This past April, the DigiPen Student Union announced the winners of the annual Student Life Excellence Awards during a special ceremony on campus. The award recipients were voted on by students, staff, and faculty in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the DigiPen campus community.
Here are the 2025 award winners from each category, as well as a few anonymous remarks from the people who nominated them. Congratulations to all the winners!
Student of the Year: Emmy Berg
“She’s very kind and supportive of other students at DigiPen. Even if she doesn’t know you, she makes you feel welcome. She also is a fantastic mentor!”
“Emmy is always so positive and supportive. She is always willing to talk and give advice.”
Berg is now a 2025 graduate of the BS in Computer Science in Real-Time Interactive Simulation program.
Faculty of the Year: Bill Morrison
“Bill remains a boundless fount of good cheer and support both for students and faculty, even when juggling teaching, department chair, and committee roles. His dedication to making DigiPen a better place for everyone is matched only by his enthusiasm for his work and his good humor!”
Bill Morrison is an Associate Professor in the Department of Design.
Staff of the Year: Stacy Hotes
“Any time a new employee gets seamlessly on-boarded or a student is able to start work on time, it is due to Stacy’s ceaseless efforts behind the scenes. She is an unsung hero of DigiPen, even more so this year as we made the transition to an entirely new payroll system.”
Hotes is DigiPen’s onboarding specialist with the Office of Human Resources.
Registered Student Organization of the Year: Open Market Gang
“Open Market Gang is a huge resource for budding entrepreneurs! Getting into markets as an indie artist for the first time is an intimidating beast to tackle, and it really helps to have people behind you who can give advice and support you on your journey.”
“The Open Market Gang club’s president, Savannah [Ross], has done a superb job at bringing students and friends together into an inviting, cozy, and supporting place. The club provides advice and resources for artists to engage with the promotional and marketing side to selling their artwork and merchandise. Other students gain a place to socialize and hang out while supporting others and forming connections!”
Learn more about clubs and student organizations at DigiPen.