Texas A&M Student Adair Organization And Advisor Of The Year Recipients Named

The Department of Student Activities at Texas A&M University has named its Adair Student Organization and Advisor of the Year recipients. The awards honor Carolyn Adair ’69, the first female director of Student Activities, and her husband Tom Adair ’57.

This year marks the 22^nd year of this recognition process, which began in 1999 and has honored 60 advisors and 66 student organizations in four categories: registered, affiliated, sponsored and new.

“We had a large number of nominations for both organizations and advisors,” said Isaiah Villarreal, award chair for the Student Organization Development and Administration (SODA) area. “It’s always an exciting time to reward students and advisors for the work they have done for the year and continue to do. This year had its challenges, but the students and advisors stayed involved.”

The Adair Organization of the Year awards acknowledge exemplary recognized student organizations that have made a significant effort to further their purpose through contributions to Texas A&M and the surrounding community. The awards recognize groups that have demonstrated innovation, have made an impact on the state, nation or world, embody the Aggie spirit through a commitment to the growth and development of their members, and develop leaders of character who are dedicated to serving the greater good.

The following student organizations received awards this year:

Registered Category: Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
The EWB mission is to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet the basic human needs and equip leaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. This year, the organization was tasked with bettering the water management system for a Rwandan community by implementing 500 composing latrines. Due to travel restrictions, members developed a method of online implementation by prototyping their designs and finding creative ways to teach community members how to build it themselves.

Affiliated Category: Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM)
AWM was founded with the goal of promoting equal opportunity and treatment for women in mathematics, an area in which women have long been underrepresented. Since the pandemic, AWM hosted a virtual screening of “Secrets of the Surface,” which sparked conversation and allowed the Mathematics Department to better engage with the community on topics related to diversity that led to the creation of the Math Graduate Diversity Community.

Sponsored Category: Student Government Association (SGA)
SGA stayed true to its mission of serving the university and student body by representing student opinions, addressing campus needs through programs and traditions, and providing opportunities for leadership development to enrich the quality of student life. This year SGA was instrumental in providing face coverings for students. It worked with the Faculty Senate to implement pass/fail guidelines during the first semester of the pandemic, and was critical to executing in-person and hybrid options of campus traditions, including Muster, Silver Taps and The Big Event.

New Category: Aggie Minority Women in Law (AMWL)
AMWL was created to empower minority women to succeed in the field of law through preparation and inclusivity from three pillars: empowering minority women to succeed in law, providing resources for the law school application process, and forming a community of like-minded women to foster an inclusive environment. This year, AMWL established a partnership with The Innocence Project, which educates members about injustices in the criminal field and gives them the opportunity to write letters to individuals who are wrongfully convicted.

The Adair Advisor of the Year Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of faculty and staff advisors to student organizations. Advisors serve as guides, mentors and leaders to their respective student organizations. Individuals recognized for this award demonstrate an exceptional commitment to working with students outside of the classroom, as well as expertise that benefits their respective student organizations. In addition, Advisors of the Year Award recipients are committed to a philosophy of shared responsibility that develops leaders of character dedicated to serving the greater good.

The following advisors received awards this year:

Registered Category: Michael Black, Biomedical Sciences Association
An advisor to the Biomedical Sciences Association (BSA) for the last three years, Black has had an extraordinary impact on the growth and development of BSA. He has touched the lives of many members through his support and recruitment efforts.

Affiliated Category: GySgt. Justin Corriveau, Naval ROTC Midshipmen Battalion
As advisor to the Naval ROTC Midshipmen Battalion for two years, Justin Corriveau works to enhance the operations of the organization to produce highly trained and prepared officers for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. He is responsible for guiding students through the planning and execution of organization activities such as leadership laboratory, the NJROTC field meet, and the Navy and Marine Corps birthday celebration.

Sponsored Category: David Kipp, Texas A&M Singing Cadets
David Kipp is director of choral activities and advisor to the Texas A&M Singing Cadets. For 26 years, he has utilized his experience in musical theater, voice and choral direction to help the Singing Cadets perfect music for 70-plus concerts each year. His advisor duties also include meeting with student officers, keeping members informed, conducting wellness checks, and asking what he can do to help, all while spending hours identifying and directing purposeful music.

New Category: John Murphy, Texas A&M University Law Speakers’ Bureau
When John Murphy became advisor to the Texas A&M University Law Speakers’ Bureau in 2020, he made an immediate impact by attending all meetings and offering expertise and advice. He encourages members to deliver speeches on topics about which they are passionate, and he takes time to recognize members who have had success in other arenas.

Recipients of the Organization of the Year awards receive $500, and the Advisor of the Year award recipients receive $300 for the organization they advise. Advisors and student organizations also receive a personalized plaque along with recognition on a canvas display inside the Koldus Building.

A 12-member committee selects the Adair recipients by reviewing nominations using a point system. Visit the Adair Awards page for more details about award categories and previous award recipients.