The Flora Awards (Formerly The Women of Achievement Awards)

Since 2015, the Annual Women of Achievement & Spotlight Awards celebrates the scholarship and research of faculty and outstanding achievements by campus staff and students. The prizes are partially funded through the Mather Spotlight Series Endowment, established in 1989 by the Mather Centennial Celebration Committee of the Flora Stone Mather Alumnae Association. In 2024, we rebranded the awards to be called The Flora Awards, to more closely align with our 20th Anniversary awards and to create more opportunity to recognize change makers both in our CWRU community and the Greater Cleveland Area. 

The Flora Award honors the philanthropic spirit and community service of Flora Stone Mather. This award recognizes those who, like Flora Stone Mather, address problems in their community and work innovatively and tirelessly to solve them through significant philanthropic and communal service, and other acts of generosity. Flora’s work centered on supporting the physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of women and children.

The Flora Award represents Flora’s spirit of kindness, generosity and advancement of women’s education. In preserving her legacy we are rewarding individuals who, like Flora, believe in and act for the betterment of society. There are six categories for nomination, including faculty, staff, graduate student, undergraduate student, alum and community leader. An award for Notable Woman of the Year will also be awarded each year at the ceremony. These awards are open to all.

The Mather Center will also make every effort to award winners from a variety of the schools at CWRU, including the Case School of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, the School of Dental Medicine, the School of Law, the School of Medicine, and the Weatherhead School of Management.

Eligibility Criteria:

1. Must meet one of the categories for nomination (faculty, staff, graduate student, undergraduate student, alum and community leader)

2. Must honor the legacy of Flora Stone Mather by embodying at least one way of demonstrated impact in empowering other women at the university, campus and/or Cleveland community level:

  • Advocating for the advancement of women’s education and leadership
  • Supporting women through their gift of time through volunteerism,
  • Supporting women through their philanthropy (either personal or institutional)
  • Commitment to honoring the unique backgrounds and experiences of women

The 2026 Flora Awards

More information coming soon!

2024 Flora Awardees

Our 2024 Flora Award Winners are:

Undergraduate Student Winner: Sudi Harbool

Graduate Student Winner: Anvitha Ravipati

Staff Winner: Arlet Wright

Faculty Winner: Danielle Czarnecki

Alumna Winner: Halle Tecco

Community Winner: Teleangé Thomas

Notable Woman of the Year: Shelly McNamara

Learn More About the 2024 Flora Award Winners Here