At the end of each year, we host an awards reception where current EOP/HEOP students are recognized for their hard work, dedication, and commitment to their academic quest. As a program, we recognize students through three main awards:

Janet Smith Kniter Director's Award
Janice F. Turner Most Persistent Award
Spirit of Opportunity Award

This award is given in honor of former EOP/HEOP director Janet Smith-Kintner. It is given yearly to a senior who has demonstrated dedication to their academics, community, and the opportunity programs. These students have demonstrated what it means to be a role model and have worked to help others achieve through leading by example and serving as a mentor to other students. These students are also leaders and take full advantage of the opportunity given them through EOP/HEOP.

Class of 2025 Recipients:

Nuzhat Mukul, College of Engineering
Jamaya Scott, College of Arts and Sciences
Gabriela Carmona, SC. Johnson College of Business - Dyson School
Yahir Huerta-Salas, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Previous Recipients:

Tawana Winkfield ’00, Daniel Mendez ’00, Natasha Little ’01, Ramon Mercedes ’01, Dana Alas ’02, Juan Robles ’02, Alejandro Garcia ’03, Ludmilla Aristilde ’03, Miao Xian Zhou ’03, Amethia Holmes ’04, Christopher Gibbs ’04, Denise Fernandez ’05, Beth Lasoff ’05, Denisse Sandoval ’05, Huili Huang ’05, Robinson Ko ’06, Astrid Baez ’06, Yan Yan Sally Xie ’07, Helen Tsang ’08, Kenisha Atwell ’09, Heber Sanchez ’09, Jashona Harris ’10, Mony Sarkar ’10, Gong Joo Paik ’11, Janet Nwaukoni ’12, Lana Rose Miller ’13, Andre Calazan Perez ’13, Elsie Liaros ’14, Kevin Polanco ’15, Edwin Rosendo ’15, Laura Bhola ’16, Yu Qin Lu ’16, Kelsey Fryer ’17, Travis Ghirdharie ’17, Emony Robertson ’17, Dainelle Allen ’18, Ethan Kurt Anderon ’18, Patrick Voorhees ’18, Kathie Duperval ’19, Miranda Sasinovic ’19, Suzette Abreu ’20, Diala Haddad ’20, Amairani Marin Tovar ’20, Moktasid Idrissou ’20, Sanjida Akther ’21, Michelle Lee ’21, Henessy Pineda ’21, Aminah Tarriq ’21, Rocio Chanez ’22, Genesis Santana Reynoso ’22, Oummu Barrie ’22, Reggie Ezeh ’22, Paola Canales Cruz ’23, Evelyn Ramdhanie ’23, Angel Langumas ’23, Shane Ladendale ’23, Kejsi Seitllari ’23, Osman Gofran ’24, Ashley Yang ’24, Yesenia Peregrina ’24

This award is named in honor of Janice Turner, former Assistant Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University; former Interim Director of the then State Programs Office, health careers and pre-med academic advisor, advisor of the Black Bio-Medical and Technical Association (BBMTA), member of the National Association of Medical Minority Educators, Inc., Student National Medical Association, and Northeast Association of Advisors for the Health Professions.

This award is given yearly to students who exemplify academic excellence, steadfastness, flexibility, and commitment to community service. These students have also shown perseverance in the face of adversity in achieving their academic successes. Dean Turner has had a continuously supportive relationship with the students in the Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) as she worked to ensure their academic success at Cornell and beyond.

This award was established and first given 2011 to mark Dean Turner’s retirement.

Class of 2025 Recipients:

Karishma Hanomanjie, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Imani Thompson, College of Engineering
Neeshi Batista, College of Human Ecology
Qq Lin, SC Johnson College of Business, Nolan School of Hotel Administration

Previous Recipients:

Gardith Edouard ’11, Natalie Ebony Cook ’12, Lana Rose Miller ’13, Catherine Pimentel ’13, Lynda Miranda ’14, Jasmine Cotrich ’15, Sheila Gordon ’15, Yahaira Barrera ’16, Maritza Medina Olazaran ’16, Laura Perry ’17, Paola Muñoz Rojas ’17, Alize Hill ’18, Denis Bardales ’18, Jailine Hidalgo ’19, Shazell Archer ’19, Garfield Maitland ’19, Elaine Caceres ’20, Luz Martes ’20, Shanee Moodie ’20, Norman Delgado ’21, Absetou Diakite ’21, Lorena Flores ’21, Bryant Mendez ’21, Isabelle Riquelem ’21, Renee Wu ’21, Gabriela Aleman ’22, Jaden Jeswald ’22, Alwany Angeles Taveras ’22, Sadia Hossain ’22, Mya Singh Johal ’23, Tony Valencia ’23, Amy Pantoja ’23, Marissa Campiz ’23, Jas Khan ’24, Bianny De La Cruz ’24, Helssy Almanzar Pichardo ’24

This award was created in 2017 to recognize the good work and leadership exhibited by students from all class years in EOP/HEOP. Is a community (peer and staff) nominated award to recognize students as leaders, role models, representatives of EOP/HEOP on campus and beyond, and as someone who embodies the “spirit of opportunity”

2025 Award Recipients:

Oumar Ba, SC Johnson College of Business, Nolan School of Hotel Administration

Previous Recipients:

Raymond Liao ’21, Michele Lee ’21, Monisha Afrooz ’19, Won Young Choi ’18, Paola Ocampo ’18, Clinton Ikioda ’19, Barry Wu ’20, Susana Zeng ’22, Kemba Cooper ’21, Moktasid Idrissou ’20, Jessica Velesaca ’22, Janina Fosu ’21, Alwany Angeles Taveras ’22, Paola Canales Cruz ’23, Jaden Jeswald ’22, Rocio Chanez ’22, Mo Islam ’23, Yesenia Peregrina ’24, Rahman Tasnim ’23, Mugabo Jules Nshimiye ’22, Ashley Yang ’24, Shane Ladendale ’23, Kenneth Gonzalez ’24, Gabriela Carmona ’25, Nuzhat Mukul ’25, Richlove Nkansah ’26, Aminata Jaiteh ’26, Jamaya Scott ’25, Yomaris Valerio Hernandez ’23, Kaci Harris ’25, Mery Marte ’26, Arifa Mim ’23, Nicole Tian ’26, Qq Lin ’26, Hector Hurtado ’24, Iyana McGirt ’25, Isabella Cooper ’27, Roxana Mora ’26, Marissa Campiz ’23, Erica Aduasare ’26, Justin Taveras ’27, Triston Edwards ’26