William Jewell College hosted its annual Celebration of Honors ceremony on April 23. The hybrid event was held in Gano Chapel with a limited number of attendees spaced out in the auditorium – to comply with COVID-19 restrictions –  and all other attendees watching the event via Zoom. This was the first celebratory event held in Gano Chapel since Jewell introduced COVID-19 safety guidelines last year. 

The Celebration of Honors, held the same day as Duke Colloquium, is a chance for the College to honor student achievement, which includes the presentation of the prestigious Faculty Award. 

The 2021 Faculty Award winner is Jackson Still, economics and political science major from Lubbock, Texas. Still is a member of the Cardinal golf team and Mortar Board. During his time at Jewell, Still co-founded the Cardinal Union and served as its president. He also served in leadership roles in Phi Gamma Delta, College Union Activities, and Student Senate. After graduation, he will be an academic intern at The Fund for American Studies Program in Washington, D.C., while attending George Mason University. 

Still credits this award to “the men of Phi Gamma Delta here at Jewell and all they have done to push me to become the man I am today,” as well as his professors for their dedication. According to Still, “acceptance of the Faculty Award is a testament to the exceptional community that we have at Jewell more than it is a recognition of any individual achievement.” 

The complete list of departmental and student awards is as follows.

Awards in Biology:

Dr. Burdette L. Wagenknecht Award for an outstanding first-year biology major – Alexis Harper

Charles F. J. Newlon Award for an outstanding sophomore biology major – Rachel Reaves 

Monte Harmon Award for an outstanding junior biology major – Mason Alexander

Dr. Judith A. Dilts Award for an outstanding junior biology major – William White

Dr. Burnell Landers Award for an outstanding senior biology major – Caleb Houghton

Awards in Business and Leadership:

Hastings L. Schies Memorial Scholarship for a deserving junior or senior female student majoring in business administration or finance who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement – Felecia Cummons

Walter J. Stark Award for development in business studies – Anthony Hansen

John W. Boatwright Scholar to a student majoring in economics – Jayme Coon

Boatwright Economics Leadership Scholar to a student majoring in economics – Noah Mayo

Otis and Florence Miller Academic Award for the senior graduating with the highest GPA in accounting, business or economics – Malorie Colby

Accounting Faculty Award for outstanding seniors in accounting – Malorie Colby, Garrett Peoples, Grant Peoples

Business Faculty Award for the outstanding senior in business administration – Zachary Bayless

Economics Faculty Award for the outstanding senior in economics – Carter Olsen

E. Anne Earnest Nonprofit Leadership Award for the outstanding senior in nonprofit leadership – Kylee Newton

Awards in Chemistry and Biochemistry:

Outstanding First-Year in Chemistry or Biochemistry – Jorey Luebbert, Kyla Schulte, Carly Thacker

Promising First-year in Chemistry or Biochemistry – Alyssa Hash, Ethan Nichols, Traeten Thorell

James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a chemistry major – Hailee Brushwood, Cecelia Rogers

Frank H. Fristoe Scholarship for achievement in chemistry – Eli Engledow, Megan Hall, Megan Rohrer, Rachel Schon, Hannah Sherman

Outstanding Seniors in Chemistry or Biochemistry – Catherine Cogley, Cara Kingman

Awards in Communication and Theatre:

Austin Cooper Edwards Acting Awards – Isaac Chizhik, Jaimeson Satterfield

Virginia D. Rice Award for excellence in theatre throughout the year – Sequoia Crissman

Kim Harris Golden Hammer Award for Excellence in Technical Theatre – Garrett Washington

Alpha Psi Omega Key Award for four years of service to Jewell Theatre Company – Sequoia Crissman

Richard L. Harriman Theatre Scholarship established in 1994 by the Fine Arts Guild for outstanding theatre students – Faith Harris, Morgan Tuttle

Digital Media Communication Outstanding Senior Award – Bryar Buhlig

The Department of Communication and Theatre Award for Internship Excellence – Michaela Esau

The Murphy Award for Excellence to a senior communication major planning a career in law – Madeline Wingert

The Kim and Lois Anne Harris Department of Communication and Theatre Outstanding Senior Award – Lydia Enge, Madeline Wingert

Awards in Education:

Chad Garrison “Reach Out and Touch Someone” Award to an education major who has demonstrated sensitivity and compassion for others through volunteer service – Tyler Heston

Lutie Chiles Elementary Education Award to an outstanding sophomore in elementary education – Charlene Noble

