The Keith M. Miser Leadership Award is presented in recognition of outstanding service to the University of Vermont through campus leadership. This award goes to Maddie Henson (she/her). 

Henson is a Neuroscience major and International Politics minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. A self-described “learn with experience individual,” Maddie excelled academically at UVM with faculty and advisors who have encouraged her to truly explore her interests in both neuroscience and international politics.   

During her first two weeks at UVM, Henson was elected senator to the Student Government Association (SGA), serving as a member of the Committee for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. She was re-elected to SGA three times and has served as a member of multiple committees, the Chair of the Committee on Student Action and Well-being, and most recently as President. Throughout her time in SGA, Henson has consistently worked to create a kinder and more inclusive campus for students through initiatives including Week of Kindness and the creation of an SGA strategic plan. 

In addition to her leadership through SGA, Henson is a founding member of the Indigenous Peoples’ Collective and has been a member of the Title IX Creation Committee, the Presidential Leadership Fellowship, UVM Food Insecurity Working Group, the UVM Dining advisory board, Sexual Violence Prevention Council. She has served on numerous campus-wide committees, is member of the Tower Society, and is a Truman Scholarship finalist. Henson has received UVM First Nation’s Scholarship, Sealaska scholarship, AISES travel scholarship, Women of UVM “Being First” Award, the Provost’s Student Leadership in Equity and Campus Diversity Award, the Student’s Supporting Students Award, and, most recently, the Bev Belisle Legacy Award. 

“Maddie is someone whose intellect and heart constantly propel action and build the belief that justice is possible,” writes one of Henson’s nominators. “To know Maddie is to know her love for her Native ancestry and identity, as well as her commitment to equity and community.”   

Henson’s deep commitment to leadership and advocacy for Indigenous people has had a great impact. “I have seen the entire conversation change around Indigenous peoples’ on campus,” she reflects of her time at UVM. “I needed to see action and so I made my voice known. There weren’t (and still aren’t) many Indigenous people on campus, but I am starting to really see the community blossom.” 

Provost and Senior Vice President Patricia Prelock shares that Henson’s "energy, focus, and diligence for addressing issues of social justice and responsibility that leads to action would not have happened on our campus and with our students without Maddie’s commitment and engagement in a constructive meaningful way with the administration.”  

In reflecting on her UVM experience, Henson shares, “Homogeny kills, and there is nuance in everything. I strive to plant the seeds of today, so that when I am not around, others may still benefit from the fruits of my labor.”