President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership

Each year, the LCU Fund invites partner schools to nominate a scholar in her final year of studies who has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills in her home and / or school community. Prior recipients of the President’s Award for Excellence in Leadership are now serving on the front lines of health care, inspiring future generations as educators, providing comfort and guidance as religious leaders, working towards community change as non-profit leaders, and creating art that reflects the beauty of the world around us.

2025 Award Recipient

Dr. Lucresse Tato 

Lucresse exemplifies the values of academic excellence, leadership, and service to community. As a fourth-year medical student in the CUNY School of Medicine, she has balanced rigorous academic responsibilities with meaningful engagement in service and leadership, consistently advancing the mission of our institution.
 

Her leadership record is distinguished and wide-ranging. She served as President of the Sisters of Sophie Club, supporting Black female medical students, and contributed to student governance through the Sophie Davis Biograph, the International Club, and the Curriculum Committee. She has also represented the school as a mentor and panelist at regional and national forums, including the NERA Medical School Symposium and the New York Coalition of 100 Black Women Role Model Program.
 

Lucresse’s dedication to equity in healthcare is reflected in her research and advocacy. She has pursued projects focused on women’s health, maternal and child health, and health disparities, while also engaging in advocacy through organizations such as Young Invincibles to expand access to basic needs support for New York City youth. Her trajectory is firmly grounded in her commitment to primary care and to serving underserved communities.
 

Respected by faculty, peers, and community partners, Lucresse is recognized for her dependability, communication skills, and ability to lead with both vision and compassion. She embodies the purpose of the LCU Fund in supporting women whose education and leadership will have lasting impact.
 

On a personal note, Lucresse is a gem of a person. She is incredible generous with her time, knowledge, empathy, recourses and she has a genuine passion to serve all for the betterment of society.

A woman smiling in a graduation gown with a blue background.

2025 Award Nominees

  • A geothermal area with steam rising from hot springs, surrounded by colorful, eroded rocks and patches of snow on distant mountains under a cloudy sky.

    Emarinsie Funderburke

    As founder and CEO of the Long Island Youth Foundation, she has dedicated more than three decades to supporting over 2,000 youngsters and their families, addressing critical issues such as homelessness, food insecurity, inequities in education, and access to health and wellness. Her academic focus on policy development, nonprofit management, and community engagement at Baruch College will grow her capacity to expand her work through strategic planning, and equitable governance.
     

    Emarinsie exemplifies leadership service rooted in integrity, and community impact. She empowers others, builds trust, and creates opportunities for those who might otherwise be overlooked. 

  • A volcanic landscape with steaming vents, multicolored rocks, and patches of snow on the mountains under a cloudy sky.

    Azatuhi (Aza) Sahakian

    As a student, Aza established a lasting partnership between MSPSON and OnPoint, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals who use drugs or engage in sex work. As she walked through the Harlem community to get to school, she realized OnPoint was a few steps away from MSPSON, and she recognized OnPoint’s gap in basic resources. She independently organized a clothing drive, personally delivering donations between classes.

    Aza is committed to addressing inequities and bridging systemic gaps in care. Her voice as a nurse is rooted in justice, equity, and advocacy for vulnerable populations. By choosing to lead where few step forward, she exemplifies the qualities of a nurse leader whose influence will touch both her patients and the profession at large.

  • Smiling woman with dark hair standing outdoors on a city street with historic buildings, trees, and overcast sky in the background.

    Maria Peralta

    Maria, who is in her last semester of the Masters Direct Entry (MDE) program, exemplifies what it means to be a leader by supporting new Columbia Nursing students in a variety of ways.

    Maria was part of the 2024-2025 cohort of scholars in the Pathways to Leadership & Advancement in Nursing (PLAN) program. PLAN supports students from economically and environmentally disadvantaged backgrounds, providing financial, academic, emotional, and professional support. Maria has been serving as a Peer Mentor and Academic Coach to new PLAN scholars in the 2025-2026 cohort. She also has been serving as an Admissions Ambassador to the new MDE class. According to students who have worked with Maria, she goes above and beyond to help them feel welcome here at Columbia Nursing.

  • A woman in a silver dress with ruffled shoulder details poses in front of colorful floral and artistic paintings on an art gallery wall.

    Helen Wordsworth

    Helen leads with empathy and service, consistently creating opportunities for others through her work as Exhibitions Director at the University of St Andrews, where she curated ‘We Are Resilient Together’ and organized a graduation-week art auction that uplifted student artists. At the New York Academy of Art, she extends this spirit by volunteering at major events, serving as a work-study librarian, and supporting her peers with quiet guidance and encouragement. Beyond her academic community, Helen has contributed to institutions like the Wordsworth Trust, the Hummingbird Cancer Therapy Centre, and tutoring during the pandemic.

    Her leadership is collaborative, creative, and transformative, making her an outstanding candidate for this award.

  • A woman with curly hair, wearing a brown blazer over a white top, standing against a dark background with large green circles, smiling at the camera.

    Michelle Velez

    Ms. Velez graduated from Lehman College in May 2025 with a BS in Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies (BLIS) with a concentration in Health Education and Promotion and Latino Studies. She is currently a master's student in Lehman's Health Education and Promotion program.
     

    Since entering Lehman as an Adult Degree Program (ADP) student in 2023, Ms. Velez has steadily distinguished herself as a leader and a role model. Her strong academic background and initiative, combined with her commitment to helping others succeed has shifted perceptions about adult learners at Lehman. As the founder of the student club Unstoppable ADP, Ms. Velez embodies the life experience and perseverance that contribute to adult learners' success, and showcases the unique assets they bring to the campus community. 
     

    Through her quiet focus and determination, Ms. Velez truly represents the idea that “we rise by lifting others.” Her humility, dedication and sense of responsibility to her fellow students and community form a foundation for leadership that inspires others to be courageous. She is undoubtedly a deserving candidate for this award.