Annual Student Leadership Gala
Each year, Student Involvement, Associated Students, the Solidarity Network (Associated Students César E. Chávez Community Action Center, Black Leadership and Opportunity Center, Center for Asian Pacific Islander Student Empowerment, Chicanx/Latinx Student Success Center, Gender Equity Center, MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center, Native American/Indigenous Student Success Center, PRIDE Center, UndocuSpartan Resource Center, Wellness and Health Promotion), and Student Union, Inc. come together to celebrate student leadership on a campus-wide scale.
The 14th Annual Student Leadership Gala was held on May 6, 2025 in the Student Union Ballroom.
2025 Award Recipients
Congratulations to our 2025 Award Winners! You can view a list of nominees and recipients for each of the awards given at the 14th Annual Student Leadership Gala below. The categories are in the following order:
- Vice President for Student Affairs Award for Exmplary Leadership and Service
- Solidarity Network Recognition
- Associated Students Board of Directors Recognition
- A.S. 55 Award
- Student Union Board of Directors Recognition
- Student Organization Awrads
- Program Awards
- Individual Awards
- Operations Awards
- Best in Category Awards
- Fraternity and Sorority Awards
- Organization of the Year
- Leadership and Career Certificate Program Recognition
Vice President for Student Affairs Award for Exemplary Leadership and Service
This honor is awarded to an SJSU student who has displayed exemplary leadership skills throughout their SJSU career. Recipient must be a currently enrolled student with junior or senior class standing, minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00, and a minimum of two years of leadership engagement.
2025 Recipient
Fernando (Ferch) Sánchez López
2025 Nominees
Socorro Aguilar Haro
Molly Alfino
David D'Amico
Riya Dhami
Aniya Dogra
Manuel Jaime Elepano
Tvisha Gopi
Alona Hazen
Kaili Kwong
Bryan McCray
Chima Nwokolo
Umama Muntaha Kamal Oishi
Nicole Ramos
Fernando (Ferch) Sánchez López
Sivagami Subramanyan
Sahithya Swaminathan
Tisha Vasisht
Grace Vincent
Solidarity Network Recogntion
The Solidarity Network is a coalition of various centers and campus partners within SJSU Student Affairs that fosters student leadership through their identities and a social justice foundation. The students recognized during this event have consistently contributed to these Centers by going above and beyond in their leadership and advocacy.
2025 Recipients
Angelina Grate
Jhony De Oliveira
Mahmoud Abuwarda
Rowan Rajani
Tida Ngov
Wahhab Salemi
Wendy Venegas Bustamante
A.S. 55 Awards
The A.S. 55 Award is a recognition of distinction for student leaders who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to San José State University and who continually give back to the community. Up to 12 students will be chosen by the A.S. 55 Selection Committee to receive the award each year.
2025 Recipients
Geoffrey Agustin
Tara Al-Rehani
Shree Billa
Teairra Brown
Leslie Castaneda
Dylan Chang
Jhony De Oliveira
Angelina Grate
Alexandra Phan
Jennifer Rocha
Wahhab Salemi
Isabel Suarez
A.S. Board of Directors Reccognition
The Associated Students Board of Directors is the official body representing and the voice of over 35,000 students at SJSU - they champion for students and actively work to make sure every Spartan gets the most out of their college experience.
2024-2025 Board of Directors Recognition
Ariana Lacson
A.S. President
Chima Nwokolo
A.S. Vice President
Sidhant Sadawarti
A.S. Controller, Fall 2024
Riya Dhami
A.S. Director of Business Affairs, Fall 2024
A.S. Controller, Spring 2025
Sehtej Khehra
Director of Academic Affairs
Rhea Ramalingam
A.S. Director of Business Affairs, Spring 2025
Sahithya Swaminathan
Director of Co-Curricular Affairs
Geoffrey Agustin
Director of Communications
Srishti Sinha
Director of Intercultural Affairs
Anushka Joshi
Director of Internal Affairs
Katelyn Gambarin
Director of Legislative Affairs
Teairra Brown
Director of Student Resource Affairs
Leonardo Plazola
Director of Students Rights & Responsibilities, Fall 2024
Jhony de Oliveira
Director of Students Rights & Responsibilities, Spring 2025
Rishika Joshi
Director of Sustainability Affairs
Student Union Board of Directors Recognition
There are 14 members of the Student Union Board of Directors, with nine of those members being student director positions. These students are charged with managing three buildings on campus: The Diaz Compean Student Union, the Provident Credit Union Event Center, and Spartan Recreation and Aquatic Center in addition to supporting Student Union events and programs.
