Ahmed Balogun Receives UWs Stanford Commitment to Diversity Award

Ahmed Balogun of Nigeria was named the recipient of the University of Wyoming’s 2014 Willena Stanford Commitment to Diversity Award. Balogun is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, is enrolled in the Honors Program and is seeking a minor in finance.

According to one of his nominators, “Ahmed represents the best of the University of Wyoming, and he has been a tremendous ambassador for multiculturalism.” Balogun was nominated by UW faculty, staff and his peers, several of whom praised his investment in both formal and informal diversity initiatives on and off campus.

Balogun “has been extremely involved in student organizations, many of which promote diversity initiatives on campus,” a nominator says.

He has been both a mentee and mentor in the Multicultural Student Leadership Initiative (MSLI) since his first year at UW. He is one of the current co-chairs of the United Multicultural Council, an Associated Students of the University of Wyoming (ASUW) program that provides social and educational activities and advocacy for multicultural students on campus. Balogun also is a member of the International Student Association and the Wyoming African Student Association. Additionally, he was the 2012-13 ASUW director of diversity and development.

Balogun has “worked to support diversity and multiculturalism in nearly every organization in which he has been involved,” a nominator wrote in support.

Balogun accepted the award at the annual Willena Stanford community supper in the Wyoming Union Monday, Jan. 20, following the Martin Luther King Jr. march. More than 230 UW and community guests commemorated the memory of King and honored Stanford, an inspirational former UW instructor in African-American and Diaspora Studies, and past member of the MLK march and Days of Dialogue Steering Committee.

This year’s other nominees were Jose Andres Cabrera Rodas, Dianbing Chen, Megan Darrow, Luis Guerrero-Barrera, Lindsey Haines, Kayleigh Lang, Ricardo Lind-Gonzalez, Diem Pham, Kimberly Sanchez, Stephanie Tzompa and Kate Young.

Last year’s recipient was Jaryd Unangst, and previous winners include Arla Mistica, Sydney Ezell, Zanyaille Lyons, Helen Changthongthip, Adriana Magana, Jeremy Joseph and Tracy Montanez.

For more information about the Stanford Award, email mlkdod@uwyo.edu.