Florida State University School of Information alum Aaron Hood received the 2014 Spirit of King Award presented at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration held at George Mason University on Jan. 30.

The Spirit of King Award is presented to a staff member or administrator at George Mason who has made an exceptional contribution to the development of an inclusive learning environment through his/her programming, advising, student leadership development or other work that involves advocacy for equality and social justice.

To qualify for the award, the recipient must have:

• Been employed at George Mason for two or more years.

• Been significantly involved in efforts that have contributed to the improvement of within and/or across group interactions on campus.

• Exhibited cultural competence through teaching methods and/or topics, research or programmatic initiatives.

• Made meaningful contributions to students, the university, and/or the community though valuing diversity and encouraging cultural competency among students, faculty, and staff.

“I really appreciate being recognized for the work that I do alongside students,” Hood said. “I’m happy to take a moment and reflect on what I’ve been able to contribute to creating an inclusive campus environment, but I know that there is a lot of work to be done and I’m excited to continue that work.”

Along with his duties as Resident Director, Hood instructs a leadership course for Resident Advisors based on the Social Change Model of Leadership, focusing on community development.

Hood, who graduated from Florida State with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in 2009, is also passionate about social justice.  He is currently serving as a Resident Director at George Mason.  His interest in student affairs began at Florida State through the Inter-Residence Hall Council (IRHC).  Hood served on the IRHC for two years.  Upon graduation, he attended North Carolina State University and earned a Master’s of Higher Education Administration in 2011.