On April 24, William Jewell College celebrated student achievement despite the COVID-19 related cancellation of the annual Honors Convocation. Usually, Jewell will host an event to read the names of student winners of institutional awards, highlight the achievements of the Faculty Award finalists, celebrate student achievement in music and announce the Faculty Award winner. This year, Jewell printed a listing of awards and posted about the Faculty Award finalists on their Facebook page.

“[The listing] looks very much like the event program without the music and speaking parts. We will mail those to all 139 of the award recipients, along with any checks or scholarship letters on Friday as well,” said Susan Arbo, director of ceremonies and signature events. “The seniors will also receive any certificates, Phi Epsilon cords, Oxbridge medallions, departmental plaques and Faculty Award finalist and winner plaques. Most will go out on April 24 or April 27. A few other departmental awards had not yet been prepared so those will go out this summer.”

The Faculty Award finalists were highlighted – one per day – in the week leading up to the announcement, and the College posted a video announcing the winner April 24. 

Margo Evilsizor, senior international relations and Oxbridge: Institutions and Policy major, won the 2020 Faculty Award. 

Throughout her time at Jewell, Evilsizor used Jewell’s Hall Grant to conduct field research interviews in Mafraq, Jordan, for her international relations honors thesis on women’s empowerment in the Syrian Civil War. With the Pritchard Humanitarian Award she spoke out against violence against women at a self-organized public forum at the state congress in Morelos, Mexico. Evilsizor has also co-authored an article with Dr. Fletcher Cox, professor of political science, about women’s empowerment. She is president of Pi Sigma Alpha and vice president of Mortar Board, in addition to being involved in Christian Student Ministries and handbell choir.

After graduating, Evilsizor will move to Mexico City to take part in a Fulbright Program. Her long-term goals include providing women with more opportunities – potentially by impacting public policy with a law degree or starting a business to employ or microfinance women.

“I am extremely grateful for the faculty at Jewell. Winning the Faculty Award was one of many times over the course of four years where I’ve felt encouraged, supported and believed in by the faculty. I cannot thank them enough. I feel deeply grateful for their mentorship and investment in my life,” said Evilsizor.

“While I wish I could have been there to celebrate with everyone in person, I’m glad I got to be with my family and reflect on my time at Jewell with them,” continued Evilsizor. “After the announcement was released on Facebook, one of the things that we talked about was how impressive the other finalists are. I never expected to win – I felt honored to have even been placed in the same group as Caeley, Sofia, Tate and Elliott. Once again, thank you to all the faculty, staff and friends who have touched my life throughout the four years. I’m going to miss doing life on the Hill.”

Because the ceremony could not be hosted as usual, Arbo discussed Jewell’s alternative plans to honor student achievement.

“In the fall, we are planning to hold a reception in the Union Atrium where the students will be able to mingle with professors and pick up their awards. Ideally, it may be held the same weekend as the rescheduled Commencement ceremony so that the graduating seniors could attend as well,” said Arbo.

A listing of all awards was made available to the campus community in View From the Hill April 29 and are listed below.

Awards in Biology:

Dr. Burdette L. Wagenknecht Award for an outstanding first-year biology major – Elizabeth  Wilson

Charles F. J. Newlon Award for an outstanding sophomore biology major – Emily Sawyer

Monte Harmon Award for an outstanding junior biology major – Kelsey Lanternman

Dr. Burnell Landers Award for an outstanding senior biology major – Logan McKinney

Dr. Judith A. Dilts Award for an outstanding senior biology major – Alexis Nelson

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 – Emily Trout

Walter J. Stark Award for development in business studies – Nicholas Bradley

John W. Boatwright Scholars to students majoring in economics – Jacob Shutts, Jackson Still

Boatwright Economics Leadership Scholar to students majoring in economics – Alexander Hein, Tyrell Jeffrues, Carter Olsen

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

Accounting Faculty Award for the outstanding senior in accounting – Hayden Fulk

Business Faculty Award for the outstanding seniors in business administration – Lexie Stull, Parker Tergin

