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UPDATED: Jan. 31, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.

Syracuse University announced the four recipients of its Unsung Hero awards Monday.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee named Bobbierre Heard, Frederick Gilbeaux, Evan Weissman and Sameeha Saied as the recipients of the 2021 Unsung Hero awards. Unsung Heroes are community members, employees or students who positively impact others but are not “widely recognized” for their work, according to an SU News release. 

“The awards were created to honor Dr. King’s vision of creating positive change in a troubled world,” according to the release. 

Heard, founder of BREKY clothing, partnered with Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital to create a program for children with disabilities. Her program allowed six children with various disabilities to participate in week-long sports activities throughout Onondaga County. 

Gilbeaux, who has worked as a dentist for over 30 years, participates in several community service organizations including On Point for College and Syracuse Sunrise Rotary. He also provides free dental care to students in need. 

Weissman, a food studies and nutrition professor who died in April, has left an impact through several organizations such as My Lucky Tummy and Syracuse-Onondaga Food Systems Alliance. His initiatives continue to inspire those at SU and in the Syracuse community, according to the release. 

Saied, a senior psychology major at SU, is being recognized for her work with several SU student organizations including Student Association, where she previously served as vice president. She has also served as a SEM 100 peer facilitator and advocated to expand SEM 100 into a one-credit academic course, which will be implemented in fall 2021. She also volunteers in the Syracuse community through OrangeSeeds, a leadership program at SU.

The recipients will be recognized at the university’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Jan. 31.

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this post, Bobbierre Heard’s name was misspelled. The Daily Orange regrets this error. 

Published on January 25, 2021 at 8:09 pm

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