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MC Recognizes Award-Winning Students

McPherson College recognized the outstanding students of the 2014-2015 academic year at its annual Celebration and Awards Convocation on May 1.

Following a highlight video looking back at the last year, faculty and staff presented the awards and recognitions. See Facebook Photo Album

Recipients were as follows:

Automotive Restoration

  • Paul Russell Award for Excellence – Austin Hiebert, sophomore, Newton, Kan.
  • Jay Leno/Autoweek Scholarship – Jacob O’Gorman, junior, Ennismore, Ontario
  • “Pop” Rice Award – Rick Morchesky, senior, Greensburg, Pa.

Journalism
Kansas Collegiate Media Contest Awards

  • 1st – Sports Photography – Miranda Clark Ulrich, junior, Russell, Kan.
  • 2nd
    • Sports Photography – Miranda Clark Ulrich, junior, Russell, Kan.
    • Copy Editing: Laurina Hannan, senior, Wamego, Kan.
    • Interior Page Design: Laurina Hannan, senior, Wamego, Kan.
  • Honorable Mention
    • Editorial Writing: Jacob O’Gorman, junior, Ennismore, Ontario
    • Editorial Writing: Laurina Hannan, senior, Wamego, Kan.
    • Column Writing: Scott Versaw, senior, McPherson, Kan.

Business

  • Outstanding Business Student Award – Makenzie Frank, senior, Urbana, Ill.

Curriculum & Instruction

  • Model Educator Award – Colby Patton, senior, Maize, Kan.

History & Politics

  • Marvin and Doreen Will History and Politics Scholarship – Tessa Szambecki, junior, Gridley, Kan., and James Covel, junior, Goddard, Kan.
  • Leland L. Lengel Memorial Scholarship in History – Breana Clark, freshman, Wichita, Kan., and Destiny Reed, junior, Kansas City, Kan.
  • Best Senior Thesis Award – Andrew Pina, senior, Wichita, Kan.
  • Induction to Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society for History:  Curtis Mullins, junior, Hutchinson, Kan.; Jacob Singley, junior, Salinas, Calif.; and Tessa Szambecki, junior, Gridley Kan.

Natural Sciences

  • CRC Press First Year Chemistry Achievement Award – Nathan Finch, sophomore, Lindsborg, Kan.
  • Merit Research Award – Shannon Coldren, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Sidney Lipton, senior, Wellington, Kan.; and Jordan Stewart, senior, Sterling, Kan.
  • Burkholder Award (Outstanding Achievement in Student Research) – Nathan Schowengerdt, senior, McPherson, Kan.

Behavioral Sciences

  • Outstanding Behavioral Sciences Student – Katelynn Reed, senior, McPherson, Kan.
  • The Emile Durkheim Sociological Award for Outstanding Accomplishments in Theoretical Reasoning – Kenneth Braden, senior, Riverside, Calif.
  • The Jane Addams Award for Applied Research in Sociology – Oscar Cortez, senior, Dallas, Texas

Communication

  • Lambda Pi Eta, Communication Honor Society – Miranda Clark Ulrich, junior, Russell, Kan.; Alaina Johnson, junior, McPherson, Kan.; Rissa McNichols, junior, Olathe, Kan.; Marissa Patton, junior, Tribune, Kan.; Tessa Szambecki, junior, Gridley Kan.

Visual Arts
Excellence in Competitive Exhibitions:

  • Five-State Photography Exhibition – Kevin Aka, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Adam Porter, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Kala Tiemann, senior, Lewis, Kan.
  • Prairie Arts Exhibition – Danna Jacks, senior, Stafford, Kan.; Kala Tiemann, senior, Lewis, Kan.
  • American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) – Kevin Aka, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Nathan Holthus, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Adam Porter, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Nick Unruh, senior, McPherson, Kan.

Physical Education

  • Outstanding Physical Education Major – Jaime Roman, senior, Santa Ana, Calif.

Athletics

  • Female Athlete of the Year – Bailey Brown, Women’s Soccer, Junior, Glen Elder, Kan.
  • Male Athlete of the Year – Oscar Cortez, Men’s Soccer, Senior, Dallas, Texas

Campus Ministry

  • Senior Award for Distinction in Campus Ministry – Danna Jacks, senior, Stafford, Kan.

Service

  • Senior Award for Distinction in Service – Elizabeth Newby, senior, McPherson, Kan.

Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges

  • Savana Cross, senior, Wichita, Kan.; Makenzie Frank, senior, Urbana, Ill.; Laurina Hannan, senior, Wamego, Kan.; Rebecca Hornung-Heeke, senior, Spearville, Kan.; Ashlee Maier, senior, Claflin, Kan.; Isabelle Moyer, senior, McPherson, Kan.; Colby Patton, senior, Maize, Kan.; Michael Rhodes, senior, McPherson, Kan.

Professor of the Year Award – Joe Dickhudt, assistant professor of technology

Staff Person of the Year Award – Hunter Nolen, computer services assistant