Economics Faculty Award for the outstanding senior in economics – Hunter Forkum

E. Anne Earnest Nonprofit Leadership Award for the outstanding senior in nonprofit leadership – Natalie Denzer

Awards in Chemistry and Biochemistry:

Outstanding First-Years in Chemistry – Mallory Dickerson, Eli Engledow, Megan Hall, Cecelia Rogers, Rachel Schon

James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a chemistry major –  Hailee Brushwood, Kayla Crowder, Johnathan Haug, Sierra Sanchez, Hannah Sherman

Frank H. Fristoe Scholarship for achievement in chemistry – Catherine Cogley, Cara Kingman, Katie Parrott, Megan Rohrer, Macyn Wilbers

Outstanding Seniors in Biochemistry – Ryan Hoffman, Elizabeth Ruark

Awards in Communication and Theater:

Austin Cooper Edwards Acting Awards – Faith Harris, Terrace Wyatt, Jr. 

Virginia D. Rice Award for excellence in theatre throughout the year – Cassidy Schuster

Kim Harris Golden Hammer Award for excellence in technical theatre – Suzane Wright

Alpha Psi Omega Key Award for four years of service to Jewell Theatre Company – Terrace Wyatt, Jr.

Richard L. Harriman Theatre Scholarship for outstanding theatre students – Faith Harris, Morgan Tuttle

The Murphy Award for Excellence for a senior communication major planning a career in law – Jack Nielsen

The Department of Communication and Theatre Distinguished Service Award – Isabel Warden

The Kim and Lois Anne Harris Department of Communication and Theatre Outstanding Senior Award – Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe

Awards in Education:

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

Lutie Chiles Elementary Education Award for an outstanding sophomore in elementary education – Brady O’Donnell

Ida Coffman Education Award for an outstanding junior in elementary education – Grace Haug, Allison Rawls

Outstanding Junior in Secondary Education – Rachel Harris

Outstanding Senior in Elementary Education – Brittany Marr

Outstanding Senior in Secondary Education – Christina Vogler

Master of Science in Education Award – Michelle Martin

Awards in Engineering:

Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering Award – Whitney Holloman

Awards in English:

Pinkerton-Rick Scholarship for English majors entering the senior year who have contributed to the English department through creative thinking and helpfulness – Hannah Koehler, Cameron White

Outstanding Senior English Major Award – Brielle Buntin

Award in History:

Kenneth Chatlos Award for the best senior capstone essay – Kendall Gammon

U. R. Pugh Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a history major – James Hobbs

Awards in Languages:

Arabic Studies Award for a graduating minor with a record of excellence – Ian McBride

Chinese Studies Award for a graduating minor with a record of excellence – Haley Call

Spanish Research Award for scholarly achievement in literary and cultural study – Samantha Schaer

Outstanding Senior in Spanish for graduating major with a record of excellence – Alexis Mijares

Awards in Mathematics:

George A. Ross Mathematics Award for senior mathematics major with the highest academic records in mathematics – Katie Bird

Awards in Music:

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

Edward Lakin Music Theory Award for the student with the highest GPA in the first year of music theory courses – William Laycock 

Linda L. Thomssen String Award for an outstanding string player – Rachel Harris

The Wes & Ginger Forbis Award for rising seniors in music – Elise Benne, Rachel Harris, Fionna Pillow

The Collegiate Artists Competition for winners of an annual competition who will perform a solo with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra – Tate Cooper

Awards in Nursing:

Awards for Integrity – (BSN) Chandler Tennyson, (BSN-AT) Brian Hoover

Awards for Compassion – (BSN) Lauren Nichols, (BSN-AT) Abigail Schott

Awards for Scholarship – (BSN) Elise Pape, (BSN-AT) Jynnifer McClinton

Anne Bax Ozbolt Awards for Servant Leadership – (BSN) Itzel Quintero, (BSN-AT) Jonathan Stratman

Awards for Excellence in Practice – (BSN) Karla Calderon-Gomez, (BSN-AT) Nikki Upton

