Three Ford School undergraduates have been recognized with Central Campus Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Awards, noting their exemplification of Dr. King’s leadership and vision. The students, Janani Gandhi (BA ‘22), Ayodele Ojo (BA ‘23), and Hugo Quintana (BA ‘23), were honored on January 22 in an online ceremony.
Gandhi studies public policy and quantitative methods in the social sciences. She also serves as the chair of Students of Color in Public Policy.
Ojo has a minor in Business Administration and completes research for the Ford School’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office. In addition, she founded Students of Color interested in Law, Government, Policy, and Social Justice.
Quintana is minoring in Spanish. He works for Michigan in Color, a section of The Michigan Daily that produces content by and for students of color. He also serves as a student leader on the Ford School’s DEI Coalition.
MLK Spirit Award winners have distinguished themselves by:
- Building inclusive communities and equitable spaces
- Pursuing social justice by challenging oppressive norms
- Engaging with diverse communities to promote cross-cultural collaboration
- Confronting systemic injustice(s)
- Commitment to racial justice
The award is co-sponsored by the University of Michigan Schools of Education, Nursing, Information, Kinesiology, Public Policy, Public Health, Business, and Social Work (Community Action and Social Change Undergraduate Minor), as well as the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) and the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.