Awards program celebrates student leadership at Cincinnati State

July 1, 2011

Each year for the past seven, the Cincinnati State family has convened to celebrate students who have displayed exceptional leadership abilities in clubs and other campus activities. This year more than two dozen awards were given.

The most prestigious of all, the President’s Up-Lift Award, was presented to Sima Bayamna, an immigrant from Togos, West Africa. Sima was recognized for the many activities she has organized on campus, including a fund drive for an orphanage in her native West Africa, as well as her energy, accomplishments and positive attitude.

A former flight attendant and the mother of four boys, Sima had started her post-secondary career at a four-year institution in Cincinnati, but found it too large and too intimidating to suit her at the time. At Cincinnati State, she told the audience at the awards ceremony, she found a genuine home, a place where she felt welcome and where she was able to thrive.

Sima, who graduated in June with a major in environmental engineering technologies, credits much of her success at Cincinnati State to EVET program chair Ann Gunkel and the members of that department. After graduation she hopes to pursue both additional education and a job, possibility with the Metropolitan Sewer District or another organization devoted to protecting the water supply.

Another student singled out for special recognition at the ceremony was Diana Doyle, who has also been active in Cincinnati State’s environmental engineering technologies program. Diana was not only recognized for her work on behalf of the Environmental Club, she also received the “Most Outstanding Student Leadership Award.’’

For a link to photos from the event, please click here. The photos won’t tell the whole story, of course, but they will provide a glimpse into the breadth of the interests and accomplishments of our students. Thank you.