Sarah Soucek, MFA Student in Experimental and Documentary Arts, Wins Award for Outstanding Mentorship

Master’s student Sarah Soucek (Experimental and Documentary Arts) is the winner of the 2026 Bass Connections Award for Outstanding Mentorship. This annual award recognizes the crucial leadership and mentorship roles that graduate/professional students and postdocs play on Bass Connections teams.

Soucek will receive a monetary prize. 

In addition to Soucek, the finalists for this year’s award included:

• Sydney Grube (Master of Business Administration student): Advancing Community-Based Models of Health and Social Care in North Carolina
• Foxx Hart (Master of Social Work student at Columbia University) & Kat Husar (Ph.D. student in Statistical Science): Mental Health and the Justice System of Durham County
• Lan Nguyen (Ph.D. student in Civil & Environmental Engineering): Bioremediation of Plastic Pollution to Conserve Biodiversity

Sarah Soucek

Soucek is a graduate student focusing on experimental and documentary arts. Her work explores how the relationship between interviewer and interviewee shapes the way stories are told. 

In her role as a team leader of the Video Advocacy for North Carolina Parole Applications team, Soucek has guided students in navigating both the technical and human dimensions of documentary filmmaking within the context of the carceral system. She encourages students to think critically about complex ethical and social issues, using thoughtfully selected readings and facilitated discussions to expand their perspectives. Soucek is deeply committed to students’ growth, fostering a supportive, respectful and collaborative environment where students feel valued and empowered. 

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Praise for Soucek

“[Sarah] is a star. She is brilliant, hard-working, empathetic and introspective. Sarah impressed me from our very first interaction with her sense of self and sense of purpose. She knows who she is and the type of filmmaker, advocate, teacher and person that she wants to be going forward.” - Lauren Fine, Team Co-Leader

“[Sarah] actively promotes a collaborative environment by giving us the autonomy to take charge of lessons, shape the direction of our projects and determine how we want to approach our work. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, she recognizes each team member’s individual strengths and areas for growth, and thoughtfully designs learning experiences that allow us to both showcase our abilities and develop new skills.” - Undergraduate Team Member

“She regularly offers to meet with us one-on-one when we need extra help, and she takes the time to walk us through challenges (e.g. video editing, interviewing) step by step until we feel confident. Beyond academics, she checks in about our lives and asks how she can best support us. She demonstrates a sincere commitment to helping each of us pursue what we’re most passionate about.” - Undergraduate Team Member

“[Sarah] has gone well above and beyond what is expected of a Bass Connections mentor in both her level of commitment and the depth of her engagement with us. She consistently dedicates additional time to help prepare to lead sessions, carefully reviews and provides detailed feedback on all of our work and remains highly responsive even outside of scheduled class time.” - Undergraduate Team Member

"[Sarah] has had a profound impact on my Bass Connections experience, and it truly would not have been the same without her. She has led each class session with intention, helping us stay focused, meet deadlines and get the most out of the video mitigation course. Despite being undergraduates working within a legal context, she treats us as equals, ensuring we have a meaningful voice in the final outcome. Working with Sarah has been such a special experience; she sees each student as an individual and fosters an environment where we feel supported and capable. I cannot speak highly enough of her mentorship." - Undergraduate Team Member

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Learn More

• Check out last year's winner of this award.
• Check out the winners of this year’s Bass Connections Leadership Award.
• Browse reflections from students about their experiences participating on Bass Connections teams.