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Chiamaka Okonkwo CC'23

Award Recognition

Civic Responsibility
Chiamaka has demonstrated her commitment to civic responsibility through her efforts to foster a relationship between Columbia students and the Harlem community. In her role as Community Outreach Chair of the Black Students Organization, she has taken the initiative to establish partnerships with WARM, an organization that assists black and brown women who are victims of domestic violence, and the Greater Harlem Coalition, an organization that works to improve the conditions of Harlem residents as it relates to health, wealth and access disparities. She is currently working with both organizations, creating volunteering opportunities and joint projects with Columbia's BSO that will further their missions. She has also shown a dedication to civic responsibility in her work with the Columbia Students Service Corps. In her role in both the Summer Together and Learning Together programs, she has virtually tutored young students from the Washington Heights area and led class sessions for them over the summer and during the school year, in an effort to contribute to their continued learning and support over the course of the pandemic. Finally, as the Vice President of Chribble, an organization newly launching at Columbia, she plays an integral role in recruiting members and contributing to the creation of children's books which promote kindness, fairness and other good qualities, which are being created with the intention of donating them to various communities and organizations.
I am very thankful for the award in Civic Responsibility, and I continue to be inspired by my peers who all work so hard to contribute to a fairer world!