Two of BLI Advance Leadership Fellows, Kathy Pham (BLI Program Assistant and Mindful Leader) and Bhoomika Gupta (Mindful Leader) were honored with the Central Campus Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award in January. The MLK spirit award recognizes undergraduates who exemplify the leadership and extraordinary vision of Dr. King. 

Kathy Pham, Class of 2022, B.A. Organizational Studies, B.A. Sociology – Law, Justice, and Social Change

Pham has exhibited her passion for DEI and creating social change via organizations through her frequent work around campus. As a research assistant at the Office of Enrollment and Management (OEM), she worked to challenge the way University of Michigan students were represented, specifically those of Middle Eastern and North African (ME/NA) identity, who had to self-identify themselves as white on the Common Application. Pham helped establish a new policy allowing ME/NA students to update their racial category on Wolverine Access, fostering greater racial and ethnic representativeness among the UMich student body. She plans to continue her leadership journey and make changes at the organizational level, living out DEI in her career path. 

Growing up in 5 countries, Gupta was exposed to many different cultures and experienced first-hand the importance of building relationships with those of diverse backgrounds.As a woman of color and an international student at Michigan, she has worked towards creating positive social change as a member of MYSTIC (Multicultural Youth Striving to Incorporate Cohesiveness), as President of Phi Sigma Pi, a national honor fraternity and is involved with multiple mentorship programs. Gupta aims to work in Human Resources to ensure the entire employee life cycle includes diverse, equitable, and inclusive practices. 

Bhoomika Gupta, Class of 2021, B.A. in Psychology, Business Administration Minor, Intergroup Relations Minor

The MLK spirit award honors undergraduate students nominated by U-M faculty or staff. Nominees then write an essay describing their work to promote equity, inclusion, and social justice. Awards are given to individuals who have demonstrated their spirit by building inclusive communities, pursuing social justice, promoting cross-cultural collaboration, and confronting systemic injustices. 

Huge congratulations to Kathy and Bhoomika!