University of Oklahoma Athletics
Headington Hall Earns 2016 President's Trophy
April 05, 2016 | Athletics
It houses student-athletes and general students who are all pursuing excellence. When your residents have high aspirations, the housing center and its staff must find ways to support those efforts.
For the second time in three years, Headington Hall has been named the winner of the President's Trophy, proof positive that the staff and the residence hall are up to the task. In its third year of housing around 380 students each academic year, Headington Hall took the President's Trophy in its first year, then finished as the runner-up in its second year.
Accepting the award for Headington were 2015-2016 Headington Hall Student Leadership Association President Matthew Marks, 2016-2017 Headington Hall Student Leadership Association President Jacob Clements, resident advisor Salima Harun, and Shae Mann and Micah Beatty, center coordinators.
In its 21st year, the President's Trophy was started by President David L. Boren and First Lady Molly Shi Boren in 1995 with the first presentation in the spring of 1996. It recognizes the outstanding fraternity, sorority, small group sorority/fraternity housing center and two commuter students.
Awards went to students and organizations exhibiting overall excellence in academics, campus activities, volunteerism and community experience.
The purpose of the competition is to encourage students to raise standards for themselves and their organizations in four areas of emphasis. The competition is coordinated by Crimson Club, the university's ambassador organization composed of OU student leaders.
Winners were recognized for superior achievement in the individual categories of academics, campus activities, volunteerism and community experience received a trophy. Housing, small group sorority/fraternity, fraternity and sorority runners-up for the President's Trophy received a trophy. President's Trophy outstanding commuter student winners were given a trophy and $500, and the President's Trophy first-place organizational winners received a trophy and $5,000.
Headington was recognized for excellence in volunteerism in addition to winning the overall contest. Traditions Square West received the runner-up trophy.
Among the highlights of activities featured in the Headington nomination were a school supply drive for Madison Elementary School, a canned food drive that contributed over 10,000 cans/more than 16,000 pounds of food to food pantries in Norman, and a clothing drive that contributed hundreds of articles of clothing to local charities. Residents and staff participated in Campus Cursive; The Big Event; Relay for Life; Don't throw it away Campaign, Puppies for a purpose (change drive for Soonerthon) Second Chance Volunteer Day and Cookies for Children (raised money for center for children and families in Norman).
Additionally, the residents and staff contributed food to Food and Shelter for Friends, helped with the Animeals pet food distribution program through Meals on Wheels, unloaded and sorted poinsettias for Meals on Wheels, and then delivered poinsettias for Meals on Wheels on the OU Campus. They volunteered at Mission Norman, sorting food for their food pantry; volunteered at Second Chance Animal Shelter, and participated in the Big Event as well.
They hosted several study abroad informational sessions, a Study Abroad 101, a coffee and English conversation hour with students from the Center for English as a Second Language, students from Headington Hall and Cate Center, and with help from Athletics Department sponsor The Reserve on Stinson. They partnered with the Confucius Institute to have a Chinese Cultural night complete with crafts, martial arts displays, Chinese language characters, and prizes. We also had hundreds of residents attend a late night breakfast prepared by our Student Leadership Association, RAs, and Faculty-in-Residence Dr. Kelly and Beth Damphousse in both the fall and spring semesters.
Hundreds of students have gathered in the Ty T. Hartwig Courtyard for numerous programs including exotic animals and snow cones, an ice cream social and outside movie, s'mores around a fire pit, and yoga. Other activities include the third annual Crimson Chords Concert and Headington Talent showcase; Two-stepping/Salsa Dance the night away; Irish Leap Day celebration; Painting Pumpkins; Halloween Party and Majors and minors with Fit Rec.
Finally, the residents and staff participated in a self-care program with PROS; Bring yOUr A game: OU writing Center; Headington Welcome Week: Monsters U with the Damphousses, Headington Howdy; a leadership series with Lon Kruger, Clarke Stroud, Bob Thomas, and others; dinner with the FIRS, Headington Hall Woman's Association paint party, and the HHWA Gingerbread Houses, Cookies, and Cocoa.
