Natalie Ishioka named Student of the Year by the Great Lakes Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls

Oakland University senior Natalie Ishioka has been selected as Student of the Year by the Great Lakes Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (GLACURH), a regional organization that focuses on leadership development, networking and advocacy for residential students.

She was nominated for the award by Oakland University Housing leaders Pedro Marin and Josh Kilpela. They submitted a detailed bid showcasing Ishioka’s leadership and involvement in and around OU’s Housing Department. Delegations of student leaders from colleges and universities around the Great Lakes Region evaluated nominations, selecting Ishioka as Student of the Year at the GLACURH Fall Regional Leadership Conference at Indiana University-Bloomington.

“I was so honored when I found out that I’d been chosen as the GLACURH Student of the Year. I know that there were multiple other strong candidates that had been nominated, and so I was happy to have been recognized on this regional level,” Ishioka said. “However, the part of this process that made me feel most honored was when my supervisor, Pedro, let me know that I was being nominated. I’ve worked for and alongside these people for the past three years, and knowing that they saw me as worthy of being nominated for this honor was the most humbling part of this and made me feel just as happy as actually winning did.”

Ishioka distinguished herself as a strong, dependable student leader by serving as a resident assistant and desk attendant for the OU Student Apartments, coordinating officer for administration for the Golden Grizzlies Chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) and coordinating officer of residential engagement for OU’s Residence Life Association (RLA).

Ishioka pictured with OU Housing leader Pedro Marin, who nominated her for the GLACURH Student of the Year Award.

Last year, she served as a first-time delegate to the GLACURH Regional Business Conference at Michigan State University, where she learned about the region and how other schools run their NRHH chapters and programming initiatives. She and the other OU delegates incorporated that knowledge into OU’s NRHH and RLA operations. As a housing student leader, Ishioka is especially passionate about creating programs that inspire students to make a difference in the world.

“I really appreciate the culture of service that exists within housing,” she said. “There is such a drive to make the world a better place, whether it be through service projects, environmental initiatives, or mental health outreach, and working in this department has been such an incredible opportunity to participate in these types of events.”

As her supervisor, Pedro Marin has witnessed Ishioka’s growth as a leader who advocates for students not just at the campus level, but also at the state, regional and national levels.

“She serves and is constantly aware of her impact on society, and works towards further developing the communities she is in,” said Marin, area coordinator and Residence Life Association and National Residence Hall Honorary chapter adviser.

“Most importantly, she leads with grace and empathy. Natalie is an impeccable role model for students and truly embodies what it means to be a student of the year.”

Ishioka pictured with OU mascot Grizz.

Ishioka has excelled as a clinical and diagnostic sciences major and presidential scholar in OU’s Donna and Walt Young Honors College. She serves as vice president of the Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences Society chapter and is also active in the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science as the developing professional director for the state of Michigan. As she prepares to graduate in the coming weeks, Ishioka says the best part of her college experience has been all the influential and supportive people she has met along the way.

“I’ve been so blessed to have incredible supervisors that have provided me with guidance and mentorship that has been so valuable as I’ve progressed through my academic career,” she said. “I’ve also learned so much from my peers that has shaped the decisions I’ve made and the paths I’ve chosen for myself. Finally, I’ve made such good friends within the housing department that have made my college experience so much better and who I will miss so much as we move on to graduation this spring.”

Ishioka was presented with a certificate at the GLACURH Spring Regional Business Conference at Saginaw Valley State University in March. As a regional winner, she has also been nominated for the Student of the Year Award at the National Association of College and University Residence Halls level. Voting will take place at the national conference in May.