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UB Minority Faculty and Staff Association honors two undergraduates

Celine DeCambre pictured in Davis Hall.

Senior psychology major Celine DeCambre is the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award. Photo: Douglas Levere

By CHARLES ANZALONE

Published April 6, 2023

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Two UB undergraduates determined to bring about social change and address the needs of the underserved have received this year’s UB Minority Faculty and Staff Association Student Scholarships.

Celine DeCambre, a senior psychology major with a 3.75 grade-point average, won the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Award. The MFSA established the award to support a junior or senior who demonstrates high academic standards and leadership ability, and exemplifies the personal character that advances the spirit and philosophy of King.

DeCambre is a member of the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology and the Sigma Alpha Pi National Society of Leadership and Success. She also volunteers as a clinical psychology research assistant at UB’s Behavioral Health Lab, where she is working on a vaping and smoking cessation project. DeCambre also volunteers as a biopsychology teaching assistant at UB.

Tendaji Ya'Ukuu.

Tendaji Ya’Ukuu, a junior majoring in environmental design, is the recipient of the Jerry Linder Academic Achievement Award. Photo courtesy of Tendaji Ya’Ukuu

Tendaji Ya’Ukuu, a junior majoring in environmental design with a 3.94 grade-point average, won MFSA’s Jerry Linder Academic Achievement Award, established to recognize a sophomore or junior who meets high academic standards. The award is named in honor of Jerry Linder, who served as a classification, recruitment, staffing and salary administration manager in UB Human Resources and was MFSA president from 2009-16.

Ya’Ukuu is assistant director of communications for the Student Association and a student assistant for the Blackstone LaunchPad. They have a passion for socially engaged work and work as a student assistant with the Office of Sustainability, developing practices and policies that champion equitable and renewable energy initiatives in underserved communities.

“Both scholarship winners have outstanding academic records,” says Letitia Thomas, chair of the MFSA student scholarships. “Ya’Ukuu had an especially impressive list of UB and community involvement. They definitely are going to be a change-maker.

“Celine DeCambre’s essay was very moving, and she certainly embodied the spirit and philosophy of Dr. King, as the award requires,” says Thomas. “Celine will also have a bright future long after she leaves UB.”

Each student receives a grant to defer costs of attending the university, allowing them to pursue their aspirations for social change and create sustainable solutions.

‘Power of education’

“Dr. King’s words have motivated me to be a leader in my community, to use my voice to speak out against injustice, and to strive to create a better world for everyone,” says DeCambre.

“As a first-generation college student, I have always been driven by a desire to achieve academic success and make a positive impact in my community. My mother’s sacrifices and hard work have inspired me to work hard, persevere through challenges and never take opportunities for granted.”

DeCambre recently founded Celine DeCambre Consulting, a digital transformation and marketing consulting company. She serves as both CEO and as a digital transformation and marketing consultant.

“In addition to my academic pursuits, I am deeply committed to social justice and advocacy work,” DeCambre says. “I believe in the power of education to create positive change and break down barriers for marginalized communities. As an aspiring clinical psychologist, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact that access to resources and support can have on people’s lives.”

“Advocacy for the marginalized’

Ya’Ukuu describes their work as being a multifield specialist and advocate for sustainability/arcology, a field that creates architectural design principles for densely populated and ecologically low-impact human habitats. The award will enable Ya’Ukuu to continue championing equitable renewable energy and urban planning initiatives. Their ultimate goal is to create innovative and sustainable solutions that improve the conditions of the people around them. The award will provide resources and support necessary to achieve that goal.

Ya’Ukuu has “a passion for collective improvement” and is “committed to developing collaborative and multifunctional spaces for communities that prioritize human flourishing and economic prosperity.”

They are also deeply involved in community projects, such as ManyXMovements, EcOtesha and The Bi+ Youth Project, “dedicated to people power-building, sustainability and advocacy for marginalized groups,” Ya’Ukuu says.

Ya’Ukuu is also a renewable energy tech associate graduate and urban planning student involved with organizations like Public Allies, ANHD and The LP. These associations have allowed Ya’Ukuu to work alongside dynamic leaders and colleagues to “catalyze” significant change.

Ya’Ukuu’s spare time is dedicated to building a cooperative that redevelops and sustains ecologically low-impact living centers focused on human flourishing and economic prosperity. They are “committed to prioritizing the equitable redevelopment of existing neighborhoods to expand affordable weatherized housing, green spaces, clean energy, reliable public transportation and economic opportunity,” Ya’Ukuu says.