University News

WIU Students Receive Martin Dupuis Leadership Awards

June 7, 2006

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University recently named the 2006-2007 recipients of the Martin Dupuis Leadership Award.

Emily Archer (Mundelein, IL), an English major with an African American Studies minor, received the Martin Dupuis Award for Leadership in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Communities. Archer served as the president of Unity, the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and allies student organization at Western, and she was involved in Residence Hall Government.

In Archer’s application she wrote: “My leadership experiences have taught me so many things. I’ve learned that attitude counts more than knowledge. I’ve learned that nobody can do anything alone. Most importantly, I’ve learned that to be an effective leader, you need to be passionate. You need to believe in what you are doing with all of your heart and soul.”

Michael Mercado (6400 block of N. Oxford, Chicago 60631), a computer science major with a business minor, is the recipient of the Centennial Honors College Dupuis Award for Leadership in Historically Underrepresented Communities. Mercado, a resident hall adviser, has served on the executive board of Inter-Hall Council and on the Student Government Association.

Mercado discussed the importance of volunteering in his application. He wrote: “Every day new opportunities to take on a role or to perform an act that display our leadership qualities present themselves, and it is our obligation to see and act on those opportunities.”

The Martin Dupuis Leadership Award Fund was established at Western Illinois University in recognition and honor of Dupuis. The WIU Foundation received a gift of $70,000 from the Mukti Fund, a private grant-making foundation, to establish and fund the two separate annual awards of $1,750.

Dupuis joined the WIU faculty in 1997 and has worked with the Centennial Honors College for the last three years, serving as acting director and associate director. He recently has accepted a position as the assistant dean of the Burnett Honors College at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, effective Aug. 1.

Posted By: Alisha Looney (AA-Looney@wiu.edu)
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