The Division of Student Affairs has awarded two graduating seniors with the Henry Woods Leadership Award. 

The winners are Ellis Freel, who is majoring in poultry science in the Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Sciences and accounting in the Sam M. Walton College for Business, and Ricardo Gomez-Aguilar, who is majoring in marketing in Walton College. Freel is from Bryant, and Gomez-Aguilar is from Little Rock.

Freel and Gomez-Aguilar will each receive $1,500 for the award, which is named for former University of Arkansas alumnus, Henry Woods, who was heavily involved in campus activities during his time at the U of A.

"This leadership award has given me the freedom to focus on my project manager role in the Doug McMillon Innovation studio with Community Clinic in providing maternal health to postpartum mothers," Freel said. "My future career aspirations with a Poultry Science major are to help feed the world, and I plan to use my accounting degree to figure out how to do so. I want to find a career I love that balances my passion for helping others with my passions for health or finance."

Freel will graduate in December 2024 and said she is currently entertaining multiple job offers with different companies.

"I've always aspired to be a model business leader in any field that I may choose to go into," said Gomez-Aguilar. "Being part of the Walton College, and the University of Arkansas community in general, has not only broadened my academic and professional experiences but also introduced me to invaluable networking opportunities that align with my goals and aspirations."

"I am immensely appreciative for the support that the friends and family of Henry Woods are providing for my educational and professional success. This award will be incredibly contributory in helping me pursue mydegree in Marketing at the University of Arkansas," said Gomez-Augilar. "Additionally, it allows me tocontinue a legacy of leadership, community service, and social responsibility that Henry Woods once started."

Gomez-Aguilar will graduate in December 2024 and will return to the U of A in January 2025 to pursue his master's degree in supply chain management.

"I want to congratulate Ricardo and Ellis, our Fall 2024 Henry Woods Student Leadership Award recipients," said Jeremey Battjes, vice chancellor for student affairs. "They are extraordinary students, who have pursued servant-leadership roles during their student experience. Through their leadership, they found ways to serve others and improve their lives and the lives of their surrounding community. Their futures are filled with endless possibilities."

Henry Woods graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1973 and received both a B.A. and an M.A. in political science. He was editor of the Razorback yearbook, involved in student government, the Arkansas Union, and the Interfraternity Council. Following graduation, Woods worked in Washington, D.C., on the staffs of several Arkansas congressmen and senators. During his 25 years of civic service in the U.S. capital, Woods worked hard as an advocate for Arkansas and helped improve the quality of life for its people.

Read more about Henry Woods, his legacy and past winners of this award in the Student Affairs Bulletin.

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About the Division of Student Affairs: The Division of Student Affairs supports the whole student by cultivating transformative experiences and environments that promote student well-being, sense of community, and success. We prioritize student access, well-being, and belonging, post-graduation success, and building a strong organizational culture.