2024-2025 Board of Directors Recognition
Aniya Dogra
Student Union Audit Committee Chair
Aniya Dogra
Student Union Board Vice Chair
Aditya Vishwakarma
Student Union Finance Committee Chair
Aniya Dogra
Student Union Personnel Committee Vice Chair
Ariana Lacson
Student Union Audit Committee Vice Chair
Justin Duong
Student Union Facilities & Programs Committee Chair
Jayeesh Tarachandani
Student Union Finance Committee Vice Chair
Sarab Multani
Student Union Board Chair
Siya Johal
Student Union Personnel Committee Chair
Leo Lebedenko
Student Union Facilities & Programs Committee Vice Chair
Erick Rodriguez
Student Union Ad Hoc Personnel Interview Committee Chair
Student Organization Program Awards
Each year, peers and advisors are invited to nominate organizations for specific awards, which are categorized into the following areas: Program Awards, Operations Awards, Individual Awards, Best in Category Awards, and Fraternity and Sorority Awards.
Outstanding Educational Program
2025 Recipient
Financial Management Association (FMA) - FMA Professional Development Program Series
2025 Nominees
AkbayanSJSU
Bridge SJSU
Financial Management Association
Forensic Science Club
Outstanding Engagement Program
2025 Recipient
Network Engineering Technology Society (NETS)
2025 Nominees
Indian Student Organization
Society of Women Engineers
Outstanding Service Program
2025 Recipient
MISA - Management Information Association
2025 Nominees
AkbayanSJSU
Science Extravaganza
Society of Women Engineers
Program of the Year
2025 Recipient
Society for Women Engineers - Teen Week
Student Organization Operations Awards
Contribution to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
2025 Recipients
SWANA Initiative
2025 Nominees
SWANA Initative
Students for Justice in Palestine
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Indian Student Federation
Tau Beta Phi
Indian Student Organization
Latino Business Student Association
Women in Animation Student Chapter at SJSU
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Executive Board of the Year
2025 Recipients
Indian Student Organization
2025 Nominees
Students for Justice in Palestine
Spartan Advertising Club
Engineering Management Student Association
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Forensic Science Club
Women in Business
Indian Student Organization
BridgeSJSU
AkbayanSJSU
Society of Women Engineers
Collaboration of the Year
2025 Recipient
Spartan Adversiting Club
2025 Nominees
Society of Women Engineers
Spartan Adversiting Club
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Indian Student Organization
Ahlul-Bayat Student Association
Marketing of the Year
2025 Recipient
Women in Business
2025 Nominees
Marketing Association
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Women in Business
Indian Student Organization
Chi Pi Sigma
Society of Women Engineers
Developing Leaders Award
2025 Recipient
SWANA Initiative
2025 Nominees
SWANA Initiative
Engineering Management Student Association
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Mineta Transportation Institute Student Association
Society for Human Resource Management
Women in Business
Delta Sigma Phi
BridgeSJSU
American Concrete Institute
Excellence in Fundraising
2025 Recipient
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
2025 Nominees
Women in Aviation
Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists
Women in Business
Indian Students Organization
Delta Sigma Phi
Ahlul-Bayt Student Association
Student Organization Individual Awards
Advisor of the Year
2025 Recipients
Nick Messing- Student Alumni Connection
2025 Nominees
Lucy Headrick
Janeth Canesco
Dr. Anil Kumar
Nick Messing
Mark Barash
Dr. Akthem Al-Manaseer
Member of the Year
2025 Recipient
Sidhant Sadawarti- International Cricket Council
