Student Awards

Pickle Citizenship Award

The J.J. "Jake" Pickle Citizenship Award is presented annually to a UT Austin student whose  contributions to campus life exemplify the high standards of leadership and service that were the hallmarks of the life and career of Congressman Pickle. It is an endowed student award created by the University Unions Advisory Council in 1999. It is presented annually to a student at UT Austin who makes cumulative, notable contributions to campus life and epitomizes the values of Congressman Pickle. The recipient is awarded $5,000, a certificate and an autographed copy of Congressman Pickle’s autobiography "Jake."

The 2025 recipient is Dat Duong. Originally from Dallas, Dat is a public health major. In his time at UT, Dat became aware of the food insecurity affecting many students, particularly among low-income and first-generation backgrounds. This realization inspired him to co-found the West Campus Collective (WCC), which addresses food waste by redistributing surplus meals. Over the past year, WCC has provided over 3,000 meals to students in need. Additionally, as the inaugural Co-Director of the Student Government Food Security Agency, Dat helped launch initiatives like the Pilot Grocery Shuttle program and collaborated with local institutions to improve food access. His involvement in these programs emphasizes the importance of collective action and the impact students can have on their community, reinforcing Dat’s commitment to fostering food equity on campus.

Dat's demonstration of compassion for others and his commitment to the greater good shone through in his application. These values align with the belief and commitment to community service, beliefs also dearly held by Jake Pickle. 

Pal-Make A Difference Award

The Pal-Make A Difference Award is presented annually to a UT Austin student whose individual program or initiative has made a significant contribution to campus life or the broader community. It is an endowed award, established in 2006 by University Unions Advisory Council member Jaspreet Singh Pal (BBA ’95) to encourage university leadership and public service. The recipient is awarded $1,500 and a certificate.

The 2025 recipient is Jaxson Shealy. Originally from Coppell, Texas, he is an economics and government major. Jaxson was chosen for the award because of his work at the Texas Civic Ambassadors Program, where he founded Texas Helping Hand, a student organization aimed at supporting nonprofits that serve the homeless. With guidance from the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life, Jaxson helped launch the Spring '25 Advocacy, Volunteering, and Consulting (AVC) Program. This initiative harnesses students' unique skills to help nonprofits overcome their lack of resources. Additionally, Jaxson leveraged his connections with Greek life organizations to help Keep Austin Fed establish a food storage system for surplus cafeteria meals.

By strengthening organizations' capabilities, Jaxson has helped non-profits achieve immediate success and foster a culture of student engagement in public service.

William Andrew Smith, Jr. GRASP Award Recipients

The Grants for Active Student Participants (GRASP) endowment was created in 2006 through the generosity of Union's Executive Board members and was named in honor of past Unions' Executive Director Andy Smith in 2013. $1,500 is awarded to each recipient. The purpose of the William Andrew Smith, Jr. GRASP Award is to encourage and facilitate continued participation, particularly by freshman and sophomore students, in University Unions committees and programs. It provides awards to students who have demonstrated leadership qualities, an enthusiasm for campus citizenship and solid academic performance. 

The 2025 recipients of the GRASP award are Adrita Rahman, Peyton Wade, and Harshpreet Kaur. The awardees impressed the committee with their leadership, commitment and enthusiasm through their work with the University Unions’ Campus Events + Entertainment organization. These students exhibit the core values of UT Austin, and the selection committee believes they will continue to positively contribute to the Unions and create opportunities for their peers.