Mary Grant Seacole Awards for Service – (BSN) Kylea McArdale, (BSN-AT) Khanh-Linh Nguyen

Outstanding Academic Achievement Award – (BSN) Jessica Farris, (BSN-AT) Kimberly Rice

Outstanding Nursing Student Award – (BSN) Juliet Connole, (BSN-AT) Brianna Ehrler

Leesa A. McBroom Spirit of Nursing Book Award – Valerie Dunn

Awards in Physics:

The Charles Don Geilker Feynman Lectures Award for an outstanding first-year physics student – William Laycock

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

C. D. Geilker Award for achievement in the sophomore physics course majoring in physics, physics education or dual-degree engineering – Kaitlyn Simms

John E. Davis Sigma Pi Sigma Award for a rising senior physics major with the highest level of achievement in physics – Catherine Dema

Outstanding Senior Physics Major Award – Caeley Pittman

Awards in Political Science:

Outstanding First-Year Student in Political Science – Ashley Chiles

Outstanding Sophomores in Political Science – Zachary Mertes

Outstanding Junior in Political Science – Jacob Shutts, Jackson Still

Outstanding Senior in Political Science – Margo Evilsizor

Dr. Will Adams Scholarship for an outstanding political science major – Madison Carroll

Pi Sigma Alpha – Matthew Oliver Senior Scholar Award – Lexie Stull

Awards in Psychological Science:

Distinguished Graduates in Psychological Science – Christopher Davison, Hannah Keeney, Riley Martin, Kaitlyn Pittala, Haley Unruh

Premier Graduate in Psychological Science – Darcy Sweet

Student Publications Awards:

The Hilltop Monitor Newcomer Award – Angelica Gutierrez

The Hilltop Monitor Rising Star Award – Jenna Hultgren, Hannah Tietz

The Hilltop Monitor Themes and Content Award – Trenton Brink

The Hilltop Monitor Editorial Leadership Award – Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, Rachel Bell, Michaela Esau, Cassie Hayes, William Humphrey, Hannah Koehler, Jack Ledbetter, Madison McCormick, Tavarus Pennington, Kyler Schardein, Elliott Yoakum

Inscape Poem of the Year – Kaitlyn O’Neal

Inscape Fiction of the Year – James Hobbs

Inscape Nonfiction of the Year – Kathryn Wilhelm

Inscape Fine Art of the Year (Visual Art, Digital Art or Music) – Bryar Buhlig

Inscape Outstanding Editor Award – Brielle Buntin

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.

Megan Sprague

Mortar Board:

National honor society demonstrating ideals of leadership, scholarship and service. Members must meet ideals of the society and have a GPA in the top 35 percent of the class.

Haley Call, Tate Cooper, Jakob Erdmann, Margo Evilsizor, Jessica Farris, Shaneann Fross, Hayden Fulk, Mckenzie Gross, Kelly Hendershot, Jeremy Hofman, Jameson Howard, Kylie Jorgensen, Emily Lakin, Sarah Lewis, Alexis Mijares, Margaret Miles, Bjorn Myers, Lauren Nichols, Jack Nielsen, Mikaela Papageorgiou, Kaitlyn Pittala, Megan Rhule, Samantha Schaer, Christopher Seward, Lexie Stull, Darcy Sweet, Haley Unruh, Elliott Yoakum

Phi Epsilon Honor Society:

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

Brielle Buntin, Karla Calderon-Gomez, Tate Cooper, Natalie Denzer, Valerie Dunn, Jessica Farris, Hunter Forkum, Jeremy Hofman, Riley Martin, Logan McKinney, Alexis Nelson, Dalton Nelson, Benjamin Pautler, Kaitlyn Pittala, Caeley Pittman, Elizabeth Ruark, Lexie Stull, Haley Unruh

Graduating with Honors:

Graduating with Honors in Biochemistry – Elizabeth Ruark

Graduating with Honors in Biology – Logan McKinney

Graduating with Honors in Communication – Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe

