OSE’s Gundies to recognize outstanding student leadership

On April 10, the Office of Student Engagement (OSE) will host the Gundies, bringing back the tradition of the Kenyon Leadership Awards from over a decade ago. Hosted in the Gund Commons Ballroom, the award show will honor both individuals and student organizations in an attempt to better recognize the achievements of students at Kenyon. 

According to Director of Student Engagement Caleb Young, a central goal of the Gundies is to celebrate and encourage campus leadership. “One of the biggest areas of growth for OSE over the next few years is to build out our leadership development programs for our students,” Young wrote in an email to the Collegian. “We are aware that there is a gap currently on campus in terms of properly celebrating and recognizing our student leaders and our student organizations, and the Gundies are a part of that strategic initiative.” 

The award ceremony won’t be something to write off; OSE is going all out, bringing the tradition back in full swing. The event will have a variety of categories up for grabs, including Engaged Leader of the Year for upperclassmen, Emerging Leader of the Year for underclassmen, Outstanding Affinity Program and New Student Organization of the Year. Plus, it’s not just students who have a shot at the Gundies’ prestige — students who received a particularly good recommendation for an internship or got into that exclusive psychology class can nominate professors for Advisor of the Year. In addition to the wide variety of awards, the ceremony will also include special guests and refreshments. “This year’s event will feature a keynote speaker, various campus partners presenting the awards, as well as heavy appetizers and refreshments for student attendees to enjoy,” Young said. “OSE wants this event to feel ‘elevated’ for our students, so our hope is that it strikes the right balance between formal recognition as well as making it a fun and engaging night for the community.”

For some student leaders, running a club — though a rewarding experience — can sometimes feel like thankless work. “We have had some really amazing events and real community building moments, but sometimes the success of our events don’t translate well to the club meeting attendance,” Maya Sherlick ’27, co-leader of Kenyon Bookworms, noted. 

According to Young,  Kenyon is made special by its diverse student organizations, as well as its passionate and driven student leaders (pulled from its wonderfully idiosyncratic population) who cultivate a unique student experience with sponsored events and community outreach. “Our student organizations and their members are extremely important to helping shape the current student experience at Kenyon. Our organizations provide a crucial role in fostering a positive campus community involving our students in a number of different activities that serve our campus community,” Young explained. Students expressed further excitement over the opportunity for accolades:  “The Gundies are a way for not only our club but so many others on campus to get the recognition they deserve,” Sherlick said.

Nominations for individuals and groups are open until Friday at 11:59 p.m. For those who may need incentives to engage in community-building activities,  there are rewards for students who submit  nominations as well. After nominating an individual or group, students are automatically entered into raffles with prizes paid for by OSE. For individual nominations, the prizes include a dinner for four at the Kenyon Inn or a TV. If you nominate an organization, you can win a catering service or custom t-shirt order for a club of your choice (including your own). Sherlick once again expressed enthusiasm for what the Gundies can offer to student organizations: “I love the idea of being able to treat all of our members for the work they have put in.” 

The pop culture connoisseurs of Kenyon will be quick to note that the name “Gundies” seems to be a direct reference to “The Office” and its “Dundies.” Young confirmed it: “To be completely transparent, all of us in OSE are huge fans of the show.” So to encourage those hesitant to nominate their organization for an award, Young quoted Michael Scott (quoting Wayne Gretzky): “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”