For the third consecutive year, members of the Harvard Law School community gathered to honor members of the Harvard Law community’s campus services staff at the annual Support Staff Awards Dinner, held this year on April 23.

The event, which began in 2023, was the brainchild of former sanitation worker Rehan Staton ’23 whose nonprofit, The Reciprocity Effect, sponsored the celebration with the aim of providing ongoing recognition of and support for those whose work contributes to the success, safety, and wellbeing of the Harvard Law School campus community in ways that are often underrecognized.

Posterboards displaying messages of thanks and appreciation to support staff.
Poster boards at the event featured photos and messages of thanks and appreciation for support staff. Credit: Jodi Hilton

In a 2023 interview in the Washington Post, Stanton said he launched the initiative because he remembered what it was like to work that type of job. “When I see them, I see me,” he said. “I view them as my equal. They are just my peers.” 

This year, the event received additional support from Harvard’s Black Law Students Association, helping to further the mission of The Reciprocity Effect, which has continued to grow beyond the law school under Staton’s leadership.

“It meant a great deal to me to produce this event as HBLSA president, especially because of the connection to Rehan, an HBLSA alum who first launched this ceremony during his final year at HLS,” said HBLSA President Sean Wynn ’25. “Picking up that torch and helping to grow the vision felt incredibly meaningful. … Seeing it all come together, from the heartfelt remarks, the overwhelming appreciation from the awardees — made me proud not just of the event itself, but of the spirit behind it.”

Over the course of the evening — characterized by Wynn as one of “real connection and gratitude” — audience members took in jazz courtesy of the student trio of Cosimo Fabrizio ’26, Strong Ma ’26, and Shaan Pandiri ’26; readings by Boston poet Tru Kwene; and expressions of gratitude from Bianca Corgan ’25 and Fatema Jaffer ’24.

This year’s Support Staff Award Winners are:

Reciprocity Award 

  • Brione Merchant (Harvard University Dining Services)
Rehan Staton poses onstage with Brione Merchant.
Reciprocity Award recipient Brione Merchant (right) with Rehan Staton ’23, founder of The Reciprocity Effect. Credit: Jodi Hilton

Heart of Harvard Award

  • Yaya Bajinka (Securitas Security Services)
  • Jessica Crews (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Luis Paneto (Harvard Custodial Services)
  • Peter O’Meara (Harvard International Office)
Four awardees pose with the awards host.
Clarah Letito, Jessica Crews, Robin Smith, Lin Trever, and Brione Merchant. Credit: Jodi Hilton

Harvard Excellence Award

  • Clarah Letito (Securitas Security Services)
  • Lin Trever (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Maria Jeronimo (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Steven Folks (Harvard University Dining Services)
Awardee walking through the audience to the stage.
Harvard Excellence Award winner Steven Folks makes his way to the stage. Credit: Jodi Hilton

Harvard Leadership Award

  • Willie Moore (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Gene Van Buren (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Robin Smith (Harvard University Dining Services)
  • Marnell Francois (Securitas Security Services)
Awards host embracing an awardee.
Ceremony host Brione Merchant shares a moment with awardee Robin Smith, who received the Harvard Leadership Award. Credit: Jodi Hilton
  • Rehan Staton addresses attendees.
  • Attendees applaud.
  • Rehan Staton poses with an awardee.
  • A student delivers remarks to the audience.
  • Rehan Staton embraces a member of the custodial staff.
  • Awards host Brione Merchant delivers remarks.
(Photos by Jodi Hilton)

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