Ida Coffman Education Award to an outstanding junior in elementary education – Brady O’Donnell

Elementary Student Teacher Award – Grace Haug, Sydney Offield

Secondary Student Teacher Award – Rey Camareno, Tanner Vance

Outstanding Seniors in Elementary Education – Lillian Frevert, Carman Stephenson

Outstanding Senior in Secondary Education – Rachel Harris

Awards in Engineering:

Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering – Shane Lang

Awards in English:

Pinkerton-Rick Scholarship to English majors entering the senior year who have contributed to the English department through creative thinking and helpfulness – Emma Mayfield, Tyler Sherman 

Outstanding Senior English Major Award – James Hobbs

Award in History:

Kenneth Chatlos Award for best capstone essays in the Department of History – Kaitlyn Harken, James Hobbs

U. R. Pugh Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a history major – Hayley Michael

Awards in Languages:

Spanish Research Award for scholarly achievement in literary and cultural study – Kelsey Lanterman

Outstanding Senior in Spanish to a graduating major with a record of excellence – Carter Olsen

Awards in Mathematics and Data Science:

George A. Ross Mathematics Award to a senior mathematics major with the highest academic record in mathematics – Connor Morehouse

Awards in Music:

Ida and Maybelle Glenn Music Scholarship for outstanding achievement to someone preparing to teach music – Dre’Shon Tolbert

Edward Lakin Music Theory Award to the student with the highest GPA in the first year of music theory courses – Daniel Samsel 

Linda L. Thomssen String Award for an outstanding string player – Kathleen Wilcock

The Wes & Ginger Forbis Award for a rising senior in music – Laurence Dahlsten

The Collegiate Artists Competition, the winner of this annual competition performs a solo with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra – Laurence Dahlsten

Awards in Nursing:

Awards for Integrity – A’Leiya Clark (BSN), Jennifer Hutton (BSN-AT)

Awards for Compassion – Abigail Rand (BSN), Traci Fleming (BSN-AT)

Awards for Scholarship – Meredith Scarborough (BSN), Alice Kirsch (BSN-AT)

Anne Bax Ozbolt Awards for Servant Leadership – Halie Juarez (BSN), Bailey Brockley (BSN-AT)

Awards for Excellence in Practice – Cutter Sanders (BSN), Gabrielle Miranda (BSN-AT)

Mary Grant Seacole Awards for Service – Cody Lampe (BSN), Marissa Dillon (BSN-AT)

Outstanding Academic Achievement Award – Kaitlyn Pohl (BSN), Mona Akbarnia (BSN-AT)

Outstanding Nursing Student Award – Annemarie Boeh (BSN), Manuel Arciniega (BSN-AT)

Leesa A. McBroom Spirit of Nursing Book Award – Anjeli Ravi (BSN-AT)

Awards in Physics:

The Charles Don Geilker Feynman Lectures Award to an outstanding first-year physics student – Ellesa Henning

James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarships for achievement as sophomore or junior physics major – Graham Chambers-Wall

C. D. Geilker Award for achievement in the general physics course for a student majoring in physics, physics education or dual-degree engineering – Hope Peck

John E. Davis Sigma Pi Sigma Award for a senior physics major with the highest level of achievement in physics – Graham Chambers-Wall

Outstanding Senior Physics Major Award – Catherine Dema

Awards in Political Science:

Outstanding First-Year Students in Political Science – Jacqueline Hensley, Hattie Miller

Outstanding Sophomore in Political Science – Christian Santiago

Outstanding Juniors in Political Science – Zachary Mertes, Hayley Michael, Madalyn Newton

Outstanding Senior in Political Science – Madison Carroll Porth

Dr. Will Adams Scholarship for an outstanding political science major – Kyler Schardein

Pi Sigma Alpha – Matthew Oliver Senior Scholar Award – Jackson Still

Awards in Psychological Science:

Distinguished Graduates in Psychological Science – Addisyn Cress, Rhyann Fisher, Hannah Koehler

Premier Graduate in Psychological Science – Kole Wagener

Student Publications Awards:

The Hilltop Monitor Newcomer Award – Zachary Dube, Krista Halstead, Elizabeth Payton

The Hilltop Monitor Community Outreach and Engagement Award – Samantha Bahler

The Hilltop Monitor Editorial Leadership Award – Trenton Brink, Catherine Dema, Agatha Gutierrez, Savannah Hawley, Christina Kirk, Hannah Koehler, Kyler Schardein, Kari Tott

Inscape Poem of the Year – Michaela Esau

Inscape Fiction of the Year – Jenna Hultgren

Inscape Creative Nonfiction of the Year – James Hobbs

Inscape Fine Art of the Year for Visual Art, Digital Art or Music – Kenton Fox-Horst

The John and Mary Pritchard Humanitarian Service Awards:

The Award annually goes to one or more William Jewell students who commit to engaging with people in need, developing relationships with people different from them in all fundamental aspects and learning about their unique gifts and about what God calls them to do with those gifts.

