SOOIE Announces March 'Of the Month' Winners

Student Organization Outreach and Involvement Experience (SOOIE) announces Registered Student Organization Member, Advisor, and Event of the Month for March. The winners are as follows:

The Member of the Month for March is Masahiro Hashimoto from You Ought to Live Optimistically (YOLO). Hashimoto, now a sophomore, has been an active member in the YOLO club for one year and is currently serving in his first term as President. He has brought a new perspective to the group and is making the experience for the members more valuable. He is welcoming to everyone he meets and enjoys stepping up to the challenge.

Hashimoto's tireless commitment to building community and making human connections is the trait that the members of YOLO admire the most about him. He is also involved in the Filipino Students Organization, International Culture Team and serves as the President of the Japanese Student Association. SOOIE commends Masahiro Hashimoto for his contributions to the cultural engagement efforts of the International Students and Scholars office and his volunteer efforts in the community.

The Advisor of the Month for March is Gloria Flores Passmore. Flores Passmore advises the Fulbright Scholars at the U of A (FSUA), an organization that strives to promote cultural exchange, cross-cultural understanding and integration and international solidarity. She has been recognized by students across campus as an invaluable resource in helping FSUA generate ideas on how to find their voice within the student community at the U of A. She does an outstanding job getting everyone to work together and form a sense of unity and community. She is a constant reminder of the mission of the organization — to embody the values that Senator J. William Fulbright represents here at the U of A as well as the Fulbright Scholarship. She is always in close contact with the Executive Board and helps guide them in anything they may need. She is determined to see the organization succeed and her determination is inspiring to her members. Flores Passmore's contributions to the University of Arkansas are invaluable and SOOIE applauds her for her dedication to the advancement of Fulbright Scholars at the U of A.

The Event of the Month winner for March is "Sushi Workshop." This event was put on by Japanese Student Association on March 9 in the Holcombe Living Room. This event brought about cultural awareness and a new experience to students that they may never have the opportunity to learn about. Students were invited to come and learn about the different types of sushi the Japanese eat as well as how it is made. Their goal was to make sure students know and understand that there are many different types of sushi depending on the culture. The event drew both domestic and international students to participate including students from Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. A lot of students also were curious to learn more about the history of sushi and how it became such a large part of the Japanese culture. Many students in attendance were thankful for the event and said they would love to see this done again. SOOIE commends the hard work the Japanese Students Association has put into this event and the impact it had on the students across campus.

Winning these awards qualifies the individual and the RSO for an opportunity to attend the End of the Year Involvement Banquet. This banquet will highlight the amazing things RSOs accomplished throughout the school year. Attendance is limited, and winning any of SOOIE's "Of the Month" Awards guarantees entrance. Nominees who were not selected for Member and Advisor "Of the Month" will roll over to the following months for consideration.

In addition, Member of the Month will receive a $10 Chartwells gift card; Advisor of the Month will receive a framed certificate of recognition; and SOOIE will also reward RSO's who win Event of the Month by providing snacks at their next executive meeting.

SOOIE is an RSO focusing on outreach and involvement. Members of the campus community can nominate a deserving member, advisor, or RSO event for one of SOOIE's December/January "Of the Month" awards. Applications are due Jan. 31. For questions about "Of the Month Awards," please contact Ally Davis, SOOIE vice president of internal affairs, at sooievp@uark.edu or call 479-575-5255.

This program is sponsored by SOOIE through the Office of Student Activities and is supported by the Student Activities fee. Follow SOOIE on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and HogSync for "Of the Month Award" updates and much more on how you can get involved on campus!