NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale University Athletics is proud to bestow the 2021-22 Thomas W. Ford Award to two recipients this year. Women's ice hockey senior Gianna Meloni and men's track & field senior Juma Sei have each been recognized with the honor.
 
The Ford Award is presented annually to the student-athletes who during the past four years have demonstrated a commitment to strengthening the relationship between Yale Athletics and the youth in the New Haven community.
 
Meloni, the starting goaltender for a Yale team that broke nearly every program record on a run to their first-ever NCAA Frozen Four, has served the local youth in the New Haven community through numerous ventures during her time at Yale.
 
Meloni has given back with her time to local youth hockey organizations that have used Ingalls Rink along with young fans who attend games and support Yale Hockey. Her volunteer work with the local Book Bank for "New Haven Reads" is another example of her care and desire to make New Haven a better and stronger community.

"Gianna is a kind and caring teammate and a loyal friend to many here at Yale. She is very socially aware of her surroundings and interacts extremely well under the physical strain and pressure as a Division I female athlete," said Mark Bolding, Susan Cavanagh Head Coach of Women's Ice Hockey. "Gianna is a compassionate and selfless leader at Yale in a time where such character, love and devotion to others is greatly needed."
 
Her compassion and care for others is evident in her role as volunteer crisis counselor as she serves those in both the local community and nationwide. Despite the demands of an Ivy League student-athlete, Meloni has volunteered as a Level 5 Crisis Counselor for Crisis Text Line to help with struggling youth and adults, both in New Haven and Connecticut communities as well as those in need, nationwide.
 

 
While Sei has won numerous races in his time at Yale, captaining the men's track & field team on a nationally competitive level, his participation in community service projects was always a top priority, including serving as a Fro-Co in Ezra Stiles College.
 
"He even expressed that interest during the recruiting process, and his decision to attend Yale was influenced in large part by the opportunity to participate in uplifting the New Haven community," said David Shoehalter, Mark T. Young '68 Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. "He has not only participated in community service programs but has held leadership positions in those organizations and has taken the time to curate his own curriculums for each of the groups. It should be stressed that Juma's involvement in the community isn't limited to New Haven. He holds numerous positions at the university devoted to the Black experience at Yale."
 
Sei is an officer in the Yale Black Men's Union, a peer liaison at the African American Cultural Center, and a leader on the Yale Bulldogs for Change (YBC), Cultural Center Connection Committee.

"Juma's involvement in the community comes from a true sense of caring and devotion to service. He is not merely "building a resume" with all that he does. I am confident that his service won't end once he has graduated. He is an incredible man with a bright future in front of him," said Shoehalter.

Sei takes part in New Haven's Jane Matilda Bolin Program as a communications director where he coordinates weekly three-hour African Studies seminar for approximately 15 high school students by organizing logistics and teaching of a self-curated curriculum.

Additionally, he works as a tutor and mentor at the Urban Improvement Corps (UIC) and co-directs and teaches a weekly one-hour creative writing seminar for middle and high school students. It is a curriculum he designed himself, based on each student's demonstrated need.

Finally, he served as a remote meeting host for the Yale Education Tutoring Initiative (YETI) with weekly one-hour study halls for middle and high school students to maintain academic support during the spring of 2020 transition to online learning. He has facilitated 10-plus pairings of New Haven youth with Yale College students in Zoom tutoring sessions.