The spring 2023 recipient of the Nell Hamilton Trotter Award is Atiyah Kennedy, an International Economics and Modern Languages major from Alexandria, Va.

The Nell Hamilton Trotter Student Leadership Award recognizes an outstanding commitment to student involvement and is the highest student leadership award presented by the university. For nearly 40 years, Nell Hamilton Trotter was a loyal member of the Georgia State University community. She was the first dean of women at Georgia State and served for many years as a dedicated faculty member. Dean Nell Hamilton Trotter personified the ideal qualities students, particularly student leaders, are expected to emulate.

Ms. Kennedy’s start as a campus leader began before her first class at Georgia State. After relocating to Georgia during her senior year of high school and Not knowing anyone planning to attend Georgia State, she started a Class of 2023 Instagram page that attracted over 2,000 student followers. During summer orientation, she was able to connect with many of the page’s followers, and her natural ability to bring people together led to her selection as an orientation leader.

During her sophomore year, Ms. Kennedy joined the Honors College and began seeking other opportunities to grow personally and professionally. She joined and held leadership positions in the Delta Sigma Pi professional fraternity, the Collegiate 100, the 1913 Society and the Student Government Association. Her heart for service led her to charter a campus chapter of Lifting Our Voices, a community service organization that directly engages with marginalized individuals in the Atlanta community. She also served in leadership roles with the Panthers Vote Coalition, engaging students in elections, promoting voter awareness and organizing a mayoral forum. Ms. Kennedy’s work with the mayoral forum led to an internship in the Office of Government and Community Affairs.

Ms. Kennedy represents the highest ideals of leadership through her service to the community and desire to leave the world a better place. She has distinguished herself as a leader among her peers and a dedicated scholar. After graduation, she plans to work in corporate government affairs and possibly return to Georgia State for a master’s degree.

Among the criteria for the Trotter Award, recipients must represent the highest ideals of leadership and demonstrate significant involvement in university activities including, but not limited to, the following:

• Involvement in campus life activities or organizations;
• Holding university-wide leadership positions;
• Participation in the production of student publications;
• Involvement in volunteer opportunities and/or service organizations;
• Participation in specific-interest clubs or organizations; and/or
• Participation in the fine arts or performing arts.