Students recognized for multicultural awareness in residential areas

June 8, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida students Luis Bonilla Rivera and Gerardo Celis Azofeifa were selected as the Department of Housing and Residence Education 2011 Multicultural Student Award recipients.

They were chosen based on their contributions to promoting diversity and multiculturalism within UF residence facilities.

Rivera, a senior majoring in chemical engineering from Bogota, Colombia, is a Murphree Area resident assistant. He received the award in recognition of the quality and quantity of diversity programming he presented this year. Most notably, he planned a benefit program immediately following the earthquake in Japan featuring authentic, traditional Japanese food including miso soup, onigiri rice, pot stickers, and Japanese candy. Also, he served as a resource to other staff providing multiple salsa dancing lesson programs campuswide.

Azofeifa, a doctoral candidate in ecology from San Jose, Costa Rica, is the Tanglewood Village mayor. He received the award in recognition of his diversity and cross-cultural programming efforts that positively affected Tanglewood Village residents. He scheduled a six-week series of classes geared to international students, their needs, their finances, and their lifestyle as well as international cooking classes.

The University of Florida Department of Housing and Residence Education Multicultural Student Award recognizes student leaders from diverse cultural backgrounds including but not limited to international, African-American, Hispanic, Native-American and Asian-American residents. Nominees for the award may be undergraduates, graduates, or professional students living in residence facilities.