The Sisters of Alpha Kappa Omicron announce two current students have been named as winners of the 2025 AKO Leadership Awards.
The Sisters of Alpha Kappa Omicron announce two current students have been named as winners of the 2025 AKO Leadership Awards.
The awards were established to award two Alfred University students each year through the generous support from numerous donors from the AKO sisterhood. They are given through the Judson Leadership Center, in consultation with the AKO Awards Selection Committee, made up of AKO alumnae.
Nkanyiso Dlamini, a junior philosophy-theatre double major from Johannesburg, South Africa, is the winner of the 2025 AKO Social Change Leadership Award. Natalie Danquah, a sophomore biology major from Ghana, with minors in chemistry and biomaterials engineering, is the recipient of the 2025 AKO Achievement Award. Nkanyiso and Natalie will each be awarded an honorarium.
The AKO Social Change Leadership Award is given to a junior woman who has demonstrated superior efforts in creating change-for-the-good for the Alfred University community. An emphasis is placed on active, authentic service-based leadership which creates sustainable change.
Nkanyiso has been in multiple theatre department productions, including The Merry Wives of Windsor, Rich B*tch, Divorce Diaries, Don't Dress For Dinner, and Machinal. As a leader and advocate for global perspectives, she serves as the President of the International Students Association, fostering inclusivity and cultural exchange on campus. Nkanyiso's commitment to service and excellence has also granted her a role as a servitor leader in the Honors Society, where she organizes volunteer initiatives within the community.
In 2024, Nkanyiso joined the Women's Leadership Academy, furthering her dedication to empowering women and all those around her while developing her leadership skills. Currently, she is immersed in her capstone project, which will inspire dialogue surrounding women's healthcare on campus and in the community because she believes it is vital that women's healthcare is not treated as an afterthought.
Nkanyiso hopes to make a meaningful impact on both academic and creative spaces. She thanks her family for their continued support in her performance and academic career.
The AKO Achievement Award is given to a sophomore woman who has demonstrated excellence in personal academic leadership and honors the high standards of scholastic performance.
Natalie has been actively involved in leadership and service at Alfred University. She currently serves as a resident assistant, treasurer for the African Students Association, and as the Student Senate representative for the Pre-Health Club. Previously, she was a supplemental instructor for Calculus I, where she helped peers understand complex concepts and build confidence in their academic abilities.
As a member of the 2024-25 cohort of the Women’s Leadership Academy, Natalie has developed essential leadership skills such as communication, decision-making, and collaboration. Her capstone project, in collaboration with the Physiology of Aging class and Jennifier Gordon, assistant professor of anatomy and physiology, involves organizing an end-of-year senior engagement event to foster connections between students and senior citizens in Alfred and neighboring towns.
Natalie also works with University Advancement as a member of the Phonathon team, building connections with alumni and supporters of the university. She has consistently earned a place on the Dean’s List.
With aspirations of becoming a dental surgeon, Natalie is working toward starting dental research as part of her academic journey.