Poon, Driskell Win Aloian Scholarships

The Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) awarded its prestigious David Aloian Memorial Scholarship to Nancy M. Poon '01 and Fentrice D. Driskell '01 last Thursday--honoring the two seniors for their "unique contributions" to their Houses.

The awards, which were presented at a dinner for HAA's Board of Directors, are given annually to two Harvard seniors who have made "Harvard an exciting place in which to live and study," according to the HAA.

Each House is allowed to nominate one student for the Aloian award. The nominees complete applications that are then judged by the HAA board.

"We're very proud [of the winners]," said HAA Associate Director Kay Hall '87. "We could have easily given the award to [a student from] each House."

Poon, of Dunster House, said the honor was unexpected.

"I really was surprised to win because there were so many incredible people [nominated]," Poon said. "I know that they all have made such valuable contributions."

Poon is the Dunster House Committee co-chair and is involved in several House community service programs. According to Hall, Poon has "mobilized House energy to serve the community."

She is also active with "Think College Now!" a program that stresses the importance of college to seventh grade students in Cambridge and Boston. In addition, Poon participates in the Radcliffe Association's Mentor Program and the Women's Leadership Project (WLP).

As a coxswain for Harvard's varsity crew team, Poon "revived the House crew program almost single-handedly," Hall said.

Poon said she tried to make Dunster a friendlier place.

"We had a lot of traditional activities like formals and the goat roast, but we made it so there was an activity for everybody, not just one style," Poon said.

Driskell, a resident of Mather House, is finishing her term as president of the Undergraduate Council. She is also a member of the Black Students' Association and the WLP.

Last year she and a roommate headed an initiative called the "Mather House Creed" which set out basic principles to help build a sense of community at Mather.

"We unveiled the creed at dinner [to encourage students] to meet people who [they] didn't know, respect the dining hall staff who work so hard, the little things that can make a difference," she said. "This award shows the importance building community has to the alumni, and it should be important to us too."

Hall said the HAA hoped the Aloian award would ensure that students' contributions to House life are recognized and celebrated by the community and alumni.

"We want to recognize Harvard's unique House system, and to encourage and foster it," Hall said.

The award was established in 1988 to honor the late David P. Aloian '49, a former HAA executive director and master of Quincy House.