Graduating with Honors in English – Brielle Buntin

Graduating with Honors in International Relations – Margo Evilsizor

Graduating with Honors in Oxbridge: Institutions and Policy – Tate Cooper, Bailey Cordonnier, Tanner Devore

Graduating with Honors in Oxbridge: Literature and Theory – Kaitlyn O’Neal

Graduating with Honors in Oxbridge: Molecular Biology – Shaneann Fross, Clayton Mansel

Graduating in the Oxbridge Honors Program:

Matthew Capps, Christopher Choe, Tate Cooper, Bailey Cordonnier, Tanner Devore, Margo Evilsizor, Shaneann Fross, Emily Hemphill, Jeremy Hodman, Heather Jackson, Clayton Mansel, Riley Martin, Kaitlyn O’Neal, Caeley Pittman, Jesse Rose, Samantha Schaer, Elliott Yoakum

The Faculty Award:

Finalists – Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, Tate Cooper, Margo Evilsizor, Caeley Pittman, Elliott Yoakum

Winner – Margo Evilsizor

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, William Jewell College’s Honors’ Convocation – set for this Friday, April 24 – was canceled. Student awards typically announced at the event will be published online Friday, April 24. The Faculty Award – one of Jewell’s most revered awards, which recognizes a senior student who embodies the values of a liberal arts education – will be announced in a video to be posted at 7 p.m. April 24. 

In the week leading up to the announcement, Jewell will feature and celebrate each of the Faculty Award finalists on social media. The finalists for 2020 are Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, senior communication and chemistry major; Tate Cooper, senior Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major; Margo Evilsizor, senior international relations and Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major; Caeley Pittman, senior physics, Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In) and Oxbridge Literature and Theory major; and Elliott Yoakum, senior Oxbridge Literature and Theory major. More information about these finalists and the process of nomination can be found in this article.

Dr. David McCune, professor of mathematics and chair of the Faculty Award Committee, will record a video of the announcement to be released. Jewell will release a teaser of this video during the week, and the final announcement will be posted to Jewell’s Facebook 7 p.m. April 24.

In addition to the online announcement and publication of awards, the College will print Honors’ Convocation programs for all awardees and will mail each Faculty Award finalist a plaque recognizing their achievement.

Every year a committee of William Jewell College faculty recognizes a group of five exceptional seniors to consider awarding the Faculty Award. The annual award is usually announced at Honors’ Convocation – which will likely not occur in its typical format due to the coronavirus pandemic. This year’s finalists are Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe, communication and chemistry major; Tate Cooper, Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major; Margo Evilsizor, international relations and Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major; Caeley Pittman, physics, Applied Critical Thought and Inquiry (ACT-In) and Oxbridge Literature and Theory major; and Elliott Yoakum, Oxbridge Literature and Theory major.

“The Faculty Award is given to the student who best represents the ideals of a liberal arts education at Jewell,” said Dr. David McCune, professor of mathematics and chair of the Faculty Award Committee. “The award is the highest honor that the college can bestow on a student. It is kind of like being valedictorian of a high school class, but the award is given based on criteria that are broader than just GPA [grade point average].”

Seniors are eligible to apply for the award if they have spent at least six semesters at Jewell and have a GPA of at least 3.75. The written application details personal experiences and achievements, post-graduation plans and an essay discussion criteria the applicant thinks should be used to determine the Faculty Award recipient.

After students apply, the faculty committee identifies a group of semi-finalists who are interviewed by the committee and submit letters of recommendation. The finalists describe the interview as intellectually rigorous and based around a written text, this year it was a speech written by David Foster Wallace. The five finalists are determined based on written applications, interviews and letters of recommendation.

Arthurs-Schoppe discussed her history and path to Jewell in discussing her decision to apply for the Faculty Award. A native of Mauku, New Zealand, Arthurs-Schoppe dreamed of attending college in the United States despite skepticism from people in her hometown. She views her achievements and recognition by the faculty as evidence of her hardwork and dedication to achieving her goals. Arthurs-Schoppe hopes that being named as a finalist shows young people in her hometown and high school – Pukekohe High School – that they can achieve their goals despite the questions and skepticism.

