Myla Croft, a third-year law student at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, received a 2026 SIU System Distinguished Student Service Award.
A St. Louis native, Croft was previously named a Lincoln Laureate while earning a bachelor’s degree in political science at SIU Carbondale. As an undergraduate, she served the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs as philanthropist chair and vice president.
Croft is a teaching assistant in legal research and writing and serves as vice president of the Black Law Students Association and director of advocacy and external affairs for the Midwest Black Students Association.