{"667278":{"#nid":"667278","#data":{"type":"news","title":"2023 Tower Awards Honors Academic Excellence Past and Present","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201c[Tonight] is a great realization of efforts started many years ago\u201d stated Dr. Gavin Samms, former OMED (Office of Minority Educational Development) director. Under Samms\u0027 leadership, the annual Tower Awards was created in 1995.\u0026nbsp; \u201cEven though we were featured in the \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1994\/06\/29\/us\/to-raise-the-performance-of-minorities-a-college-increased-its-standards.html?pagewanted=all\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ENew York Times\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, the Washington Post, we had people coming from all over \u003C\/span\u003E\u2013\u0026nbsp;\u003Cspan\u003Efrom South Africa, Canada, asking how we did it?\u201d, referring to the record-breaking academic performance of students of color in the mid-\u201990s. \u201c\u2026but The journey continues.\u201d \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOn Thursday, April 6, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, \u003Cspan\u003EOMED recognized more than 2,200 \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/diversity.gatech.edu\/student-support\/omed\/about-omed\/omed-events\/tower-awards\/tower-awards-eligibility\u0022\u003Eeligible students\u003C\/a\u003E from traditionally underrepresented groups for their academic achievements. Over 1,000 viewers watched the ceremony online.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cA different way of saying being underrepresented is that you are unique. Your uniqueness is your superpower that will make you successful in whichever area you decide to go after [when you leave] Georgia Tech,\u201d said President Cabrera.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThis year\u2019s ceremony sought to highlight pillars of both the OMED community and their undeniable historical significance in fostering student excellence at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp; The inaugural Tower Legacy Award was presented to Dr. Gavin Samms.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFirst-year student, Jasmine D. Walker \u003Cspan\u003Ewas awarded \u003C\/span\u003Ethe Dorothy Yancy Scholarship: \u003Cspan\u003Ea scholarship named\/endowed by Georgia Tech\u2019s first Black faculty member promoted to tenure, Dr. Dorothy Yancy\u003C\/span\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EKelley Collier IV was presented the GTBAO Unsung Hero Award named in remembrance of distinguished alumnae Valerie Dial Thomas.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EStudents received Tower awards for their stellar performance in several categories, including Sustained Awards, Yearly Awards, Transfer\/Dual-Degree Awards, First-Year Awards, Graduating Senior Awards, Master\u2019s Awards, and Ph.D. Awards.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EIn addition, the following students were presented with special awards:\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFirst-Year Impact Award \u2013 Julian Dudley\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOMED Impact Awards \u2013 Nia Bellamy, Julia R. Francois, Lauren M. Hester, Assata I. Quinichet, Maripaz Rodriguez\u0026nbsp;Pacheco, Kemuel Y. Russell, Miyang E. Tamanji\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOMED Champion Award \u2013 Morgan Wright\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u201cEach of you has your own narrative infused with obstacles that you have overcome that many don\u2019t even have to consider or see. So, your presence here tonight is a testament to your intellectual fortitude and aptitude,\u201d said Dr. Sybrina Atwaters, director of OMED. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOver 25 corporate partners and sponsors provided giveaways that were raffled off throughout the night.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor more information about the Tower Awards, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/diversity.gatech.edu\/student-support\/omed\/about-omed\/omed-events\/tower-awards\u0022\u003Eomed.gatech.edu\/events\/tower-awards\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003ETo watch a recording of the ceremony, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@omedatgeorgiatech9901\u0022\u003EOMED YouTube Channel\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EOn Thursday, April 6, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, \u003Cspan\u003EOMED recognized more than 2,200 eligible students from traditionally underrepresented groups for their academic achievements. Over 1,000 viewers watched the ceremony online.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"On Thursday, April 6, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center, OMED recognized more than 2,200 eligible students from traditionally underrepresented groups for their academic achievements."}],"uid":"36289","created_gmt":"2023-04-12 16:23:20","changed_gmt":"2023-04-27 18:26:11","author":"jcao335","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-04-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-04-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"670510":{"id":"670510","type":"image","title":"2023 Tower Awards","body":"\u003Cp\u003ETower Awards celebrate the academic achievements of traditionally underrepresented students at Georgia Tech. This year\u2019s ceremony recognizing the academic achievements of students who have achieved a 3.15 GPA or higher was held on April 6, 2023, at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681315143","gmt_created":"2023-04-12 15:59:03","changed":"1681315207","gmt_changed":"2023-04-12 16:00:07","alt":"Special award honorees with trophies at the 2023 Tower Awards Ceremony","file":{"fid":"253380","name":"TASPR23-356_3.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/12\/TASPR23-356_3.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/12\/TASPR23-356_3.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":630395,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/12\/TASPR23-356_3.jpg?itok=KwKBmD9_"}},"670511":{"id":"670511","type":"image","title":"2023 Tower Legacy Award Honoree - Dr. Gavin Samms","body":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDr. Gavin Samms, former managing partner of OMED, received the inaugural Tower Legacy Award for his leadership in OMED\u2019s efforts to achieve parity for black students\u2019 performance at Georgia Tech and the foundation of Tower Awards.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1681316833","gmt_created":"2023-04-12 16:27:13","changed":"1681317040","gmt_changed":"2023-04-12 16:30:40","alt":"Dr. Gavin Samms, 2023 Tower Legacy Award Honoree, and Dr. Sybrina Atwaters, director of OMED","file":{"fid":"253381","name":"thumbnail_TASPR23-372.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/12\/thumbnail_TASPR23-372.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/04\/12\/thumbnail_TASPR23-372.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":135029,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/04\/12\/thumbnail_TASPR23-372.jpg?itok=4TW5KPZc"}}},"media_ids":["670510","670511"],"groups":[{"id":"1313","name":"Institute Diversity"},{"id":"1307","name":"Office of Minority Education and Development (OMED)"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185907","name":"idei"},{"id":"185804","name":"IDEI awards"},{"id":"736","name":"diversity"},{"id":"190292","name":"diversity equity and inclusion"},{"id":"21701","name":"Tower Awards"},{"id":"6971","name":"Office of Minority Educational Development"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJie Cao \u003C\/strong\u003E(he\/him)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nMarketing \u0026amp; Event Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nInstitute Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\njie.cao@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDenise Ocasio-Thomas\u003C\/strong\u003E (she\/her\/ella)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nAssistant Director\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nOMED: Educational Services\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\ndothomas@gatech.edu\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}