Established approximately 25 years ago, the award memorializes the late Sidney Lake, a member of MICA's Maintenance staff who was loved and respected by faculty, students, and staff alike. After his passing, people throughout the MICA community contributed to a fund to recognize his spirit of cooperation and his commitment to his family, church, and work communities.

The Sidney Lake Award is given annually to two seniors and one graduate student who have contributed to life at MICA through cooperation and leadership and exemplify Sidney Lake's commitment to the MICA community. Strong candidates are students who are interwoven into the MICA community and are dedicated to leaving MICA even better than it was when they arrived. These students embody what it means to be a member of the MICA community, exuding a spirit of conscientiousness, service, and devotion to improving any community or team they have been part of.

Requirements for eligibility include:

  • Graduating student (December 2020 or May 2021);
  • Involvement in an academic or co-curricular department for at least one academic year;
  • Demonstrated a commitment to his or her fellow students, and advancing the MICA community; and
  • Good academic standing (has an academic GPA of 3.0 or higher).