Amr Brown (BA ‘27) was recognized for his outstanding contributions to social justice with the University of Michigan's Central Campus Martin Luther King Jr. Spirit Award.
Faculty-nominated students demonstrated a commitment to public service, community engagement, activism, and social change. Brown's nomination stems from his time as co-director of government relations and chair of the Conflict-Affected and Refugee Education Scholarship (CARES) taskforce in Central Student Government (CSG), where he founded a university-wide scholarship for refugee and displaced students. The scholarship, which awarded $10,000 across four U-M students in its inaugural year, is a response to the increasingly divisive political rhetoric and government action against immigrants and international students, Brown said.
"Even a year after I founded this scholarship, attacks on refugees, immigrants, and international students have continued across the country," he said. "Supporting the students that make up the fabric of the Michigan community through CARES is a step towards ensuring one of our most vulnerable communities is protected."
At the Ford School, Brown studies diplomacy and international human rights policy and hopes to work in international policy after graduation. He was recently appointed a Peace Ambassador after the United Nations 5th Global Peace Summit. Brown said that the work his fellow nominees have done to improve U-M's campus community has reinforced his commitment to public service and activism.
"I'm deeply honored to join a group of awardees who amplify Dr. King's legacy," he remarked. "To be recognized alongside them for pioneering social change and justice on campus is a privilege and reminds me that this work is critical."
Two other Ford School students—Joshua Crook (BA ‘26) and Kada Durakovic (BA ‘26)—were also nominated for the 2026 Spirit Awards.
Crook, a Ford School peer advisor and Bridge Builder, aims to create effective firearm injury and violence prevention through community outreach. As a research assistant for the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, he conducts research on state and federal education-related policies, identifying emerging trends and implications for school safety training and technical assistance efforts. Crook recently hosted a peer-led constructive dialogue with experts in firearm prevention, as part of the Ford School's Resilient Democracies Initiative.
Durakovic is a senior studying human rights law and policy enforcement. Driven by her passion for equity, criminal justice, and community well-being, she has spent her undergraduate career supporting fellow service-minded students as the Ford School's BA Recruiting and Admissions Ambassador and promoting equity in law as a probate special services intern for the Morris County Superior Court's probation division in New Jersey. After graduation, she hopes to continue working in the criminal justice system to advocate for underrepresented communities.
Ford School senior Julia Odhiambo (BA ‘26), the 2025 undergraduate MLK Spirit Award winner, introduced her classmates at the ceremony last week.
"At a time of significant local and federal change, I wanted to present this year to pass this wisdom onto the next generation of leaders and remind them that progress without moral commitment is dead," she said. "More than anything, I hope they carry forward the understanding that when the work becomes difficult or systems feel restrictive, service remains necessary."