Past Awardees

2022 - M Pease

M Pease is a senior Psychology major with minors in Asian American studies and Public Leadership. They engage in student leadership and research efforts towards social justice and equity especially focusing on mental health disparities. Post-graduation, M will pursue doctoral study in counseling psychology working in support of marginalized communities.

2021 - Alexis Williams

Alexis Williams majors in Mathematics. She serves as a leader in Connecting Campus Queers and Allies, Women2Women, and Pride Alliance. Alexis will be starting her graduate degree in math education this fall and plans to focus on those students who feel they don't have a voice in the mathematics classroom.

2020 - Jaime Atilano

Jaime is a Marketing and Supply Chain Management double major in the Robert H. Smith School of Business. First recognized as an LGBT Rising Star in their freshman year, Jamie has since worked tirelessly to support LGBTQ+ communities through their involvement with Pride Alliance, the Student Government Association, and the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce.

2019 - Stacey Mannuel

Stacey Mannuel is a Bioengineering major, additionally pursuing the LGBT Studies Certificate. Born in Indonesia, Stacey moved to the United States at fifteen to start college. Stacey is the President of oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) and the Events Coordinator for the Lavender Leadership Honor Society.

2018 - Max Balagtas-Badoy

Max is a senior Psychology and Philosophy double major and an LGBT Studies Certificate from Gaithersburg, Maryland. He serves as the President/Co-Board Facilitator of Pride Alliance, Facilitator of True Colors of Maryland, Student Leader in Queer Camp, and as the LGBTQ+ Community Organizing Student Intern in the Office of Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy, among other achievements.

2017 - Cooper Kidd

Cooper Kidd is a transfer student and Sociology major from Olney, MD. He is involved in TransU (Facilitator), Terps for Recovery (Secretary), Triota (Member), and Lavender Leadership Honor Society (Member). Awards include Phi Theta Kappa, Women and Gender Studies Department Award for Excellence and Research, and the 20 Under 20 Youth Leadership Award. Advocacy outside of campus includes with the Library of Congress, The GLBT Historical Society and Museum, The National Park Service, and SMYAL. He was also invited to speak at a roundtable at the U.S. Education Department on how to better assist students in using the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity.

2016 - Samantha Sauter

Samantha Souter is a College Park Arts Scholar and an Environmental Science and Policy major with a concentration on Society and Environmental Issues. She has served as President of Pride Alliance and the Lavender Leadership Honor Society, was Co-Music Director of Mockappella, a DJ at WMUC, a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary, the VP of Connections and Inclusion for the Residence Hall Association, and a volunteer with Food & Friends. She received the award for Resident Assistant of the Year in 2015, and has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the LGBT members of the UMD community.

2015 - Aubrey DiBello

Aubrey is a senior Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics major. She was a founding member and first president of Theta Pi Sigma “frarority,” an inclusive Greek organization focused on the growth and development of the queer community. In this role, she led a number of philanthropic and educational endeavors. Aubrey is also an undergraduate researcher and has been recognized as a Maryland Parents Association Scholar.

2014 - Mindy Wu

Mindy Wu is a History major, Rawlings Fellow, and Certificate holder in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies with an impressive 3.94 GPA. Mindy has advocated for a more inclusive campus community for LGBT students in all of her campus involvements which have included serving as president of the Peer Leadership Council, Resident Assistant, Learning Assistance Services Peer Educator, and Intern with Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy. She has taken her advocacy work to Washington, DC where she interned at the U.S. Senate as well as the Human Rights Campaign. She was instrumental in advocating for more gender inclusive housing on campus.

2013 - Elysha Valera

Elysha Valera is a senior psychology major and has been highly involved in many different organizations and initiatives on campus. Most recently, she served as the co-director of the Asian American Student Union’s F.U.E.L Conference where she brought together multiple national organizations to discuss LGBT issues among the Asian American community. Elysha was also the creator and producer of The Queer Monologues, a performance aimed at sharing and celebrating the diverse stories of the queer community in order to promote awareness and inclusiveness on campus. She has been a champion of social change on campus all while maintaining a 3.9 GPA in the Psychology program.

2012 - Hannah Spiro

Hannah’s service to the LGBT community, the focus of the Lorde-O’Leary award, has been primarily through her work with Hamsa, the Jewish LGBTQQIA student organization on campus. In Hamsa, she has been Vice President of Education and most recently, President. Hannah has also served as President of the Reform Jewish Community, been a member of the Maryland Hillel Committee for Religious Life, and participated in many community service activities.

2011 - Mai Tran

2011 - Aaron Shapiro

2010 - Jenna Brager

2009 - C.J. Rock

2008 - Andrew Bowen

2007 - Alexander Truesdale Perry

2007 - Sara Jaye Sanford

2006 - Benjamin Snow

2005 - Kara Kyle Czeh

2004 - William Andrew Walther

2003 - Adriana Falco

2002 - Dolores Bernal

2001 - Julia Wojciechowski

2000 - Michelle Tobe

1999 - Megan Duffy

1999 - Hugh McGowan