University President Richard Levin handed out 13 Seton Elm and Ivy Awards for bolstering town-gown relations at a Wednesday luncheon.
Recipients include current undergraduates Drew Ruben ’11, co-founder of Blue State Coffee, and Kayla Vinson ’11, who’s worked in New Haven Public Schools, as well as a number of alumni and university administrators, and a student group from the School of Medicine. One special award went out to Michael Morand ’87 DIV ’93, the former associate vice president for New Haven and state affairs who for years served as Yale’s face in New Haven.
The full list of award winners is below.
Elm Awards (for members of the New Haven community)
Christine Alexander (wife of Vice President for New Haven and State Affairs Bruce Alexander ’65) — for her work as founder and director of New Haven Reads
Emily Byrne — for her work as executive director of New Haven Promise
Nichole Jefferson — for her work training construction workers as Executive Director of the City’s Commission on Equal Opportunity
Roslyn Milstein Meyer ’71 GRD ’77 — for starting a mentoring program that trains high school and college students to help inner-city youth
Ivy Awards (for Yale faculty and staff)
Russell Adair — for his work on New Haven promise as associate director of the Office of Institutional Research
Danielle Gunther-Gawlak — for boosting the number of New Haven residents working on Yale’s construction projects as a senior projects manager for the Office of Facilities
Georgina Lucas — for her work training physicians to improve the nation’s health care system as deputy director of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars program
Caesar Storlazzi — for his work on New Haven Promise as the University’s director of financial aid
Undergraduate Ivy Award
Drew Ruben ’11 — for his work raising money for local charities through Blue State Coffee
Kayla Vinson ’11 — for pioneering partnerships between Yale and New Haven Public Schools
Graduate/Professional Ivy Award
Sarah Miller GRD ’12 — for her work in New Haven Public Schools motivating young students to study sciences
Yale Student National Medical Association — for its work motivating minority students to pursue careers in science and health
Special Elm Ivy Award
Michael Morand ’87 DIV ’93 — for being “a role model for breaking down barriers between town and gown,” and for being Michael Morand ’87 DIV ’93