sabrina Donegan*Assistant Director, TRIO Upward Bound

Dr. Betoel Escobar*Assistant Director, TRIO Student Support Services

Danette GriffithStudent Success Advisor, Advising & Mentoring

Jamil Henderson*Precollege Advisor, TRIO Upward Bound

Jennifer JenkinsOffice Support Specialist

Rose Julius*Extra Help Office Administrator

Hannah MattinglyOffice Support Specialist

Amanda McGuireOffice Support Specialist

Clare Pratt*Student Success Advisor, TRIO Student Support Services

Jazmine Thompson*Academic Support Program Specialist, Academic Mentoring Programs & Services

Courtney ValentinePrecollege Advisor, TRIO Talent Search

Haro WadeStudent Success Advisor, Advising & Mentoring

Dr. Ryan Young*Research & Assessment Analyst, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Victoria ZeterStudent Success Advisor, TRIO Student Support Services

* Denotes Members of the Mom’s Day Planning Committee*

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