Harrow named 2006 winner of the A. Alan Baird Memorial Award
The Office of Student Programs at Virginia Tech has selected Kori Harrow, a senior from Richmond, Va. with a double major in psychology and English, to receive the 14th annual A. Alan Baird Award. Harrow was selected for demonstrating outstanding leadership and dedication to the residence hall program and the Virginia Tech community.
The award was created in memory of A. Alan Baird, who was an active member of the campus community during his time at Virginia Tech.
“Alan was an exceptional student leader with high energy, enthusiasm, gifted leadership skills, charisma, and a very caring attitude about his fellow students,” said Edward Spencer, associate vice president for Student Affairs. The A. Alan Baird award is presented annually to the student who has made the most outstanding contribution to the residence hall program during, or culminating in, the current academic year.
Six outstanding students were nominated by their peers, faculty, and staff for the 2005–2006 academic year: Harrow; Meagan Callihan, a junior biology major from Virginia Beach, Va.; Alejandra Harvey, a sophomore human nutrition, foods, and exercise major from Midlothian, Va.; Lindsey Leisher, a senior communication major from Bel Air, Md.; Matthew A. Romyak, a junior finance and political science double major from Newport News, Va.; and Brian Michael Skipper, a sophomore civil engineering major from Yorktown, Va.
Nominees were invited to attend a special dinner in their honor, and had the opportunity to meet Alan Baird’s parents, Aubrey and Betsy Baird. The Bairds attended the dinner and award presentation, as they have every year since the award’s inception.
Spencer announced the winner of the Baird award during the University Student Leadership Awards, which were held in the Old Dominion Ballroom of Squires Student Center April 20, 2006. Quoting from her nominations, Spencer described Harrow as “sophisticated, responsible, innovative, and devoted to others.” Another nominator referred to Harrow’s programs as “the perfect mix of function and fun.”
Harrow said of winning, “Knowing many of the past recipients makes this award even more special to me because I have always looked up to them for making such positive impacts on my college experience, and I am honored to have been nominated and recognized by my peers and the residence life staff.”
