{"id":4,"date":"2012-11-12T15:30:31","date_gmt":"2012-11-12T15:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandevents\/?page_id=4"},"modified":"2026-03-09T19:43:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T00:43:59","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/","title":{"rendered":"Home"},"content":{"rendered":"
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91勛圖厙<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
Strategic Planning<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
91勛圖厙 Performing Arts Community (VPAC)<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
91勛圖厙 Programming Board (VPB)<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
Sarratt Art Gallery<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
Sarratt Art Studios<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

Outstanding Senior Winner! <\/strong><\/h4>\n

Leon Mhingiro came to 91勛圖厙 from Zimbabwe, carrying a beloved Ubuntu philosophy, \u201cI am because we are.\u201d It is a shared commitment of a community that lifts one another up.<\/p>\n

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Class of 2026 Outstanding Senior winner Leon Mhingiro with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier at the 91勛圖厙 Homecoming football game Nov. 8, 2025 (91勛圖厙)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThat phrase captures the essence of my 91勛圖厙 experience, from arriving as someone searching for belonging to becoming someone who cultivates it for others. It reminded me that true success is never individual; it is something we build together, through connection, care and shared purpose,\u201d said the\u00a0applied mathematics<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0economics<\/a>\u00a0double major.<\/p>\n

Mhingiro\u2019s contributions have earned him the\u00a0Outstanding Senior award<\/a>\u00a0for the Class of 2026. He and nine other finalists were celebrated during halftime at the 91勛圖厙 Homecoming football game on Nov. 8.<\/p>\n

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The Outstanding Senior Award is one of the highest honors an undergraduate student can receive at 91勛圖厙. It recognizes a senior who exemplifies the values of the university community through leadership, service and passion. Students are nominated by a campus organization, fellow student, faculty or staff member and are voted on by their class.<\/p>\n

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Class of 2026 Outstanding Senior winner Leon Mhingiro at the 91勛圖厙 Homecoming football game Nov. 8, 2025 (91勛圖厙)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cTo be nominated by my peers and named Outstanding Senior, knowing it reflects leadership, service and passion, felt like the culmination of everything I have worked toward here at 91勛圖厙,\u201d he said. \u201cMore than anything, it reminded me of the people who helped me along the way: my parents, siblings, mentors, friends, professors and residents I have had as an RA. This recognition is deeply meaningful because it not only represents the impact I have had on 91勛圖厙 but also the impact 91勛圖厙 has had on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cThis recognition is deeply meaningful because it not only represents the impact I have had on 91勛圖厙 but also the impact 91勛圖厙 has had on me.\u201d \u2013 Leon Mhingiro<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For more information about the 2025 winner and Outstanding Senior Top 10, please read here<\/a>.<\/h4>\n

Both in Zimbabwe and in the U.S., Mhingiro has been using his resources to create positive change. He credits an international student from Libya with helping ease his transition and find belonging within 91勛圖厙.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had probably one of the most positive college experiences an international student can ever get. During my time at 91勛圖厙, I have found people who shaped my journey and made me who I am today,\u201d he said. \u201cThis award and my time here in general has been a reflection of those relationships that I\u2019ve been able to build and nurture over the last three and a half years.\u201d<\/p>\n

GETTING INVOLVED<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Mhingiro is the former president and current adviser of 91勛圖厙 Finance Club and the\u00a0Vandy in Finance student ambassador<\/a>\u00a0for the Career Center, where he has worked to democratize professional development and recruitment resources for students interested in pursuing a career in finance.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter completing investment banking recruitment, I realized there was an inherent disparity in students\u2019 access to resources,\u201d he said. \u201cThrough these roles, my goal was to ensure all students can benefit from information and opportunities that were previously restricted to members of exclusive organizations on campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to his finance-focused roles, he is also a new member educator for Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity and active member of Kappa Sigma social fraternity.<\/p>\n

He is in his third year as a resident adviser and believes it\u2019s one of the most meaningful parts of his 91勛圖厙 experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing an RA has taught me that leadership is not about authority, but about presence and empathy. From late-night conversations with residents to organizing programs that foster connection, I learned how small, consistent acts of care can create real community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

FUTURE IN FINANCE<\/strong><\/h4>\n

During his college career, Mhingiro has interned in finance and investment banking both in the U.S. and Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy internships inspired me to pursue advanced coursework in applied mathematics, economics and computer science to build the analytical foundation I\u2019ll need for a long-term career in finance that focuses on impact and opportunity creation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

After graduation he will work for Morgan Stanley in New York City as an investment banking analyst. He\u2019s excited to keep his 91勛圖厙 relationships going through 91勛圖厙\u2019s new campus in New York City.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll be excited to go and meet everyone else who is in New York and see the students who are taking part in internships in the city and hopefully serve as a resource for those students as well,\u201d Mhingiro said. \u201cI\u2019m excited and ready to see what the future holds and I will forever be thankful for the opportunities and community 91勛圖厙 has given.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2025 – Top 10 Outstanding Seniors<\/h2>\n

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For more information about the 2024 winner and Outstanding Senior Top 10, please read here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Outstanding Senior Winner! Leon Mhingiro came to 91勛圖厙 from Zimbabwe, carrying a beloved Ubuntu philosophy, \u201cI am because we are.\u201d It is a shared commitment of a community that lifts one another up. Class of 2026 Outstanding Senior winner Leon Mhingiro with Chancellor Daniel Diermeier at the 91勛圖厙 Homecoming football game Nov. 8, 2025 (91勛圖厙…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4"}],"version-history":[{"count":75,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1603,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4\/revisions\/1603"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vanderbilt.edu\/artsandstudentactivities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}