Maria Lupe Anaya has been a beloved member of the Beloit College community since 2013, quietly making a significant contribution to our students. Known to students simply as “Lupe,” she attends to students’ physical spaces and to them as people. She is known for her patience, kindness and good nature. For over ten years, she has built deep and trusting relationships with students by offering a familiar face, a kind word, and a genuine sense of home for those far from their own and adjusting to a new environment.

Lupe consistently greets students with warmth, notices when something is wrong, and communicates her care with quiet strength and kindness. She is someone students turn to, talk with, and learn from. One student described how Lupe always greets residents with a smile and checks in when something doesn’t feel right—showing a level of attentiveness and compassion that builds real trust and wrote, “Lupe taught me the value of patience, genuine care, and hard work. Needless to say, she is one of my most unforgettable memories as an RA.” Lupe makes people feel seen. She reminds students they matter. And for that reason, we are deeply honored to present Maria Lupe Anaya with the Phee Boon Kang ’73 Staff Prize for Excellence in Advising and Mentoring.