I-Awards seeks to recognize excellence displayed by student organizations during I-Week.
These are the winners for I-Exhibit:
- Coming in third place, this cultural organization is well known for the recognizable splash of color that they bring to each I-Exhibit. Their warm and engaging conversations with attendees and their passion for the information they presented caught the judges’ eyes. The winner for third place is the Mexican Student Association.
- For second place, this group of students truly sought to capture attendees’ attention through one of the universal unifiers: music. By bringing traditional instruments and thought-provoking conversations together, this organization succeeded in wowing the crowd. The second place goes to the Indonesian Student Association.
- And, our first place winner for I-Exhibit is a nation club that was praised for being entertaining, interactive, and informative. Their eagerness to share traditional clothing, and then giving attendees the opportunity to wear and take pictures in the clothes, was a hit with everyone who saw them. The first place award for Outstanding Cultural Exhibit goes to the Bangladesh Student Association!
Our I-Soccer winner is up next. This year’s soccer tournament was a battle to the finish by eight different teams. The top four teams represented China, Mexico, Turkey and Poland, with Mexico and China, represented by the XuanYuan team, playing in the final game. For the third year in a row, the winner of I-Soccer is the Mexican Student Association.
In addition, we were so impressed by the enthusiasm of the teams that the coordinators wanted to give away prizes that recognized things other than the final scores. The Best Team Spirit Award goes to the Palestine Solidarity Committee. For their enthusiasm, the Loudest Crowd Award goes to the XuanYuan soccer team! For their clean looks and professional uniforms, the Best Uniform award goes to Turkish Student Association.
Next are the awards for I-Show
- The Best solo performer for I-Show performed a stunning dance that held audiences spellbound. The fluidity of her movements imparted a sense of peace to all who saw her. The winner for best solo performance is Shiwei Li.
- The winner of the fashion portion was applauded for their diverse set of clothing, and excellence in delivering visuals that conveyed how both class and celebrations played an integral role in dictating the clothing that was traditionally worn. The winner for Best National Costume is the Bangladesh Student Association!
- In a wonderful twist, we are also conferring second and third place awards for group performances. The judges had such a difficult time ranking these groups, as all of them wowed the crowd. In the end, the difference between first, second, and third place was a single point. In third place, with their graceful– and raved about– “Blue and White Porcelain” umbrella dance, is the Green Bamboo Dance Group.
- In second place, with their unique blend of Mongolian, Dai, and Xinjiang dances, is the China Hong Dance Society!
- The Best Group performance in the talent portion exemplified the best of Mexican local folk culture, combined with characteristics of ballet. Their dedication to representing the various customs within a region or indigenous peoples, combined with a love for music, won over the hearts of judges and audiences alike. The winner for Best group performance is Ballet Folklórico Celestial!
Our final awards are for the I-History event.
- For the third place, the judges mentioned that this speaker honed in on influential female leaders, both historic and modern figures. This interesting take earned the respect of the judges. The third place goes to Nuzulul Isna and her presentation on Indonesia.
- In second place, this speaker was well-noted for their charismatic persona and way of speaking.Their vast knowledge of their country’s culture and historical figures charmed both the audience and judges. The second place goes to Akanksha Pathak and her presentation on India.
- In first place, this speaker was praised for their ability to engage the audience well, and going the extra mile to teach phrases from their language. The first place goes to Nuzhat Kabir and her presentation on Bangladesh.
As a show of appreciation and goodwill, ISA has selected one cultural group for the award of Cultural Organization of the Year. This organization was selected based on their long history of partnership with ISA, their willingness to go the extra mile during co-programming events, the enthusiasm and helpfulness of their membership body, and lastly, for their unwavering dedication to sharing and promoting their culture with the University and surrounding community. This award goes to the Vietnamese Student Association!