Celebrating Resilience and Excellence at Madonna: The 2025 TRIO Awards

LIVONIA, MICH. – Madonna University recognized student achievement and perseverance at its annual TRIO Awards ceremony Friday, celebrating individuals who excelled academically, demonstrated leadership, and contributed meaningfully to campus life through the TRIO Student Support Services program. 

The event, hosted on campus, highlighted students overcoing challenges while fostering excellence in academics and community engagement. Myesha Reese, awarded Outstanding Student Involvement, captivated attendees with a performance of Andra Day's Rise Up, symbolizing the event's theme of resilience. 

Key honorees included: 

• Mercedes Williams: Presented with the CPI/TRIO Staff Champion Award by Lilia Lamas (Senior Coordinator for Tutoring) and Marius Sidau (TRIO Assistant Director).
• Ann Marie Sladewski and Jessica Cummings: Recipients of the Students an Professors Authentically Redefining Connections for Success (SPARCS) Award. 
• Bella Burchart, Simone Chin, and DeMario Williams: Recognized for Academic Honors (3.7-3.89 GPA).
• Christopher Federlein: Awarded Outstanding Supplemental Instruction. 
• Simone Chin and Sincere Walker: Honored with the TRIO Rising Star Award. 

The ceremony underscored TRIO's mission to provide resources and mentorship to students navigating systemic barriers. These awards reflect the strength of the Madonna comunnity and the transformative power of support.

Trio Student Support Services, a federally funded program, aids first-generation, low-income, and disability-identified students in achieving academic success. Friday's event emphasized its role in fostering unity and empowerment at Madonna University.