Students and faculty honored at the 2024 鶹Լ University Honors Convocation

More than 90 awards were presented at the annual event.

Honors Convocation

DECATUR, Ill. – The community gathered again on Thursday, April 25, for the annual Honors Convocation and Distinguished Faculty Lecture at Kirkland Fines Arts Center to honor student and faculty accomplishments as the 2023-24 academic year approaches its conclusion. 

“The Honors Convocation constitutes a special moment in 鶹Լ's academic year, when we connect as a community to honor achievement in teaching and learning and excellence in all aspects of 鶹Լ life, inside and outside the classroom,” 鶹Լ President Jim Reynolds said. “This occasion celebrates the many exceptional achievements made at our University, and we commemorate the inspiring work and scholarship our students and faculty have created.”

Over 90 awards were presented to 鶹Լ students and faculty who were honored for their commitment to academic excellence. Many awards have been created to distinguish alums from  鶹Լ's past.

Carrie Trimble.
Dr. Carrie Trimble speaks at the 2024 Honors Convocation.

Each year, the 鶹Լ faculty vote to select one of their own as the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. This year's Distinguished Faculty Lecturer was Dr. Carrie Trimble, Undergraduate Director of the Tabor School of Business and Associate Professor of Marketing. Dr. Trimble’s lecture was titled “Feeling Successful When Vibes Aren’t Enough.”

Scovill winners

Among the awards is the , the most coveted recognition of the Honors Convocation. Scovill Prize winners are selected based on high academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, service, and scholarship. This year, :

  • • Julia Funck, Junior, Instrumental Music Performance, Clarinet

  • • Helena Hashimoto, Junior, Philosophy & Communication, minoring in Organizational Leadership & Theatre

  • • Kelsey Jacobs, Junior, Psychology, with a concentration in Clinical Psychology and a minor in Biology

  • • Kendra Jellison, Junior, Music Education with an Instrumental emphasis

  • • Rebekah Leipold, Senior, Theatre and Performance Studies

  • • Abigail Mendoza, Junior, Design and Production, with an emphasis in Technical Direction

  • • Maggie Schrage, Junior, Political Science & Philosophy

  • • Olivia Swords, Junior, English, History, and Philosophy on a Pre-Law track

Check out the complete list of winners: 

College of Arts & Sciences

Behavioral Science Award: Madeline Regan

Henry F. Gromoll Service Award: Diana Terneus

Biology Honors Award: Gillian Monroe, Jessel Prabhu

Dr. Neil Baird Biology Lab Assistant Award: Alyssa Ruiz

Clyde Dennis Award: Not Awarded

Glasscock Family Biology Award: Melina Hall 

John & Ula Leighty Research Award: Alayna Chizmark, Sophie Dorgan

American Chemical Society Award: Seth Eridanus

Ed & Lucy Acheson Award for Chemistry: Evan Allen, Emily Clevidence, Madalyn Everly, Bella Palermo, Eli Rojas, Gracie Shaffer, Emma Taylor, Aaron Zoellner, Ara Zukowski

Dr. & Mrs. William F. Henderson Prizes: Seth Eridanus, Jenna Wiltjer

Carl & Lucile Weatherbee Chemistry Award: Seth Eridanus, Madeline Klinger, Jensen Mast, Katie Risner

Carl & Lucile Weatherbee Graduate Studies Award: Jensen Mast

Dr. Clarence and Carol Josefson Award for Excellence in Chemistry: Eli Rojas

Dr. Grace Patten Conant Writing Award (Creation): Grace Talbert

Olivia Swords
Olivia Swords won the Dr. Grace Patten Conant Writing Award (Interpretation).

Dr. Grace Patten Conant Writing Award (Interpretation): Olivia Swords

Contant English Department Award: Madelyn Cummins

Contant Society Achievement Award: Olivia Cooper, Madelyn Cummins, Sophie Nicholson, Eden Niebrugge, Anna Quick, Olivia Swords

Marybeth Drechsler Sharp Outstanding Journalism Award: Kemper Koslofski

J. Graham Provan History Award: Olivia Swords

Albert T. Mills Prize: Andrew Clark, Brennan Pekelder

John Vrooman Prize: Harris Dorgan, Cheyenne McMillon, Garren Meeker

Sigrid A. Stottrup History Award: Jack Hughes

Mathematics & Computer Science Award: Analynn Bullock, Jake Shumaker

Lavern J. Meyer, Ph.D. Math Ed. Award: Not Awarded

Linda Weatherbee Mathematics Award: Maxwell Thompson

Department of Modern Languages Linguistic Excellence Award: Reagan Crouse

Department of Modern Languages Literary Criticism Award: Madeline Regan

Margaret Burkhardt Johnson Award: Oscar Almonte

Dr. Robert McIntire Political Science Award: Not Awarded

Krista Koke
Krista Koke won the Outstanding Political Science Major Award.

