Honorable Mention Winner
Dennis Ngin
University of Florida
Junior in Political Science/Marketing
3.50 GPA

Abraham Lincoln would be proud. For the past two years at the University of Florida, Dennis Ngin, 21, has campaigned for a Student Government of the students, by the students, for the students.

While other freshmen were adjusting to college life, Ngin was thinking about what he could change at UF. As the former president of the Asian Youth Group at his high school, Ngin quickly realized that UF was short on resources for Asian Americans, noting that the campus lacked an Asian studies program and an Asian American cultural fraternity. Founding the Asian American Greek Interest Group was the next logical step for him. Serving as president of AAGIG, Ngin then pushed for an Asian American studies program and, with the cooperation of administrators, won Asian American studies its first certificate program.

Next, Ngin sought to create a frat. If he convinces administrators, UF will house the first chapter of Pi Delta Psi in the entire Southeast and the first Asian American cultural fraternity in Florida. "The fraternity will function as a resource for students who wish to become active in an organization that strongly promotes academic achievement, cultural awareness, and brotherhood," Ngin says.

While these long-term plans were brewing, he joined the Asian Student Union and became active in SG. He initially joined to help Jamal Sowell, the Access Party's presidential hopeful, but was soon surprised with a nomination to run for treasurer. His election made him the first Asian American to hold an executive position at a campus with a population of more than 50,000 students. As the head fiscal manager of the SG budget, he was now in charge of a $10.5 million budget.

But Ngin didn't let the prestige get to his ego. He posted his cell phone number and his AOL Instant Messenger screen name on his office door and literally kept an open-door policy for all student visitors. Students walking in would see a sign on the door asking that he be called "Dennis" and not by his title. Keen on being a servant of the students, he refused to act above them.

When he wasn't serving students with answers, he was serving them with actions. Working with at-risk university students through the UF Students in Free Enterprise outreach program, he encouraged them to pursue higher education and excel in their college endeavors. Brian Ray, the faculty advisor for SIFE, was most impressed with Ngin's mentorship. "Dennis is a key reason why the University of Florida SIFE team has ranked among the top 16 teams in the nation," he says.

Ngin's friendly and philanthropic attitude won him a presidential nomination on the Impact Party ticket for the Spring 2005 elections—making him the first Asian American to run for student body president, though he didn't win the coveted position this year. "I've broken barriers that once prevented students from serving in such positions," Ngin says.

Megan Silbert, associate director at the Warrington College of Business Administration, finds his efforts exceptional. "I would place Dennis' leadership and service to the University of Florida among the top 1 percent of our students," she says.

Ngin's scholarships and salary as student body treasurer cover 82 percent of his expenses. His parents pay for the remainder.—LH

Contact Ngin at dngin@ufl.edu.