01/27/2026
Meet the 2025 Recipient of the Tany Norwood Staff Appreciation Award: Mr. Malik Crowder!
“For more than two decades, Malik Crowder has measurably improved student life by building belonging, mentorship, and academic momentum for UT students, especially men of color. As Director of the Heman Sweatt Center for Collegiate Males, he leads programs that foster recruitment, retention, graduation, and holistic development, ensuring students have community, coaching, and accountability from day one through degree. Malik’s commitment spans multiple corners of campus life. Since arriving at UT in 2003, he has supported residential communities (Jester Residence Hall), advised in newly formed Black Studies, mentored student-athletes in their academic center, and served as a senior advisor with the Discovery Scholars Program, always centering students’ success and well-being. These roles reflect a consistent throughline: hands-on mentorship and systems that help students thrive. His impact is recognized at the highest levels of the university. In April 2025, Malik received the President’s Outstanding Staff Award for extraordinary commitment, initiative, and service, an honor that underscores how his daily advocacy and program leadership tangibly elevate the student experience. Beyond titles and awards, Malik shows up where students are: welcoming and supporting new Black Longhorns, connecting them to resources, and sustaining a culture of care and excellence throughout their time at UT. Under his leadership, the Sweatt Center is not just a program, it is a home base that increases belonging, persistence, and achievement across our campus community.”