Noah Mayo

Mortar Board:

A national honor society demonstrating ideals of leadership, scholarship and service. Members are selected through an application process and must the meet ideals of the society and have a GPA in the top 35% of their junior class.

Kayla Burdette, Catherine Cogley, Malorie Colby, Christopher Cotton, Addisyn Cress, Catherine Dema, Elizabeth Ellis, Tori Farr, Brianna Francis, Lillian Frevert, Rose Galetti, Tyrell Jeffries, Cara Kingman, Christina Kirk, Hannah Koehler, Chance Lister, Kylee Newton, Caitlin Overmeyer, Kaitlyn Popejoy, Madison Carroll Porth, Elizabeth Quinn, Allison Rawls, Teagen Rich, Megan Sprague, Jessica Steinbach, Carman Stephenson, Jackson Still, Alexander Thiessen and Macyn Wilbers

Phi Epsilon Honor Society:

Students graduating in the 10% of the class based on institutional GPA and a minimum of 60 credit hours at William Jewell College.

Lacey Albers, Catherine Cogley, Malorie Colby, Elizabeth Ellis, Lillian Frevert, Kaitlyn Harken, James Hobbs, Thomas Hollinberger, Cara Kingman, Hannah Koehler, Kelsey Lanterman, Garrett Peoples, Grant Peoples, Kaitlyn Pohl and Victoria Vogt

Graduating with Honors:

Graduation with Honors is awarded to students who completed a project within their declared major and Graduation with Distinction is awarded to students who completed a project in a subject outside of their declared major. Eligible students must graduate with a minimum GPA of 3.5 and must have completed A-level work on a project over two or more semesters.

With Distinction in Chemistry – Kaitlyn Popejoy

With Distinction in Philosophy – Madison Carroll Porth

With Honors in Education – Lillian Frevert, Carman Stephenson

With Honors in Oxbridge History of Ideas – Catherine Dema

With Honors in Oxbridge Institutions and Policy – Madison Carroll Porth

WIth Honors in Physics – Catherine Dema

Graduating in the Oxbridge Honors Program:

Isaac Chizhik, Catherine Dema, Savannah Hawley, Christina Kirk, Caitlin Overmeyer, Madison Carroll Porth, Jacob Shutts and Nathan Wasson

As the spring semester nears its midpoint and the long hours begin to take their toll on students, faculty and staff alike, William Jewell College enjoyed a rare break from the snow and celebrated the achievements of students and alumni.

This year’s celebrations marked the 75th anniversary of the annual Celebration of Achievement week, during which the citation of achievement is awarded to one alum doing notable work in their field of expertise.

The celebrations began Wednesday, Feb. 27 at a student achievement dinner held in the Yates-Gill College Union – the day also marked the 170th birthday of the College. Students involved in groups including Alpha Lambda Delta, College Union Activities, Phi Epsilon Honors Society and Student Senate were invited to attend.

Past honorees and Jewell alumni Susan Chambers (‘90), Russ Cline (‘71) and Marise Stewart (‘77) lead a panel at the event.

Thursday, Feb. 28 marked the annual Achievement Day dinner event. The fundraiser was held in the Marriott Muehlebach Tower in downtown Kansas City – tickets for the event were available online and registrants were available to reserve a table with eight seats at the event for $2,500.

Student presenters at the event included Meg Anderson, senior Oxbridge: History of Ideas and physics major, and Sam Sullivan, senior communication major. The pair were the 2019 recipients of the Col. Alexander Doniphan Award and Leona McReynolds Kresse Award for the senior man and woman with potential for great achievement.

Event leadership, Ann Rowland and Joshua Rowland spoke to attendees and discussed Jewell’s commitment to making education accessible.

“[Jewell is an] opportunity for many, not just for the few,” said Josh Rowland. “The future of Kansas City is tied to the future of William Jewell.”

Achievement week events concluded on Friday, March 1 with the Achievement Day Convocation.

Dr. Steven Stites (‘92) was the guest speaker of this event and spoke about his Jewell experience, the evolution of the college and the importance of a diverse education.