Outstanding Political Science Major Award: Krista Koke

Alice Ambrose Lazerowitz Philosophy Award: Bryan Dabulskis, Olivia Swords

Thomas W. & Mary R. Adney Memorial Award: Rhys Deiter, Maggie Schrage

T. W. Samuels Award: McKenna Beals, Jadon Cox, JD Raycraft, Olivia Swords

Rev. Robert S. & Doris Stewart-Religion Award: Not Awarded

Outstanding Physics Award: Ean Haggerty

College of Fine Arts

Pi Kappa Lambda Outstanding Senior Award: Cora Carr

Presser Award: Cora Carr

Alice Herren Ayars Award: Alex Farkasch, Lucas Finley

Wilna Moffett Award: Dan Cavanagh

Mary B. Merris Award: Tad Daniels, David Gartner

Brad and Beth Holmes Choral Excellence Award: Tad Daniels

Winifred St. Clair Minturn Award: Victor Lawson

William Eichenauer Guitar Award: Nolan Bunger

Thomas. A. Johnson Memorial Achievement Award:  Trevor Schaefer

Dr. Russell Tiede Honors Award: Trevor Schaefer 

Percussion Achievement Award: Colton Middleton

Dr. Maria Klott Memorial Award: Eliana Kettley

Handler Award for Excellence, Bachelor of Arts in Music: Eliana Kettley

Joan & Melvin Grabowski Memorial Award: Mary Stefanski

Dr. L.C. McNabb Memorial Award: Ramsey Folkerts

Michelle Chartier Memorial Award: Emily Ostrowski

Kathryn Paige Torp Theatre Award: Kaden Culter

Whitney Turner
Whitney Turner was the co-winner of the Ron Smith Award in Musical Theatre.

Ron Smith Award in Musical Theatre: Conner Schroeder, Whitney Turner

J. Ben Wand Prize: Audrey Smith-Phillips

Andrew Strand Memorial Theatre Award: Reagan Minnette

Andrea Olson Dance Award: Emily Moore

Dr. Everett J. Brown Prize: Helena Hashimoto, Kyle McMillen

Marvin Klaven Art Award: Skylyr Choe, Noct Quinn

David S. Monroe Art Award: Jack Harmon, Jupiter Holcomb, Crux May, Emma McManus

Dorothy Sellers Art Award: Baylee Boliard, Gracie Cleeton, Nora Ficke, Jacob Habel, Kayla Hanson, Katie Kocan, Dan Mungons, Hannah Roberts, John Wyatt, Colby Wygal, Shaina Mae Yumol

College of Professional Studies

Robert and Barbara Byrkit Award in Education: Connor Daundivier, Jazmyn Schnetzler

Dr. Jerald Hunt/Dr. Darlene Hoffman Award for Excellence: Ryan Janseen

Jola Kuntz Education Award: Bailee Blecker, Gracey Reynolds

Ray Boehmer Memorial Award for Excellence in Science Education: Paiton Plucinski

The Smith/Orlandini Award: Zena Roberts

Liam McGill
Liam McGill was a co-winner of the Walter Witt Award. 

Walter Witt Award: Kyle Gibson, Rachel Holthaus, Liam McGill

Alpha Tau Delta Honorarium Award: Jaclyn Reed

Decatur Memorial Hospital Cleland Award: Quincy Collings

James 鶹Լ Theory & Practice of Nursing Award: Faith Marinier

Dorotha F. Dean Nursing Award: Kara Montgomery

The Dr. Mary D. Shanks & Dr. Linda K. Niedringhaus Award: Erika Castanon

Dr. Mary Jane Linton Nursing Excellence Award: Hannah Watts

Patrick and Dr. Pamela Lindsey Award for Nursing Excellence: Chinwe Emenike

Aspiring Healthcare Professionals Award: Katie Risner

Tabor School of Business

Glen R. Smith Award: Elyce Knudsen

Margaret Sparks Award: Emily Ciambella

Dr. Cheryl L. Chamblin Tabor School of Business Honors Award: Helena Hashimoto, Danny Lack

Judy Lederbrand Day Accounting Award: Charly Warlow

Dr. & Mrs. W. J. Darby Prize: Mary Helen Burdick

Cole Anderson
Cole Anderson was the winner fo the Dr. Nancy J. Curtin Communication Award.

Dr. Nancy J. Curtin Communication Award: Cole Anderson

Linda Weatherbee Human Resource Management Award: Emma Mallory

Paul R. Winn Memorial Award: Jorge Hernandez Vega

Podeschi-Landacre Management Information Systems Award: Shay Buchanan, Jake Shumaker

Excellence in Information Systems Award: Nhi Nguyen 

University Awards

Maria Leonard Senior Book Award: Sophie Nicholson, Page Shields

The JoAnne Trow Award: Eloise Fitzpatrick, Trista Hampton, Grace Harmston, Katelyn Wendt

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Illinois Delta Chapter Award of Excellence: Oscar Almonte, Andrew Benbow, Luke Davis, Logan Mulholland, Maya Norwood, Drew Rachow, Quartus Rassi, Ethan Rhoades, Vernell Watson

鶹Լ University Greek Five Star Award: Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Inc., Pi Beta Phi, Tau Kappa Epsilon 

C.W. Barnes Memorial Award: Parker Warren

Major Thomas G. Storey Citizenship Award: Madeline Regan

Dr. Jere C. Mickel Human Relations Award: Quetzalli Soriano-Guitron

Daniel J. & Elinor Gage Student Activities Award: Quincy Collings

Helen Moffett Russell Community Service: Christopher Montgomery

Eshelman Family Award: Ryan Janssen, Sophie Nicholson

Maggie Schrage
Maggie Schrage won the Dr. Jan Devore Award for Excellence.

The Dr. Jan Devore Award for Excellence:  Maggie Schrage

The Dr. J. Roger Miller Leadership Award: Alela Kinyua

Outstanding Adjunct Award: Travis Bodden

James 鶹Լ Scholars Educator of the Year: Dr. Anne Matthews

Alpha Lambda Delta Outstanding Teaching Award: Dr. Tony Magagna

Travis Wilcoxen
Dr. Travis Wilcoxen won the Teaching Excellence Award at the 2024 Honors Convocation.

Teaching Excellence Award: Dr. Travis Wilcoxen

Faculty Research & Artistic Achievement Award: Dr. Troy Castle

Faculty Service Award: Dr. Paris Barnes

Dr. Ralph A. Czerwinski and Dr. Deborah L. Slayton Teaching Excellence & Campus Leadership Award: Dr. Emily Olson