As a coxswain for Harvard's varsity crew team, Poon "revived the House crew program almost single-handedly," Hall said.

Poon said she tried to make Dunster a friendlier place.

"We had a lot of traditional activities like formals and the goat roast, but we made it so there was an activity for everybody, not just one style," Poon said.

Driskell, a resident of Mather House, is finishing her term as president of the Undergraduate Council. She is also a member of the Black Students' Association and the WLP.

Last year she and a roommate headed an initiative called the "Mather House Creed" which set out basic principles to help build a sense of community at Mather.

"We unveiled the creed at dinner [to encourage students] to meet people who [they] didn't know, respect the dining hall staff who work so hard, the little things that can make a difference," she said. "This award shows the importance building community has to the alumni, and it should be important to us too."

Hall said the HAA hoped the Aloian award would ensure that students' contributions to House life are recognized and celebrated by the community and alumni.