A champion for change: Kemp receives one of the major honors at Monmouth's Highlander Leadership Awards

He's a graduate of KIPP St. Louis High School

by Barry McNamara

Monmouth, Ill. (05/19/2026) — As he reaches the halfway point of his college career, Xavier "Zay" Kemp '28 is grateful for a decision he made early on in his time at Monmouth.

That decision - to take advantage of the college's many opportunities to get involved - has helped him have a more complete experience, and it's also resulted in him receiving another of the Monmouth's top awards. In April, Kemp earned the Champion for Change honor, presented to a student who is seen as an instrumental part of developing a culturally diverse, compassionate campus community. The award, which is part of the annual Highlander Leadership Awards, honors Champion Miller, a 19th-century Black man who purchased his freedom and became a local pillar.

"It means a lot to me," said Kemp. "It's very heartfelt. I almost cried when I found out I won. It means the world to me to leave a mark on this campus."

"Zay brings joyful energy to every space he enters," wrote his nominator, the Rev. Dr. John Huxtable, Monmouth's chaplain. "He has a remarkable ability to meet people where they are and make them feel seen. He also shows each person that they are valued and worthy. Zay helps people recognize that they matter, and that recognition is often the first step toward real change."

It's not the first time Zemp has received a major award at Monmouth. Last year, he was honored as the Freshman Man of the Year by the college's chapter of Blue Key Honor Society.

Added Huxtable: "Zay understands that change does not happen in large sweeping moments alone, but one person at a time, one conversation at a time, one act of kindness and respect at a time. He models how people can disagree, learn from one another, and still respect and care for each other. This ability to build bridges and to always want to help others grow is what makes Zay a true Champion for Change."

Getting involved (a lot)

During his first two years at Monmouth, Kemp has been part of the founding of three new organizations - United Black Students, the Running Club and the Outdoor Society.

"The key part of United Black Students is accepting everyone," said Kemp. "You don't have to be Black to join. That's a message we're trying to get out there. It's a safe space for Black students," and membership is already at more than 40 students.

The latter two organizations began thanks to a SOFIA project that included Kemp. His involvement with the college's three-week summer program helped him get off to a strong start, and he essentially hasn't stopped for two years.

"I wasn't planning on getting this involved in college," said Kemp, who prepped at KIPP St. Louis High School (KIPP stands for Knowledge Is Power Program). "Before I got here, I was just thinking I'd get my degree and get out as fast I can. But SOFIA helped me see that I wanted to make an impact."

That impact can be felt all over campus. In addition to the aforementioned clubs, Kemp is also involved with the Association for Student Activity Programming, serving as its perspectives chair, and the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. As chair of recruitment for ZBT, Kemp knows he'll need to hit the ground running when next fall's semester begins in August.

Even though his last final exam of the spring semester has been taken, Kemp is sticking around campus for the better part of the summer. He'll serve as an usher for the Commencement ceremony, then begin his time as a member of the college's farm and garden crew.

"Because Monmouth is so small, it's very easy to get involved," said Kemp. "I jumped right into the water, and I'm really starting to find my balance now between academics and involvement."

Academically, Kemp is a double major, recently adding psychology to his sociology/anthropology major. He initially was interested in pursuing archaeology but is now thinking along the lines of psychiatry or therapy.

Kemp said he started to become a more involved student during his final year of high school. He chose Monmouth after a very favorable campus visit.

"I came up here and the campus was beautiful - I really liked the architecture of the buildings," he said. "On my tour, the students just seemed thrilled to be here and people were so nice. I just fell in love with the ambience on my visit."

Other Highlander Leadership Award recipients

In addition to Kemp, other student award winners include:

White and Crimson Leadership Award - Carina Engst '26 of Bloomington, Illinois
Emerging Leader Award - Sydney Burge '28 of Dunlap, Illinois
Student Employee of the Year - Aidan Parkins '26 of Monmouth
Good Neighbor Award - Jordan Bridgford '28 of Kapolei, Hawaii
Peer Mentor of the Year - Claire LaBadie '27 of Griffith, Indiana

Monmouth faculty and staff were also recognized. Physics professor Chris Fasano was named the Outstanding Career Mentor, Meredith McGary, the college's assistant director of events, received the Advisor Excellence Award, and 40-year college staff member Jill Munson earned the Monmouth Difference Maker Award.

The Kaleidoscope Award was presented to Scots Student Senate, Hewes Library and the Association for Student Activity Programming for their joint "Anything But a Club" mini-golf event. The Courier, the college's award-winning newspaper, received the Organization Excellence Award, and Phi Delta Theta earned the Service Excellence Award.