The Arts Division is extremely proud to recognize that the 2020 Sammy Award for Graduate Student of the Year was presented to Arts Department student Yasheng She and the Sammy Award for Honored Administrator was given to Alison Trybom Lucas, chief of staff for the Arts Division.
Created in 2019, the Sammy Awards celebrate and recognize the outstanding contributions of members of our UC Santa Cruz community towards career development during the academic year.
The Student of the Year Award honors the student for their personal achievements and contributions to their organization/worksite, and demonstrated personal and/or professional growth. The Honored Administer Award is presented to an administrator for making a significant, positive contribution to the university and for promoting professional and career development among UC Santa Cruz students through collaborative efforts.
Categories include Students of the Year, Graduate and Undergraduate; Student Organization of the Year; Employer and Recruiter of the Year; Alumni of the Year; Honored Administrator, Staff, and Faculty; and the Excellence Award.
Yasheng She played a major role in the development and implementation of Find Your Path: Arts Professional Pathways 2020 which was the first Arts Division and Career Success Fair on the UC Santa Cruz campus. Beyond supporting and proposing numerous workshops and events for career development, they have also supported the career development of over 40 students on campus through offering one-on-one mentorship, conducting mock interviews, providing one- on-one counseling, connecting students to art institutions and high-profile artistic practitioners. She independently created an Arts Career Starter-Kit that has assisted students in creating a professional packet that can be used to pursue a career in the arts. The integral support and work She has contributed to campus have been exceptional.
Alison Trybom Lucas was a key leader in the development and implementation of Find Your Path: Arts Professional Pathways 2020, a collaboration between the Arts Division and the Career Success team. This event promoted self-advocacy and the practical viability of finding internships and careers in the arts by connecting students with employers, alumni, and creative practitioners. Lucas’s dedication and passion for the campus and its students shines. Prior to her current position, she worked in the Offices of the Chancellor and the Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor, and she is a UC Santa Cruz alumna of the Environmental Studies Program, class of 1998.
“Both Alison and Yasheng are wonderful examples of how our team in the Arts Division consistently strives for excellence,” said the Arts Division’s Interim Dean Ted Warburton. “The Find Your Path: Arts Professional Pathways 2020 was an amazing success due to the hard work and dedication of these two individuals.”
Nominations for next year’s Sammy Awards are already underway and nominations can be submitted here.