Each year McPherson College recognizes outstanding students from academic, athletic, and service areas across campus. This year’s award recipients are:
ALPHA PSI OMEGA (THEATRE)
- Stage Manager of the Year – Sarah Asher, Kansas City, MO, for Native Gardens
- Production Crew Member of the Year – Lindy Reynolds, McPherson, for sound in Native Gardens
- Team Player of the Year – Tomi Simmons, Las Vegas, for Native Gardens
- Achievement in Male Performance – Michael Beltran, Bogoto, Columbia, for Pablo in Native Gardens
- Achievement in Female Performance – Grace van Asselt, McPherson for Molly in Molly Sweeney
- Outstanding Morale for the Season – Cheneal Benne, Courtland, KS
- Rookie Theatre Student of the Year – Sarah Asher, Kansas City, MO
- Theatre Student of the Year – Sarah Asher, Kansas City, MO
Scene from “Native Gardens” featuring Tomi Simmons, Michael Beltran, Allison Penalva and Jacob Reed.
- Outstanding Production – Native Gardens
Scene from “Dutchman” featuring Jailynn Hammel and Javon Davis
- Outstanding Ensemble – Dutchman
ART & DESIGN
- Senior of the Year – Tevin Oller, Merriam, KS
- Underclassman of the Year – Lola Hipp, Goodland, KS
ATHLETICS
- Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Destiny Bacon, La Mesa, CA
- Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Navid Istanbullu, Bremen, Germany
AUTOMOTIVE RESTORATION TECHNOLOGY
- “Pop” Rice Award – Wally Behrens, Crested Butte, CO
- Paul Russell Award for Excellence – Tim Lauring, Worcester, MA
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
- Outstanding Behavioral Science Student in psychology – Riley Bradbury, Castle Rock, CO
- Outstanding Behavioral Science Student in sociology – Christie Silber, Simi Valley, CA
BUSINESS
- Outstanding Business Student Award – Myriah Webster, Marquette, KS
ENGLISH
- Inscribe 2020 Editors – Alexis Grattan, Newton, KS; Jackie Gullion, Fremont, CA.; and Taylor Cunningham, Wellsville, KS
HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION
- Award for Academic Excellence – Gregory Neiger, Scotts Valley, CA
- Interdisciplinary Health Science Award for Academic Excellence – Destiny Bacon, La Mesa, CA
HISTORY & POLITICAL SCIENCE
- Leland L. Lengel Memorial Scholarship – Kurtis Ebling, Lindsborg, KS; Joseph Yanez-Perez, Rexford, KS; Ellis Woodruff, Princeton, TX
- Marvin and Maureen Will Memorial Scholarship – Abigail Briscoe, Little River, KS; and Makenzie Jansonius, Prairie View, KS
- Induction to Phi Alpha Theta Honor Society – Courtney Weesner, Hutchinson, KS; and Tomi Simmons, Las Vegas, NV
LAMBDA PI ETA (COMMUNICATION)
NATURAL SCIENCE
- Natural Science Merit Research Award – Sydney Burton, Stilwell, KS; Jessica James, Halstead, KS; Choucranie N. Kayembe, Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga, DR Congo; Aaron Leck, McPherson; Allison Pamela Penalva Vanegas, McPherson
- First-Year Chemistry Award – Trey Murphy, Sydney, Australia
- First-Year Biology Award – Taylor Bohannon, Belle Plaine, KS
- Pandemic Perseverance Award: for having persisted with determination to overcome the obstacles of this most unusual year – Maile Deutsch, Kylecia Taylor, Choucranie Kayembe, Shelby Bonn, and Jenna Christensen
STUDENT LIFE
Light and Life Awards:
- Rising Star – Taeylon Garland, Fort Hood, TX
- Student Leader of the Year – Maile Deutsch, Palmer, TX
- Unsung Hero – Tevin Oller, Merriam, KS
- Excellence in Community Service – Gamma Beta Phi
- Good Neighbor – Kylecia Taylor, Fort Hood, TX
- Outstanding Advisor – Manjula Koralegedara, associate professor of chemistry
- Outstanding Student Group – SAB and MC Residents
- Bridge Builder – Tomi Simmons, Las Vegas, NV
- Greatest Leap – Rogue Writers
TEACHER EDUCATION
- Teachers of Promise – Kaitlyn Foster, McPherson; and Reganne Barker Barrett, Tipton, KS
- Model Educators – Jack Stalcup, Hugoton, KS; and Matthisen Witzel, St. Francis, KS
WHO’S WHO AMONG STUDENTS IN AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
- Destiny Bacon – San Diego, CA
- Cherie Bruce – Minneapolis, KS
- Taylor Cunningham – Wellsville, KS
- Navid Istanbullu – Bremen, Germany
- Sebia Kalambayi Kabedi – Lubumbashi, Congo
- Aaron Leck – McPherson
- Nathaniel McLaughlin – Ticonderoga, NY
- Ilanna Moyer – McPherson
- Allison Penalva Vanegas – San Miguel, El Salvador
- Kendryk Rankin – Colorado Springs, CO
- Tomi Simmons – Las Vegas, NV
- Meklit Tilahun – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Myriah Webster – Lindsborg, KS
- Courtney Weesner – Hutchinson, KS
PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR
STAFF PERSON OF THE YEAR
- Jamie Pjesky, Assistant Dean of Campus Life & Belonging