This is the first year of the SEED Award program, which is designed to honor high-achieving diverse students at the University of Minnesota.  SEED Award recipients must demonstrate impressive academic achievement and leadership in community outreach and activism, in addition to a deep understanding of and commitment to issues of equity, diversity and social justice. The recipients' awards range from US$1,000 to US$2,500. 

“We created the SEED Award program to honor the achievements of outstanding diverse students with a wide range of backgrounds, identities, interests, and accomplishments,” said Nancy “Rusty” Barceló, the university's vice president and vice provost for equity and diversity, “and this year's recipients are a truly outstanding group, both in their academic strength and their collective passion for community service and social justice.”

This year’s SEED graduate school scholars are:

Trecia Pottinger is a Ph.D. candidate in American studies and holds a 2008-09 Ford Foundation Dissertation Fellowship.

Aeleah Soine is a Ph.D. candidate in history and holds a 2008-09 University of Minnesota Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship.
SEED undergraduate scholars are:

Jesus-Estrada-Perez is a second semester senior majoring in cultural studies in the College of Liberal Arts.

Eikoku Ikeno is a first semester senior double majoring in Asian Languages and Literature and History in the College of Liberal Arts.

Desiree Abu-Odeh is a junior in the College of Biological Sciences' honors program majoring in neuroscience.

 Judith Chan is a senior in School of Nursing.

Sarah Choy is a senior majoring in Philosophy and English in the College of Liberal Arts.

Dionne Dillard is a junior majoring in political science and African American and African studies in the College of Liberal Arts.

Angela Haeny is a junior majoring in psychology in the College of Liberal Arts.

Daniel Martig is a senior double-majoring in biochemistry in the College of Biological Sciences and Asian languages and literatures in the College of Liberal Arts.

Angelina Nguyen is a senior majoring in political science and economics in the College of Liberal Arts.

Jasmine Omorogbe is a junior in the University Honors Program majoring in communication studies in the College of Liberal Arts.

Anh Tran is a senior double-majoring in neuroscience and psychology in the College of Biological Sciences and College of Liberal Arts with the goal of becoming a medical doctor and public health advocate.

CAPTION

U of M SEED Scholars are (left to right): Dionne Dillard, Jasmine Omorogbe, Aeleah Soine, Angela Haeny, Sarah Choy, Daniel Martig, Anh Tran, Jesus-Estrada-Perez, Angelina Nguyen, Desiree Abu-Odeh, Judith Chan, Eikoku Ikeno. Not present was Trecia Pottinger.