Rasheed Booker, a senior BFA Acting major from Philadelphia, was awarded the Undergraduate Student of the Year Award by the Association for Student Conduct Administration (ASCA) at its annual conference in Portland, Ore., Jan. 31-Feb. 3. 

This award recognizes undergraduate students who have greatly contributed to the betterment of their institution in the past year. A group of Arcadia administrators nominated Booker, writing, “Rasheed’s authenticity and genuine character shines in all his interactions, leaving a lasting impression on all those who interact with him.” They also cited Booker’s work with the Judicial Board, saying he is “thoughtful, empathic, but also understands the importance of community and how our behavior affects, both positively and negatively, all around us.”

Booker’s positive impact on the Arcadia University community has also earned him recognition here on campus; he was nominated this month for demonstrating the Knight Code of Honor, specifically the Arcadia Lived Values of Excellence and Justice.

He was visiting his mother in Georgia when he first learned he would be receiving a national award.

“It came as a complete surprise to me,” said Booker. “Funny enough, I didn’t know I was being nominated until I was congratulated. I saw the congratulations emails first and was very confused, but then when I received the award letter, it came as a genuine surprise to me. I was very happy, and of course, so was my mother.”

At Arcadia, Booker is heavily involved across campus. He’s worked with the theater department, helping to build sets and being a part of the stage crew for shows. He’s a Black Affinity Living and Learning Community (BALL-C) peer mentor, a shift supervisor at the Kuch Athletic Center, a member of Public Safety, and was previously a first-year peer mentor and an RA with the Gateway to Success Program. While it was an initial surprise, Booker credits his drive and motivation as key factors in his accomplishment.

“I’m always the main one willing to help at any point,” he added. “I try to do everything I can to make sure everything’s okay, everything’s running smoothly. My constant work ethic is just to do more and more and more. I try to wear as many hats as I can because I always like to try to improve myself every day.”

Booker deeply appreciates the recognition of his accomplishments at Arcadia, both through the ASCA award and the Knight Code of Honor nomination.

“It’s a truly awe-inspiring and heartwarming feeling to know that what I’m working for is actually being seen,” he explains. “I can just look back, see what I have done, and then really appreciate not only the work that I’ve done, but everybody around me that has helped me, that has witnessed the work that I’ve done, that even nominated me for these awards because of everything that they’ve seen in me.”

Booker always connected with the Knight Code of Honor. He believes it to be a crucial set of traits that push students to improve within themselves and to help others.

“The integrity, the honesty, the accountability, for example, these are essential tools in order to truly better oneself,” he says. “I always try to look within myself and see what I can improve on when it comes to these aspects and these standards that make me a better person.”

After graduating this May, Booker hopes to secure a position with Lantern Theater Company in Center City, Philadelphia, where he has worked on a production in the past. From there, he plans on being a traveling artist as he continues his career in acting while honing his skills in directing, writing, and producing.

He encourages all of his peers to continue to work hard, help others, and improve themselves every day.

“A saying I live by is, ‘If the world doesn’t stop moving, why should you?’”

Arcadia University’s Office of Community Standards and Student Conduct works to uphold the Lived Values of the Knight Code of Honor and recognizes students who demonstrate these values on campus. Any member of the University community can nominate a student using this form. The nominator and nominee are both entered for a chance to win a prize.