Michelle Rodriguez Among Presenters at Student Academy Awards

Michelle Rodriguez

Michelle Rodriguez leads a list of Hollywood’s heavy hitters as a presenter at the 2015 Student Academy Awards.

The “Fast and Furious” actress will honor a group of budding filmmakers at the 42nd annual ceremony, which recognizes cinematic achievement from student directors. She will be joined by “Straight Outta Compton” star Jason Mitchell, Oscar-winner John Lasseter, and “Big Hero 6” producer-directors Roy Conli, Don Hall and Chris Williams, also Oscar winners.

“Toy Story” director Lasseter, who is helming the fourth sequel of the Oscar-winning film, has the distinction of being the only two-time Student Academy Award winner for Animation (“Lady and the Lamp,” 1979, and “Nitemare,” 1980; CalArts).

Acclaimed directors Spike Lee, Pete Docter, Trey Parker and Robert Zemeckis are also previous Student Academy Award winners. The program was established in 1972 to showcase emerging global talent.

The 15 student champs were selected among a competitive pool of 1,686 films from 282 domestic and 93 international colleges and universities.

They will be honored at a fete held Sept. 17 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, where the medal placements in gold ($5,000 grant prize), silver ($3,000 grant prize) and bronze ($2,000 grant prize) for categories in animation, alternative, foreign, documentary and narrative will be announced.