“Where I grew up, there’s not a lot of people who have opportunities like they have here in the states,” said Arthurs-Schoppe. “To have been able to have this opportunity to come here and to go to school in this country and to learn all these things and to have these opportunities is really impactful.”

Arthurs-Shoppe also went on to discuss the lack of support she felt when she told others about her dream to study in the United States. 

“When I was going through middle school and high school, I was telling people I wanted to go to school in the states one day, and people didn’t really believe that I could do it. They kind of turned around and said ‘Well, that’s a nice dream but…’ and it just felt very dismissive,” said Arthurs-Schoppe. “ In some ways [being a finalist] is a way for me to dispel some of those doubts that were built up over years and years of being told I should stop trying and it wasn’t worth my time.”

She also applied for the award because she wanted to recognize all the opportunities offered by Jewell. Arthurs-Schoppe emphasized the close connections with professors and opportunities provided by the college to pursue individual interests. 

“To have an award where the faculty turn around and recognize – and say ‘Hey,  we noticed how hard you’ve been working. We think that it’s admirable and think that, for want of better words, you’ve done it right,’ I think that means a lot,” said Arthurs-Schoppe.  

In her time at Jewell, Arthurs-Schoppe won the Hall Grant, worked in Washington D.C. for the German Press Agency as a reporter and won the Pritchard Humanitarian Award for community service in Kansas City. Between her first and second years, Arthurs-Schoppe worked in the Middle East and Eastern Europe interviewing people about different conflict situations – resulting in her publishing a book. She was also the photography editor for the Hilltop Monitor before serving as Editor-in-Chief for two years. She views the work she’s done on the Monitor as defining her Jewell experience and as being a vehicle with which she made an impact on the Jewell community. She has also been involved with University Innovation Fellows, oSTEM and the International Students Organization.

Arthurs-Schoppe accepted a job as a venture analyst with Stray Dog Capital – a venture capitalist organization working to minimize the use of animals in the supply chain. A vegan, she views the mission of the organization as aligning with her own beliefs and convictions. Additionally, Arthurs-Schoppe is engaged to be married. 

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted so much of her senior year, but Arthurs-Schoppe has made the most of the situation. She was in Peru to do research on a Journey Grant when the pandemic started causing problems with travel. The trip was to be a culmination of research into electricity access in rural communities – yet it had to be prematurely disrupted before Arthurs-Schoppe’s safe return to the United States.

She had already accepted and planned to start her job with Stray Dog Capital, and the company has helped her get started remotely. Despite acknowledging the importance of safety measures during the pandemic, Arthurs-Schoppe is disappointed she will not be able to see her family from New Zealand in the near future. They had planned to come to the United States in May, but all flights to and from New Zealand have been canceled through June. 

In summation, Arthurs-Schoppe emphasized that despite her gratefulness and recognition of the award, it is not a sole determinant of value or work throughout the college experience. She does not want such a concrete or restrictive award to be the only recognition or evaluation of four years of dedication and effort.   

Cooper said he was initially hesitant to apply for the award but ultimately decided to due to encouragement from his peers. In addition to his Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major, Cooper has minors in mathematics and music. He has been involved in band, jazz band, Pi Sigma Alpha – the national political science honor society, Cardinal Hosts and Mortar Board. 

In addition to these involvements, Cooper described other experiences which may have contributed to his nomination as a finalist. During his junior year, Cooper interned for congresswoman Ann Wagner in Washington, D.C., and Cooper interned with the Missouri Department of Public Safety. Cooper has won the Presidential Leadership Award by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, an award for Academic Excellence in Public Policy by The Fund for American Studies and  Jewell’s Edward Lakin Music Theory Award and Scholarship. He volunteers as a young adult mentor for the Immune Deficiency Foundation and participates in the Columbia Community Band.

