Taubman College Urban and Regional Planning students earn MLK Spirit Awards
The fourth annual University of Michigan North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Awards Dinner and Celebration took place Monday, January 19, 2015 in the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. The annual event, this year titled, “One Campus. One Dream.” was designed to recognize exceptional students within the North Campus community whose leadership and service exemplify the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This year, Ashleigh Johnson (M.U.P.’16), Amina Kirk (M.U.P./J.D.’15), Lauren Marsiglia (M.U.P.’15), and Lucina Navarro (M.U.P.’15) of the Urban and Regional Planning program earned Spirit Awards for their outstanding contributions and service to the University of Michigan community and beyond.
Ashleigh Johnson was recognized for her outreach to people and communities in need including her work in the Grandmont Rosedale neighborhood in Detroit, the Neighborhood Commercial Corridor Revitalization project, and her support to the revision of the Detroit master plan.
Amina Kirk was selected because of her devotion to volunteerism. She served as outreach chair of the Black Law Students Association and the Executive Editor of the Michigan Journal of Race and Law and works with Future Advocates in Training to help develop debate skills in underperforming high school students.
Lauren Marsiglia and Lucina Navarro were both chosen for their contributions in developing the Urban Planning Mentorship Program. As co-creators of the program, there objective is to expose youth to urban planning. They organized a team of graduate urban planning students from UM, Wayne State University, and Eastern Michigan University to serve as mentors to 9th graders at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Senior High School. In addition, Marsiglia serves as the social awareness/education outreach co-chair and Navarro serves as the Educational Awareness Chair of the Urban Planning Student Association.
Over 30 students representing the College of Engineering; School of Music, Theatre & Dance; Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design; and Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning were nominated for the MLK Spirit Award. Dean Monica Ponce de Leon provided the opening remarks for the program while pianist, arranger, composer, and producer Demetrius Nabors (BFA ’11, MFA ’13) was the featured musician. Former Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Counselor to the President for the Arts, Diversity and Undergraduate Affairs, Lester Monts was recognized with the 2015 North Campus Deans’ MLK Spirit Award.
