#ut austin

Adrian Lancaster and Ryan Becerra

Some people shape campus life through connection. Others shape it through the systems, spaces and support that make everything work. Together, they help the Forty Acres feel like a place where students can grow, belong and thrive.

This year, two members of the Division of Student Affairs were honored in April with the President’s Outstanding Staff Award, each making a powerful impact in their own way.

Award recipients celebrate leadership and tradition at the 2026 Swing-Outs awards ceremony.

This year’s Swing-Outs awards ceremony hosted by the Office of the Dean of Students on April 6 celebrated the students and student organizations whose leadership and service shape the Forty Acres. These recipients don’t just participate in campus life — they elevate it.

In a nod to tradition, the event now carries a name with deep UT Austin roots. Once known as Evening of the Stars, the ceremony reclaimed its original 1920s title, Swing-Outs. That was known as a historic moment when graduating seniors were honored before “swinging out” of campus and symbolically passing the torch to the next class. Reviving this name reconnects today’s Longhorns with a century-old legacy of student excellence.

Each recipient represents a story of dedication and impact setting the standard for what it means to lead at UT Austin, leaving a legacy that will inspire generations of Longhorns to come. Horns up to these outstanding student leaders and organizations!

The University Unions Advisory Council hosted an awards luncheon Friday, April 17, in the William C. Powers Jr. Student Activity Center to honor student recipients of the J. J. “Jake” Pickle Citizenship Award, the PAL – Make a Difference Award and the William Andrew Smith Jr. GRASP Award.

Advisory Council Chair Cathy Sorsby presented the awards with members of the council in attendance, along with Vice President for Student Affairs John Dalton, University Unions leadership, award recipients and their friends and families. Members of the Pickle family, including Peggy Pickle, daughter of J. J. Pickle, Bergan Casey, his granddaughter, and Jaspreet "Rick "Pal also joined the celebration.

J. J. "Jake" Pickle Citizenship Award

Peggy Pickle, J.J. Pickle's daughter, Angelica Sharma (award recipient), Bergan Casey, J.J. Pickle's granddaughter, Jennifer Speer, AVP University Unions

This award was established in 1999 by the University Unions Advisory Council to honor the legacy of Congressman J. J. “Jake” Pickle. It is presented each year to a UT Austin student whose long-term contributions to campus life reflect the values of leadership, service and commitment that Congressman Pickle was known for throughout his career. The recipient of the Pickle Award receives $5,000, a certificate and a copy of Jake Pickle’s autobiography “Jake.”

The 2026 recipient is Angelica Sharma. Originally from Katy, Texas, Angelica has woven service, innovation and leadership into every part of her UT experience.

Through Hearts for the Homeless, Angelica helps provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings, wound care and vital health resources to people experiencing homelessness in Austin. After seeing firsthand that blood pressure checks alone were not enough, she trained as an EMT, expanded services to include wound care and blood sugar screenings, built partnerships with local nonprofits and grew the organization’s reach from two to seven screening sites. She has led efforts to provide bus passes, clinic information cards, winter care packages and culturally informed Spanish-language outreach that centers dignity and trust.

A computer science major, Angelica also leads ECLAIR, UT’s AI and robotics club, where she helped grow membership, launch student-led projects and create outreach events that inspire future engineers. Her work reflects the spirit of the J. “Jake” Pickle Citizenship Award through integrity, compassion and a deep commitment to public service.

Pal-Make a Difference Award

John Dalton, Vice President Student Affairs, Harshpreet Kaur (award recipient), with Jaspreet "Rick" Pal, Advisory Council Member

The Pal—Make a Difference Award was established in 2006 by Rick Pal, a proud UT alum from the Class of ’95. The award was created to encourage leadership and public service among our students. Each year, it is given to a student whose program or initiative has made a meaningful impact on campus or in the wider community. The recipient receives a certificate and $1,500.

The 2026 recipient is Harshpreet Kaur. Originally from Frisco, Texas, Harshpreet has used her time at UT to strengthen campus life through leadership in Campus Events + Entertainment (E+E) and Student Government.

From her first semester, she sought out opportunities to plan events, manage budgets and collaborate with peers, steadily building the soft skills that will support her future as a physician, including communication, empathy, problem-solving and teamwork.

Early on, she helped reimagine Chillfest into a multiroom experience that earned the Star Award for Innovation, then moved into officer and chair roles where she oversaw events, mentored coordinators and worked closely with campus partners. Under her leadership, Unwind events have expanded across campus, connected students with resources and created welcoming spaces to relax and build community. Her ability to contribute across multiple committees is impressive.

Her impact extends beyond E+E through her work with the Mental Health Agency in Student Government, where she helped provide culturally informed mental health resources and programming. Harshpreet’s dedication to service, community building and student well-being exemplifies the spirit of the PAL – Make a Difference Award.

William Andrew Smith, Jr. GRASP Award

Jackson Burford and Sienna Rossmiller, (award recipients) with Jennifer Speer, AVP University Unions, Rigo Gutierrez, Director of Student Programming, Cathy Sorsby, Chair University Unions Advisory Council

The GRASP Award—which stands for GRants for Active Student Participants—was established in 2006 through the generosity of the University Unions Advisory Council. In 2013, it was renamed the William Andrew Smith, Jr. GRASP Award.This award honors students who demonstrate strong leadership, a passion for campus involvement, and a commitment to service within University Unions and the Events and Entertainment organization.

The 2026 recipients of the GRASP award are Jackson Burford and Sienna Rossmiller.

The awardees impressed the committee with their leadership, commitment and enthusiasm through their work with the University Unions’ Campus Events + Entertainment organization. These students exhibit the core values of UT Austin, and the selection committee believes they will continue to positively contribute to the Unions and create opportunities for their peers.