Maribel Amwake, Director of Student Engagement at the joint college, was recently given the FSU Staff Leadership Award. (Courtesy FSU)
Maribel Amwake, Director of Student Engagement at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, has been awarded the Florida State University Staff Leadership Award for her exceptional contributions to student success and campus community.
The recognition ceremony, hosted by the Office of Student Organizations and Involvement, honored exemplary leadership demonstrated by individuals and organizations across the university during the spring celebration.
“This award is truly humbling and such an honor,” Amwake said. “Knowing that someone—probably a student—thought I was worthy of this award means the world to me.”
Amwake has distinguished herself through unwavering dedication to fostering student engagement, spearheading popular initiatives including Take a Paws, Field Day, and Paws Zen Play. She serves as both mentor and advisor for the Student Engineering Leadership Board (SELB) and numerous registered student organizations (RSOs).
Student-Centered Innovation
“Being the mentor/advisor for SELB has been a great privilege,” she stated. “It was SELB’s idea to bring therapy animals to campus and to have field day.”
Amwake described the profound impact of watching students find comfort through therapy animals and enjoy outdoor activities. Her collaborative approach with student leaders continues to yield innovative programming that enhances campus life.
Future Initiatives
The engineering community now anticipates SELB's newest initiative under Amwake’s guidance.
“Our new focus is to have an alumni and industry mentorship program up and running within the year and eventually expand to peer-to-peer mentorship,” she said with determination. “Our goal is to improve student engagement, retention and professionalism.”
The Staff Leadership Award recognizes individuals who consistently exceed expectations while positively influencing student experience and university culture. While Amwake's contributions continue to impress colleagues and students alike, she maintains that student success remains her primary motivation.
“Working with students, bringing joy to our campus, and seeing the smiles on their faces is truly rewarding,” Amwake shared.
About the Award
The FSU Staff Leadership Award celebrates exceptional staff members who demonstrate outstanding commitment to enhancing student life and fostering a positive campus environment through mentorship, programming and dedicated service to the university community.
Editor’s Note: This article was edited with a custom prompt for Claude 3.7 Sonnet, an AI assistant created by Anthropic. The AI improved clarity, structure and readability while preserving the original reporting and factual content. All information and viewpoints remain those of the author and publication. This disclosure is part of our commitment to transparency in our editorial process. Last edited: May 7, 2025.
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