Distinguished Service Award

Pastor Kristine (Kris) Light has served as Sr. Minister of UniPlace Church since 2012. In that time, she has embodied a conviction that her work is not confined to church walls, but lived out in relationship, hospitality, and shared life. Pastor Kris recognized early on the growing need for places where people could be known, welcomed, and connected, and she responded by shaping ministry around meaningful relationships.

This same commitment led Pastor Kris to encourage the congregation to open UniPlace’s space to community partners whose work aligned with these values. Leading the congregation through one of its most difficult periods, the need to move on from their historic building, she helped the congregation face this truth and imagine a future beyond the walls they had long called home. That future led into a deeper partnership with the University YMCA. With remarkable foresight, Pastor Kris reached out to the Y to explore a shared future. 

Today, UniPlace gathers at the YMCA for vibrant worship, community meals, and a food pantry that serves neighbors across Champaign-Urbana. This partnership has directly impacted the Y, providing additional resources in our building for students and members facing food insecurity, creating new relationships across staff, and opportunities for greater collaboration in programming. 

At the YMCA’s own building dedication, leaders once cautioned that spaces should always serve mission rather than define it. What could have been a season of loss has instead become one of renewed purpose, collaboration, and hope. Through Kris's grounding, UniPlace has not diminished, but discovered new life, and helped to expand the role of the University YMCA in our community.

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Jacqueline Aguayo is a Senior at the University of Illinois studying Political Science and Latina/Latino Studies. A leader who consistently demonstrates a deep dedication to immigrant communities and to creating supportive, inclusive environments for students, her work reflects a strong alignment with the University YMCA’s values of social justice and community engagement.

As Student President of the University YMCA, Jackie brought a fresh and valuable perspective to the role, stepping into leadership without prior involvement on the Student Board. She approached this responsibility with confidence, ambition, and enthusiasm, quickly learning the rhythms of the organization while also challenging it to grow. During her time in I-CAUSE as the Vice President of Activism, she worked diligently to create relationships between the organization and the Champaign-Urbana community to unite both as a fierce collective. She further carried this impact through her involvement in La Colectiva and La Casa Cultural Latina, where she has purposefully invited new voices into the room, creating an environment where students feel welcome, valued, and encouraged to participate. Her leadership has helped broaden who feels connected to the Y, and strengthened the sense of belonging within the Student Board.

Jackie’s leadership and service have made a lasting impact on student engagement at the Y, and her commitment is evident not only through her formal roles but through the care, intention, and follow-through she brings to every space she is part of. Her leadership and service have made a lasting impact on the University YMCA community, making her a truly deserving recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.

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Sarah Lira is a Senior at the University of Illinois studying Global Studies, with minors in Spanish, Legal Studies, and Political Science. She has been involved in and committed to the YMCA's pillars of social justice and global engagement through her involvement in the Y affiliated student organizations Amnesty International UIUC, and this past year served as Vice-President of the Student Board.

As a member of Amnesty International, Sarah has played a key role in leadership as the past Education Chair and current External Affairs Chair. As the lead organizer of Jamnesty, Amnesty’s largest semi-annual fundraiser, she helped to raise critical funds for the Strides Homeless Shelter as well as spread awareness surrounding food and housing insecurity. And in her role on the Immigration Rights Small Group, she has worked as a liaison between Amnesty and various organizations on and off campus, combatting issues from minority myths to immigrant protection against ICE presence on campus. 

Sarah’s ability to establish connections and build relationships has impacted Amnesty, students at the Y, and brought activists around campus together. Her dedication to supporting communities has mobilized students towards action, and expanded the community of those served by the University YMCA. We are proud to recognize her with the Distinguished Service Award for her commitment to the mission of the Y.