About the Honoree
Gerald (Gerry) Brighton first became involved with the University YMCA by participating in Freshman Camp in the late 1930s. A champion for civil rights, progressive civic leader, and professor of accountancy at UIUC, Gerry was a member and supporter of the Y for more than 70 years. He served multiple terms on the Board of Governors as a member and Chair, and later as a member of the Board of Trustees. In 1991, he was honored with the Ed Nestingen Distinguished Alumni Award.
About the Award
Presented annually since 2017 in recognition of the personal and professional accomplishments of young alumni. Awarded to alumni of the University YMCA's programs, 25 to 40 years of age, this award recognizes the noteworthy and distinctive impact of the individual's work in their community, in either a professional and/or volunteer capacity. This award was endowed in 2023 through the generosity of the Brighton Family. The fund provides each awardee with a stipend in recognition of their accomplishments.
Support this Award FundAmanda Hwu, 2025 Recipient
Amanda Hwu is a 2015 graduate of the University of Illinois. As a student she founded the Prison Justice Project, which joined the Y as an affiliated student program shortly after, was a recipient of the Bailey Scholarship, and received the Harold Colvin Award for Undergraduate Leadership. Following graduation, Amanda received a Masters degree in Social Work Administration from the University of Chicago, and has continued her work in social justice.
As a professional Amanda has worked in both nonprofits and foundations, all of which align closely with her interests in social justice and community power. Today she is the Executive Director of the Illinois Community Power Fund, which is a donor table of institutional funders and individual donors committed to building statewide power to advance racial, gender, environmental and economic justice in Illinois. Her work is driven by the belief that we must fund the organizing capacity of every Illinois community to get to an Illinois that works for everyone – a belief that was solidified here in Champaign-Urbana.
Throughout her career Amanda has shown a dedication to combating injustice in our communities, through how we fund the organizations and grassroot efforts that help shape change and organizing philanthropy to be strategic partners to movements. Her work has impacted communities through Chicagoland, Illinois and the Midwest, and she continues to show a dedication to building an equitable society.
Past Award Recipients
2025: Amanda Hwu
2024: Tatiana Alonso
2023: Jose Sanchez Molina
2022: Grace Kyung
2021: Hans Lindahl
2020: Aditi Singh
2019: Kyle Williams
2018: Jenna Prochaska
2017: Molly (MJ) Altman