A master's student in Spanish has been named one of only two winners of the 2023 Graduate Student Leadership Award.
The campuswide award is sponsored by the Graduate College and recognizes graduate students who have exhibited outstanding services that has positively impacted the campus and wider communities.
Luis David Gaytán-Soto has demonstrated commitment through a multitude of advising and mentoring programs with an emphasis on serving those in the Latinx community. As a participant in La Casa Cultural Latina’s A.C.E. Mentoring program, Gaytán-Soto has helped undergraduate students navigate life as a student at the University of Illinois. Additionally, Gaytán-Soto has contributed to the La Casa Cultural Latina's Scholarship and Selection Committee and through volunteering in the Richard Chavez Ambassador Program. In granting Gaytán-Soto the award, the selection committee commended his unique brand of servant leadership, applying lessons from his lived experience in “creating inclusive and affirming environments for others” in a variety of ways.
The second award went to a doctoral student in informatics.
Editor's note: A version of this story first appeared on the Graduate College website.