2025 Nominees
Haretha Dhanasekar
Sidhant Sadawarti
Sawan Beli
Riya Dhami
Priyam Hajisheth
Fion Huynh
Radhika Mandhanya
Leo Zhao
Ninad Sanjay Marathe
President of the Year
2025 Recipient
Patrick Lee Padua- American Institute of Chemical Engineers
2025 Nominees
Halle Patzer
Jerry Soto
Kim Nguyen
Zilin Ye
Carlie Rounds
Patrick Lee Padua
Mohammad Rahhal
Isabel Perez
Sabrina Nabizada
Fatema Balkhi
Kevin Li
Samantha Boman
Salvador Castro
Jose Luiz Sarabia Torres
Hewitt Kothari
Lara Aburahma
Alexander Phan
Svitlana Kuklenko
Sohini Karmakar
Aracely Lopez
Student Organization Best in Category Awards
New Organization of the Year
2025 Recipient
Pacific Islander Student Association
2025 Nominees
SWANA Initiative
Comic Clique
Pacific Islander Student Association
Team Handball SJSU
Ahlul-Bayt Student Association
Women in Construction
Academic/Honorary Organization of the Year
2025 Recipient
Forensic Science Club
2025 Nominees
National Student Speech Language Hearing Association
Forensic Science Club
Women in Business
Student Alumni Connections
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Cultural/Religious Organization of the Year
2025 Recipients
Muslim Student Association at San Jose State University
2025 Nominees
SWANA Initiative
Indian Students Organization
Latino Business Student Association
Muslim Student Association at San Jose State University
Special Interest Organization of the Year
2025 Recipient
BridgeSJSU
2025 Nominees
Associated General Contractors
Forensic Science Club
Alpha Omicron Pi
BridgeSJSU
Women in Business
Student Organization of the Year
2025 Recipient
Associated General Contractors
Fraternity and Sorority Awards
Fraternity of the Year
2025 Recipients
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sorority of the Year
2025 Recipients
Sigma Theta Psi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.
Leadership and Career Certificate Program Recognition
This program is a semester-long experience that engages students in a variety of critical concepts, professional development resources, and many opportunities for further exploration. By reflecting on the connections between their experiences and the content they are learning, these students have demonstrated their impressive ability and willingness to take charge of their own leadership journeys.
2025 Certificate Recipients
Noor Al-Saadawi
Disha Ananthula
Bradford Anderson
Rhiannon Atkinson
Sania Bandekar
Simranpreet Bhatti
Samantha Boman
Rosa Bucio Arciga
Camille Canestrino
Tammy Cao
Dalila Cardenas Castrejon
Mia Castillo
Tzu-Han Chen
Jane Davaransky
Riley Davis
Lauren De Guzman
Shilpi Dey
Aniya Dogra
Marcos Dolores
Padmavathy Elencheliyan
Russell Jonathan Estrada
Gabe Farmer
Itzel Figueroa
Tobey Fung
Danica Galindo
Ambarish Govindarajulu Kaliamurthi
Elisha Hall
Muhammad Hamza
Khari Hayes
Seth Heller
Alexis Hernandez Salvador
Cassidy Hill Neely
Peggy Hogan Hatfield
Ilona Huryi
Brendan Huynh
Katie Huynh
Sahib Johal
Jay Jolin
Kopal Khandelwal
Lasya Reddy Kotha
Aakash Krishnan
Yun-Hsuan Ku
Sagar Kumar
Yeshvanth Raju Kurapati
Andrew Le
Katie Le
Khanh Le
Chi-Yen Lin
Claire Lin
Christine Ly
Raven Madriaga
Anisha Malkani
Sanya Mandhyan
Briana Marquez
Kim Martinez
Zahra Mohammad Yousof
Aniyah Mollique
Yug Amol More
Rosie Navarro
Eden Nazarian
Anhvu Nguyen
Kiara Nguyen
Kimi Nguyen
Tuong Vy Nguyen
Sarah Ortiz
Riya Patel
Isabel Perez
Krishna Shreya Pudukkottai Balsubramaniam
Rhea Ramalingam
Kassandra Rivera Becerra
Tori Robertson
Abrie Christen Rodas
Malik Sajjad
Jaime Salinas-Romero
Simi Sandhu
Megha Sengupta
Imaan Siddiqui
Christopher Soto
Sophia Soto
Enkhjin Tegshjargal
Alexander Tran
Annie Tran
Dat Tran
Owen Tran
Xuyen Tran
Jasmyn Urena
Jyothi Vaidyanathan
Jennifer Valencia Esquivel
Perla Verduzco
Kimberly Vo
Harshil Vyas
Kiely Young
Felicia Zamora
Angelique Zut
