Michael Ocon receives 2020 President’s Awards for Excellence Through Diversity

Ocon, who expects to finish his degree in the fall, is a student adviser to Provost Persis Drell and Vice Provost for Student Affairs Susie Brubaker-Cole. Formerly, he served as an outreach coordinator at El Centro Chicano y Latino, a student center that works to support students academically, personally, socially and culturally. He also served as president of MEChA de Stanford, the campus chapter of a national student organization that promotes higher education, community engagement, political participation, culture and history.

In addition, Ocon served as a member of the advisory board of Counseling and Psychological Services at Vaden Health Services, and as an undergraduate representative on the Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing, a community panel of students, faculty, staff and alumni.

The award citation commended Ocon “for engaging leaders at the highest levels of the university to advance the causes of access, mobility and inclusivity at Stanford.”

It honored Ocon “for modeling leadership, constructive dialogue and resilience in the face of challenge, and garnering the respect of students, faculty and administrators across campus.”

The citation commended him “for organizing impactful events focused on creating positive institutional change, including the “Avenues of Change” program and a photo display and panel discussion highlighting key moments in the history of Stanford student activism.”

Finally, the citation honored Ocon “for elevating multiple viewpoints while still advancing his own perspective, and for his ability to tactfully and persuasively speak truth to power while doing the hard behind-the-scenes work to make things happen.”