Four Blue Student-Athletes Receive Camellia Student Leadership Awards
WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Wellesley College soccer senior Krista Dong (West Orange, N.J.), track & field senior Crystalina Guo (Montgomery, N.J.) and track & field juniors Abigail Parakoyi (Houston, Texas) and Shania Baldwin (Houston, Texas) have each been named recipients of 2020 Wellesley College Camellia Student Leadership Awards.
The awards honor students who have grown as leaders during their time at Wellesley. The honorees, in full appreciation of the opportunities their time at Wellesley has presented, look inward toward their own growth and development, work collectively with diverse groups of peers, and carry their passions forward with the support of others. Like the Camellia tree, these students demonstrate grace and strength.
This year's Camellia Student Leadership Awards were announced virtually on May 6, 2020. The program and complete awards descriptions can be viewed online at www.wellesley.edu (2020 Camellia Student Leadership Awards).
Resilience in Leadership Award: Krista Dong '20
Recognizes a student who has led others in pursuit of a common goal while modeling resilience. This student has demonstrated resilient leadership through a constructive response to challenge or change.
The recipient of this year's Resilient Leadership Award has been a hard-working member of the Wellesley College Varsity Soccer Team since her first year, and she encountered a huge challenge during her senior year. Unfortunately, days into preseason as elected Captain of the team, she tore her ACL and had to abandon her plans to play in her final season. Instead of letting this get her down, she rose to the occasion. READ MORE >
Inclusive Leadership Award: Shania Baldwin '21 and Abigail Parakoyi '21
Recognizes a student or group of students who has demonstrated leadership through action that expands involvement and inclusion of peers across difference.
As the pioneering members of the Wellesley College Posse program, Baldwin, Parakoyi alongside classmates Danielle Aldrett '21, Paula DeAnda '21, Dayna De La Cruz '21, Nallely Esparza '21, Izabelle Fernandez '21, Kimberly Hernandez '21, Emely Larios '21, and May Liew '21, have together created, nurtured and grown a community that welcomes diverse perspectives, fosters growth and dialogue, and provides pathways towards inclusion and excellence for all students. READ MORE >
Creative Leadership Award: Crystalina Guo '20
Recognizes a student or group of students who has demonstrated leadership through creative problem solving, proposing a new solution to an existing challenge, or taking an unconventional approach to an existing issue.
Guo, Mar Barrera '20, Mariantonieta Chavez '20, and Ninotska Love '20 were the four organizers of this spring's Fauxmencement, worked together in moving and meaningful ways to enable their peers to celebrate the close of their senior year and participate in many of the traditions so sacred to generations of Wellesley alumnae. READ MORE >
Wellesley Athletics strives for excellence at the conference, regional, and national levels, while providing opportunities for students to achieve their potential and learn the values of discipline, leadership, critical thinking, and responsibility to oneself and others.