The process of application led Cooper to reflect upon his Jewell experiences and further appreciate the close relationships fostered by the college. Cooper cites the close collaboration with professors and students’ deep involvement and engagement with academic work – especially as compared to other colleges and universities. 

In the fall Cooper will attend the University of Missouri School of Law and hopes to pursue his interest in public policy. As it has disrupted much of his senior year, Cooper commented on the coronavirus pandemic. Due to underlying medical conditions, Cooper started self-isolating about ten days before Jewell’s campus closed. He is concerned about his ability to attend law school in the fall, but he can defer his acceptance and scholarship if it is not safe to attend.

Though disappointed, Cooper emphasized that his position and that of many in the Jewell community is significantly better than many others. He is thankful for medical workers, sanitation workers, grocery workers, truckers, first responders and more risking their health to fight the pandemic. Cooper is glad to do his part in flattening the curve – especially if all it requires is completing his school work via Zoom.

In summation, Cooper expressed gratitude for his nomination.

“I am truly humbled and deeply grateful to be included as a finalist for this award,” Cooper said. “The faculty here are outstanding, and it means a lot to be recognized by them. When I look at the other finalists, I am incredibly impressed by so much of what they have achieved already, and it’s an honor to appear with them.”

Evilsizor applied for the award because she was encouraged by her peers to apply and was excited by the nature of the award. Throughout her time at Jewell, Evilsizor used Jewell’s Hall Grant to conduct field research interviews in Mafraq, Jordan for her honors thesis on women’s empowerment in the Syrian Civil War. With the Pritchard Humanitarian Award she spoke out against violence against women at a self-organized public forum at the state congress in Morelos, Mexico. Evilsizor has also co-authored an article with Dr. Fletcher Cox, professor of political science, about women’s empowerment. She is president of Pi Sigma Alpha and vice president of Mortar Board. 

The process of application led Evilsizor to reflect on the purpose of a liberal arts education, her education at Jewell and her growth as a thinker – as she thinks the application is intended to do.

After graduation, Evilsizor will move to Mexico City  – though her specific plans are still developing. She is a semi-finalist for a Fulbright program in Mexico City, and her primary backup plans have been put on hold due to the pandemic. If Evilsizor does not get the Fulbright, she will complete a Spanish language intensive before applying to jobs in Mexico. Evilsizor wants to pursue business consulting and eventually either get an MBA or attend law school.

The pandemic has put many of Evilsizor’s plans on hold and has concerned her regarding her entrance to the workforce. 

“I completed a round of interviews for a summer internship that had the potential to turn into a full-time job mid-March,” Evilsizor said. “After completing all the application steps, I got a notification that in light of COVID-19, all hiring processes have been put on pause. I had also planned to move to Mexico during the first week of June. Now, that seems unlikely. I am also closely watching Fulbright. While my program would not start until September, I am concerned that it will get delayed or canceled. Since it is a program funded by the U.S. government, it is difficult to know whether they would approve it for the fall.”

Pittman applied for the award because she viewed the application as a way to synthesize all the work she has done while at Jewell and in the Oxbridge program. Some of this work includes participating in Jewell’s Pillsbury Scholars Program, research experiences for undergraduates at the Maria Mitchell Association and CERN and seeking out extracurricular research in Oxford University’s department of physics. Pittman was also the creative nonfiction genre editor for Inscape Magazine and president of the Society of Physics Students. She participated in outreach at elementary schools and has worked at observatory open nights with Jewell’s physics department.

Pittman is in the Phi Epsilon honor society and has been awarded the national Barry Goldwater Scholarship, Jewell’s James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarship for Achievement in Physics and Jewell’s Pritchard Award for Humanitarian Service.

Pittman reflects upon how the application impacts her perspective on her time at Jewell.

“[In] this process I have interacted with professors who have supported me at different points along my journey at Jewell, which, combined with composing the application itself, helped me develop a more holistic view of what my time at Jewell has done for me,” Pittman said. 

In the fall Pittman will be starting an Astronomy Ph.D. at Boston University – where she will work with Dr. Catherine Espaillat on studying young star systems just beginning to form planets.

