International Students Receive the President's Student Leadership & Service Award

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Three undergraduates and five graduate international students have been awarded for their leadership and service. These students have demonstrated service that contributes to the University’s public mission creating lasting change within the University community.

The President’s Student Leadership & Service Award (PSLSA) recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding student leaders at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. It is presented to students for their exceptional leadership and service to the University of Minnesota and the surrounding community.

Congratulations to these awardees. 

Marisa Bazzi
College of Science and Engineering 

Marisa is a graduate student studying Materials Science in the College of Science and Engineering. She co-founded the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (CEMS) DEI Working Group and CEMS Students Organizing Against Racism Group (SOAR), and the Annealing Podcast- all of which seek to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. She is also a Graduate Student Coordinator.

Raghav Garg
College of Science and Engineering
India

Raghav is a fourth-year undergraduate studying Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering in the College of Science and Engineering. He participated in the International Student Peer Outreach Program helping mentor other international students before being promoted to the sole leadership position in the program, overseeing the entire peer mentor team. He is also a Manufacturing Scientist Intern and an Undergraduate Teaching Assistant.

Güldamla Kalender
Medical School
Turkey 

Güldamla is an MD/PhD student in the Medical School. She founded the Neuromodulation & Psychiatric Neurosurgery (N-PNS) Student Group to promote a conversation between individuals coming from graduate and undergraduate programs in medicine, neuroscience, engineering, and psychology. She created a mentorship program for women in surgery and facilitated a medical technology innovation course for students.

Sahil Malhotra
Carlson School of Management
India 

Sahil is a second-year undergraduate student studying Management Information System & Supply Chain and Operations Management in the Carlson School of Management. He is the Vice President & Consulting Director at 180 Degree Consulting Club, a student-run organization that provides pro bono consulting to local nonprofits. He is a member of the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) where he addresses issues facing international students on campus and seeks to find solutions. He also welcomed new students to campus as an Orientation Leader in Summer 2022.


Hortense Minishi
Humphrey School of Public Affairs, College of Liberal Arts
Kenya

Hortense is working towards her Masters of Human Rights, a program jointly offered by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts. She is involved with the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) to center student voices and was selected for the APPAM Policy Council. She was in a competitive fellowship at the Human Rights Center during the summer of 2022, where she interned at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. She is also involved in the Humphrey International Student Association, the Equity and Inclusion Council, and the Humphrey Strategic Committee. 

Joy Musyimi
Humphrey School of Public Affairs, College of Liberal Arts
Kenya

Joy is a graduate student in the Masters of Human Rights program jointly offered by the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the College of Liberal Arts. She is a Graduate Research Assistant at the Dean's Office of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs where she supports the projects of students, staff, and faculty. Outside of the University, Joy has worked with the ACLU Minnesota and ALIGHT (American Refugee Committee). She is a MINN fellow where she volunteers to serve in different NGOs in Minnesota and also serving communities around and within the University. 


Shijina Raj Manjankattil Rajan
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences
India

Shijina is a graduate student studying Animal Science in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Science. She is a Graduate Research Assistant. She serves as Assistant Director of Grants for Council of Graduate Students and successfully organized the COGS grant cycle for Fall 2022. She is the Assistant Director of Finance for the Council of International Graduate Students (CIGS). She has been a representative voice for graduate students and involved in advocacy and policy decisions in the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) and CFANS Collegiate Fee Committee. She is involved in the Student Service Fee Committee (SSFC) at OSA in both an administrative role and as a general committee member.

Yueting Zhao
College of Biological Sciences
China

Yueting is a third-year undergraduate student studying Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development in the College of Biological Sciences. She is the Senior Student Engagement Program Assistant of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) where she creates programming for students including more than 30 webinars. She is the Vice President of administration for the Nonresident Volunteer Tax Assistance Program (NRVTAP) to help nonresidents' navigate taxes in Minnesota. She also helped welcome new students to campus as a Welcome Week Leader. 

View the full list of PLSLA recipients