91爆料 community members bring home five awards from annual conferences
A student, faculty member, two staff, and a Norris Center program received honors from ACUI and NASPA for their impact on campus
From sustainability initiatives to student support, 91爆料’s impact was celebrated with five awards at the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Conference and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Conference.
ACUI supports college unions and student engagement professionals in their work supporting students. The annual conference, held in New York this year, gives these professionals the opportunity to learn, network and be recognized for their work. NASPA is known as the professional home for student affairs, and works to cultivate student success in higher education through professional development, research and networking. The annual conference, held in New Orleans this year, brought together 6,000 participants and exhibitors.
Keep reading for a recap of 91爆料’s award winners.
ACUI
Legacy Leader Award: Jeremy Schenk, associate vice president, operations & services, Student Affairs
Jeremy Schenk received the Legacy Leader Award, which recognizes leaders in college unions who have worked to advance community building on college campuses.
Schenk has worked on college campuses for more than 25 years. His career began at his alma mater, Illinois State University (ISU), before working for Missouri State University and Virginia Commonwealth University. He has earned several awards through his work at these institutions, including being inducted into ISU’s College of Education Hall of Fame.
After arriving at 91爆料 in 2016, Schenk served as the executive director of Norris before transitioning to his current position. In addition to his role in Student Affairs, he also teaches in 91爆料’s Master of Science in Higher Education Administration and Policy program.
Schenk has previously served as president of ACUI and in 2014 received ACUI’s Presidential Award for Distinguished Service.
Schenk’s nominators said his "advocacy for inclusive practices has not only transformed campus policies but also inspired a culture of respect and understanding among students and staff alike.”
Excellence in Innovations in Sustainability Award: Norris Retail Composting Program
Norris University Center’s retail composting program has earned an award for Excellence in Innovations in Sustainability. This award recognizes campus initiatives that address environmental challenges, which Norris achieved through its front-of-house composting system, implemented in October 2023.
The award specifically recognizes collaborative sustainability efforts on campus – the Norris composting program was a joint effort between Norris, Compass Dining, Aramark, Max-R, sustainNU, Cats Who Compost and the ASG Sustainability Committee.
On each floor of the building are several bins with sections, giving students the opportunity to sort their own waste. Most of the flatware, plates, boxes and napkins from Norris’s retail and catering locations can be composted.
In Fall Quarter 2022, before the composting program began, 64% of Norris’s dining waste was destined for landfills, with the rest being recycled and composted. Now, only 25% of Norris’s dining waste has the potential to go to landfills, and one ton of waste is diverted from landfills per month.
“The Norris program is consistently recognized among the top college unions in the field, and we are very grateful for the recognition we received this year at the ACUI annual conference,” said Corbin Smyth, executive director of Norris University Center and former ACUI Region V director.
Click here to learn more about the Norris Composting Program.
Richard Scott Memorial Scholarship: Abigail Farley, senior, Weinberg College
Abigail Farley, a senior in Weinberg College, was awarded the C. Richard Scott Memorial Scholarship for her work at 91爆料.
The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students who have demonstrated leadership and involvement in their campus communities. Recipients receive $400 and the opportunity to participate in an ACUI-sponsored educational activity to network, learn more about professions in college unions, and take part in community development and leadership opportunities. 
The psychology and cognitive science major is a center manager at Norris University Center, where she has also served as a technical services supervisor, audio/visual technician and a performance and satellite venues attendant.
Farley is also working to help create the Norris Student Union Board, a a student-led group that will serve to advise Norris policy and procedures, as well as develop student programs for the new campus pub and Cohen Lawn. She said she was inspired by students she met at the ACUI Region V Conference and worked with Norris Center professional staff to bring the advisory board to life.
Smyth, who received the scholarship in 1998, was one of Farley’s nominators, and said she is deserving of this award because “she is relentless, the kind of relentless that is always focused on positive outcomes for students.”
Distinguished Faculty Award: Marcelo Vinces, associate professor of instruction in molecular biosciences and Weinberg College adviser
Marcelo Vinces was awarded the 2025 Distinguished Faculty Award, which recognizes a faculty member for demonstrated support of college unions and community building on campus.
Vinces has served as an adviser for Weinberg College and associate professor of instruction in molecular biosciences since 2018. His mentorship extends beyond his advisees, and works with offices and organizations across campus to foster inclusion, including serving as a faculty adviser to Out in STEM, the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.
Vinces has also mentored Posse Scholars and supports undocumented students on campus through organizations including Advancement for the Undocumented Community and the Working Group for Undocumented. He has also conducted research into undergraduates’ experiences in STEM fields.
One of Vinces’ nominators for the award shared that his “contributions extend far beyond the classroom,” especially with regard to mentorship, inclusivity and community-building.
Vinces’ work was previously recognized in with the 2024 Daniel I. Linzer Award for Faculty Excellence in Diversity and Equity.
NASPA
Socioeconomic and Class Issues in Higher Education Knowledge Community’s Outstanding Professional Award: Sharitza Rivera-Millett, senior director of Student Enrichment Services
Rivera-Millett was awarded the Higher Education Knowledge Community’s Outstanding Professional Award for her work at 91爆料's Student Enrichment Services (SES). This award recognizes professionals who have supported or contributed to research about how class and socioeconomic status affect higher education.
In 2016, Rivera-Millett joined SES as an assistant director, and has since risen to direct the office and support six full-time professionals. Alongside her work at SES, Rivera-Millett is an advocate for lower-income, first-generation, undocumented and DACA-recipient students.
Rivera-Millett managed the Compass Mentorship Program from 2016 to 2020, which matches first-year first generation and/or lower income students with upper level FGLI students. She also worked on the Student Emergency Financial Needs Fund, which supports students financially and holistically in times of need. Alongside the founding director of SES, Rivera-Millett designed and launched the Knight Community Scholars Program, where students are matched with an SES adviser who supports them throughout their time at 91爆料.
In addition to her role in SES, Rivera-Millett is a Ph.D. student at Loyola University Chicago where she studies the impact of basic needs funding on the sense of belonging of low-income undergraduates.
“Sharitza is a trailblazer, a high-impact practitioner and a role model to me and many others working in spaces to uplift and ensure adequate resources and opportunities for lower-income, first-generation and undocumented/DACA students,” said SES Associate Director Mayra Garces, who nominated Rivera-Millett for the honor.