On the pandemic, Pittman expressed her disappointment about missing several senior events and a sense of closure to her college experience, in addition to missing the daily interaction and discussion with professors and fellow students.

Yoakum applied for the award because he felt the need to prove to himself that his Jewell education was worthwhile. He used the essay portion of the application to critique Jewell’s status as a liberal arts college – a designation of which he is skeptical given the college’s newest initiatives. Yoakum views changes made by the college as prioritizing production of workers and numbers. He questions Jewell’s position as the Critical Thinking College –  unaccompanied by actual shifts in the college’s priorities, this label is meaningless. 

“I applied ultimately because I am saddened by the direction the college is going, and I wanted an audience for my critique,” Yoakum said. “Being named a finalist means at least a small section of the faculty has at least heard my thoughts, whether or not they agree, so hopefully this can lead to meaningful change in the college’s direction.” 

Some of Yoakum’s accomplishments include receiving a Bright Flight Award, a music scholarship, being a member of Alpha Lambda Delta, winning the Hilltop Monitor Award and several Missouri College Media Association awards, a nonfiction reader for Inscape Magazine, presenting at the 2018 National Undergraduate Literature Conference, being a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society and being selected to present at their 2020 Convention in Las Vegas—canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic—being a member of Mortar Board and presenting at Duke Colloquium. 

At Jewell, Yoakum has been president of QUILTBAG, a member of the diversity and inclusion work group, and a member of Concert Choir, Choral Scholars, Handbell Choir and Schola Cantorum. At Oxford, Yoakum sang with the selective St. John’s College Chapel Choir. Additionally, he has written for the Hilltop Monitor, where he currently serves as Arts and Culture page editor. During the school year Yoakum works as the Development and Finance Intern for the Harriman-Jewell Series. At the Series he has also worked as Box Office Intern and Gala Intern. He also spent the summer of 2018 volunteering with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) in St. Croix and Sacy-le-Petit, France. 

Yoakum initially applied in order to evidence his growth during his time at Jewell, and the process of application led him to recognize his growth as a thinker and person. 

“It also makes me extremely disappointed in the lack of opportunities at Jewell, the dearth of opportunities for departments which are underfunded or often, despite excellent performance [i.e. Music] overlooked for flashier projects [i.e. new sports and rec center],” said Yoakum.

 After graduation, Yoakum plans to take a gap year before attending graduate school in a humanities field like English or cultural studies. He is looking to apply for the master’s in Cultural Studies at SOAS, the School of Oriental and Asian Studies, and the master’s in Global Thought at Columbia University. Yoakum hopes to work at a museum, arts organization, publishing house or public radio station during his gap year but has not heard back about his applications. 

Due to the pandemic, many arts organizations have had to either close or restrict their budgets. Yoakum has been notified by several organizations he applied to that their process of evaluation has been delayed or that the summer internship program has been canceled. He says that if closures remain in place into the summer, it will be difficult to find a job in a museum or arts presentation organization.

Ethan Hawn is a junior political science and international relations major from Pittsburg, Kan. Hawn plans to attend The Fund for American Studies Institute on Economics and International Affairs in Washington, D.C. The two-month program includes courses at George Mason University and an internship in the D.C. area. Additionally, he will conduct research using resources at the Library of Congress and National Archives regarding the 1968 Tet Offensive and the response of the Johnson Administration.

Ethan Hawn by Christina Kirk

“I was introduced to the topic of my project during Dr. Wilkins’ Major Debates in U.S. Foreign Policy course. I found 1968 to be a particularly interesting and formative moment in U.S. policy regarding the Vietnam War. For that reason, I think that conducting archival research on the topic will give me further insight into the Johnson administration’s response to the event,” said Hawn.

