Student Leadership and Humanitarian Awards April 21, 2026
Buffalo State’s student leadership and humanitarian awards recognize students who help make Buffalo State truly extraordinary—the young people who go above and beyond, who answer the call to service, who lead their peers and our campus with energy, integrity, vision, and creativity.
Candidates for these awards are leaders in our campus community, participate in civic engagement and service, and demonstrate a commitment to something worthwhile and enduring. These are the qualities that help define Buffalo State as a truly civil and caring academic community.
Specific information and application guidelines for each award are provided at the web links below and menu to the left. We encourage students to self-nominate and we invite faculty and staff to nominate deserving students for consideration. Applications are due February 2026. Recipients must be present on April 21, 2026 for the awards ceremony.
Questions about the Student Leadership and Humanitarian Awards can be addressed to the Dean of Students Office, Campbell Student Union 311, 716-878-4618, or email deanofstudents@buffalostate.edu.
Mildred Keller Campbell Student Leadership Award
The Mildred Campbell Leadership Award recognizes a Buffalo State student whose work has had a positive impact on student life and excelled as an co-curricular leader among students on campus. The award is offered annually to an undergraduate student based upon the evaluation of the nominee's leadership credentials in accordance with the criteria below. A plaque and award citing the recipient’s distinction is presented at a ceremony held in the spring semester and the recipient may receive a monetary award, pending availability of funds.
Criteria for Selection:
- Undergraduate student.
- Minimum of 24 credit hours completed at Buffalo State.
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
- Strong record of extra curricular leadership at Buffalo State, demonstrated through personal development, campus organizational leadership and citizenship and community service.
Applications are due: TBA
Click here for submission form
Phillip Santa Maria Award for Student Leadership in Equity and Campus Diversity
For 25 years, Dr. Phillip Santa Maria served as Dean of Students at Buffalo State. During his tenure, he was recognized both on campus and throughout the community for his leadership on a variety of diversity and social justice issues. The Phillip Santa Maria Award for Student Leadership in Equity and Campus Diversity has been established in his honor and will be given annually to recognize students who exemplify Dr. Santa Maria’s commitment to service, social justice and diversity.
Students, faculty and staff are invited to submit nominations of student leaders who exemplify his commitment to service, social justice and diversity through promoting respect for diversity and individual differences in their activities, projects, discussions, or their leadership with student organizations and groups for this purpose.
Criteria for Selection:
- Undergraduate or graduate student enrolled at Buffalo State.
- Demonstrated leadership in the promotion of respect for diversity and individual differences through their roles in organizing discussions, curricular experiences, out of classroom experiences; special projects for programming that goes beyond that usually expected of a student. Encouraging their peers to embrace diversity and to appreciate the benefits of diversity on campus, in the community, and in their everyday lives.
- Created or played a significant leadership role in initiatives or programs that promote access, equity, or social justice in relation to the diversity of thought, diversity of experiences, and diversity of values of other aspects of diversity within the college or the broader community.
- Minimum of 24 credit hours completed at Buffalo State.
- Minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.
Applications are due: TBA
Click here for submission form
The Phillip Santa Maria Memorial Award
The Phillip Santa Maria Memorial Award recognizes a Buffalo State undergraduate student who has demonstrated a well-rounded character, exhibiting not only scholastic achievement but also active participation in campus life at Buffalo State and in the Western New York community and a desire to improve the world. A plaque and award citing the recipient’s distinction is presented at a ceremony held in the spring and the recipient may receive a monetary award, pending availability of funds.
Criteria for Selection:
- Undergraduate junior or senior enrolled full time (minimum 12 credit hours) at Buffalo State during the academic year in which the award is made.
- GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Evidence of high integrity.
- Evidence of volunteer service on campus and within the larger community while a student at Buffalo State.
Applications are due: TBA
Click here for submission form
The Luis M. Antonetti Student Humanitarian Award
The Luis M. Antonetti Student Humanitarian Award recognizes a Buffalo State undergraduate student who has demonstrated personal character through encouragement of non-violent beliefs and actions, volunteer service both on campus and in the community and who demonstrates an ability to reach out to others with broad cultural acceptance. A plaque and award citing the recipient’s distinction is presented at a ceremony held in the spring and the recipient may receive a monetary award, pending availability of funds.
Criteria for Selection:
- Undergraduate sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full time (minimum 12 credit hours) at Buffalo State during the academic year in which the award is made.
- Evidence of exemplary personal character, altruism and advocacy for non-violence.
- Evidence of volunteer service on campus and within the larger community while a student at Buffalo State.
- Evidence of financial need. Financial need will be considered but will not be the determining factor.
Applications are due: TBA
Click here for submission form
The Minnie and Joe Engel Student Humanitarian Award
The Minnie and Joe Engel Student Humanitarian Award recognizes a Buffalo State undergraduate student who has demonstrated personal character through altruism, volunteer service and the giving of oneself to the campus and the larger community. The Engel Humanitarian Award recognizes the full measure of a person’s worth, not just as a scholar, but as someone whose efforts on behalf of others define a quality of character that embodies core values that merit recognition. A plaque and award citing the recipient’s distinction is presented at a ceremony held in the spring.
Criteria for Selection:
- Undergraduate sophomore, junior or senior enrolled full time (minimum 12 credit hours) at Buffalo State during the academic year in which the award is made.
- Evidence of exemplary personal character and altruism.
- Evidence of volunteer service on campus and within the larger community while a student at Buffalo State.
Applications are due: TBA
Click here for submission form
The Dr. Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for Equity and Campus Diversity
The Dr. Muriel A. Howard Presidential Award for Equity and Campus Diversity recognizes faculty and staff who have gone beyond their usual duties to promote respect for diversity and individual differences. They have accomplished this through classroom discussions, curricular experiences, out-of-classroom activities, projects, discussions, or special mentorships that go beyond what is usually expected as a part of their regular job expectations or teaching assignment.
The deadline for 2025 applications is March 21, 2025.
The 2006-2007 President's Council on Equity and Campus Diversity established the Special Program Recognition Award. This award recognizes programs that have made a special effort to promote equity and diversity through student involvement, curricular development, and/or special projects and activities that go above and beyond what is usually expected as part of their regular function. This award honors the nominee who recognizes an opportunity to share the value of diversity on campus and carries out the same.
The deadline for 2025 applications is March 21, 2025.