Amaya Clark is sophomore biochemistry major from Dallas, Texas. Clark will use her Hall Grant to travel overseas from June 1 to July 1 to Lisbon, Portugal for a laboratory research experience at the University of Lisbon, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Pharmacology and Neurobiology Laboratories. Her experience will take place in the laboratory of Dr. Ana Sebastião, who specializes in neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. She will be working with one of her principal investigators in this lab, Dr. Maria Jose Diogenes, and participate in an intensive review of neurochemistry while also learning neurochemistry techniques.

Amaya Clark by Christina Kirk

 “After graduating from Jewell, I plan to study medicine with the goal of investigating a newer, more cost-effective treatments for severe allergic reactions. Currently, epinephrine is the most available treatment. However, it has a short time of effectiveness and the cost is continuing to rise. By spending some intense training time in a neurochemistry lab I will be able to advance my understanding of some of the basic pathways that govern epinephrine. This also gives me the opportunity as a biochemistry major to experience a scientific investigation in an international setting. I will be working alongside scientists from Brazil and Portugal, with additional interactions with other European scientists. This will expand my cross-cultural experience,” said Clark.

Rosalyn Smith is a senior music education major from Independence, Mo. Smith is using her grant to travel to England this July to attend the Choral Institute at Oxford. This is a choral conducting program that will allow her to work one-on-one with some very influential names in choral conducting and to study the craft at a graduate level. Choral music has a deep rooted history in England. Smith will have the chance to work with the Oxford music faculty as well as co-directors James Jordan and James Whitbourn.

Rosie Smith by Christina Kirk

“I chose this program after hearing about it from Dr. James Jordan during his residency with the Concert Choir last May. Dr. Jordan is a very important name in the world of choral conducting and has written countless textbooks that I use here at Jewell and is known across the country. Working with him as a guest conductor last year was a great opportunity all on its own, so I didn’t want to pass up the chance to work with him again,” said Smith.

Margo Evilsizor is a sophomore international relations and Oxbridge Institutions and Policy major from Belton, Mo. Evilsizor will be using her grant to travel to Amman, Jordan for two months. While there, she will be taking 20 hours of Arabic classes a week at a local language center. On the weekends, she will be volunteering at a Syrian refugee camp called Al-Zaatari, north of Amman. Lastly, she will be conducting research on the empowerment of women in the context of war and post-war reconstruction. While in Amman, she will be conducting in-person interviews with Syrian women regarding the role of women in the war, the relationship between women and the rebel regimes, their desired role in the peace negotiations and post-war reconstruction at the conclusion of the war.  This research will contribute to a larger thesis project that will identify “pathways of empowerment” for women living in countries devastated by civil war.

Margo Evilsizor by Christina Kirk

 “I chose this research topic because it combines three of my academic and professional interests: women’s rights, post-war peace-building and reconstruction and the Middle East. This project provides an opportunity to interweave these different areas of passion. Additionally, I am extremely passionate about this project, for there is increasing evidence that women suffer immensely in modern warfare yet often have little voice in peace negotiations and processes of post-conflict reconstruction. With the high number of ongoing armed conflicts, it is therefore essential to understand the role of women in modern warfare and determine the obstacles that prevent female involvement in post-war peace-building. I desire to contribute to this important topic,” said Evilsizor.

Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe is a junior chemistry and communication major from Auckland, New Zealand. Arthurs-Schoppe will use her grant this summer to intern at The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) Institute on Political Journalism. She will be spending the summer in Washington, D.C., taking classes in journalism and economics at George Mason University (GMU) and interning as a reporter for the German Press Agency (GPA). She will be using her Hall Grant to pay for her GMU tuition.

Sofia Arthurs-Schoppe by Christina Kirk

“I chose this project as I see it as a phenomenal opportunity to hone my professional skills while interning as a reporter and enhance my own knowledge by taking classes at GMU that Jewell does not offer. Additionally, the TFAS program facilitates several events exposing interns to D.C. politics, including a speaker series, workshops with politicians and even briefings in several of the iconic political buildings in D.C. I’m really interested in all of these things and recognize that this program offers a unique range of experiences. That is why I chose it,” said Arthurs-Schoppe.

Cover photo courtesy of Kyle Rivas.