On Apr. 21, The Celebration of Honors took place. This event honors student achievement at William Jewell College. Specifically, the names of students who have won departmental, service, and publication awards are read out loud and students are presented with certificates at the end of the ceremony. The winner of the Faculty Award – the highest award given to a graduating senior at William Jewell – is announced at the Celebration of Honors.
This year, the winner of the faculty award was Agatha Echenique, senior Oxbridge History of Ideas and Philosophy double major.
The following is a list of the other awards announced at the ceremony.
Awards in Biology
Dr. Burdette L. Wagenknecht Award for an outstanding first-year biology major – Molly Jillian McBratney
Charles F. J. Newlon Award for an outstanding sophomore biology major – Kate Hillyer
Monte Harmon Award for an outstanding junior biology major – Alexis D. Harper
Dr. Burnell Landers Award for an outstanding senior biology major – Elizabeth Wilson
Dr. Judith A. Dilts for an outstanding senior biology major – Paige Liston
Awards in Business and Leadership
Hastings L. Schies Memorial Scholarship to a junior or senior female student majoring in business administration or finance who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement – Camille Anderson
Walter J. Stark Award for development in business studies – Will Brant
John W. Boatwright Scholar to a student majoring in economics – Karis P. Saplys
Boatwright Economics Leadership Scholars – Camille Anderson and Noah C. Mayo
Otis and Florence Miller Academic Award to a senior graduating with the highest GPA in accounting, business, or economics – Mary Catherine Capron
Accounting Faculty Award for an outstanding senior in accounting – Mary Catherine Capron
Business Faculty Award for an outstanding senior in business administration – Hayden Barrett Armour
Economics Faculty Award for an outstanding senior in economics – Samuel D. Burkart
E. Anne Earnest Nonprofit Leadership Award for an outstanding senior in nonprofit leadership – Emily Mae King
Awards in Chemistry and Biochemistry
Outstanding First-Years in Chemistry or Biochemistry – Theodore Johnson, Jr. and Irene J. Taboada
James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a chemistry major – Sarah G. Foot, Scott Jolly, Luke Morrill, Ethan R. Nichols and Samantha Thompson
Frank J. Fristoe Scholarship for achievement in chemistry – Lucille M. Beattie, Jorey A. Luebbert, Juliann Smith, Traeten A. Thorell and Joseph E. Tetlow
Outstanding Senior in Chemistry – Megan E. Hall
Outstanding Senior in Biochemistry – Rachel Ann Schon
Awards in Communication
The Department of Communication Award for Internship Excellence – Abigail Elizabeth Vandiver
The Kim and Lois Anne Harris Department of Communication Outstanding Senior Award – Michelle Mee Distefano
Awards in Education
Chad Farrison “Reach Out and Touch Someone” Award to an education major who has demonstrated sensitivity and compassion for others through volunteer service – Elisabeth Hampl
Lutie Chiles Elementary Education Award to an outstanding sophomore in elementary education – Lorna Swink
Ida Coffman Education Award to an outstanding junior in elementary education – Naomi Rickard
Outstanding Junior in Secondary Education – Brynesha A. Griffin-Bey
Outstanding Senior in Elementary Education – Charlene Audrey Bautista Noble
Outstanding Senior in Secondary Education – Drew Daniel Reed
Master of Arts in Teaching Awards – Jacob Clark and Kaitlin Marie Edwards
Award in Engineering
Outstanding Senior in Civil Engineering – Brandon Daniel Homan
Awards in English
Pinkerton-Rick Scholarship to an English major entering the senior year who has contributed to the English Department through creative thinking and helpfulness – Gunnar Gudehaus
Outstanding Senior English Major Award – Emily Mae King and Kathryn Elise Villarreal
Awards in History
Kenneth Chatlos Award for best capstone essay in the Department of History – Christian Santiago
U. R. Pugh Memorial Scholarship for achievement as a history major – Hallie D. Lindsey
Award in Languages
Outstanding Senior in Spanish for a graduating major with a record of excellence – Gabrielle Rae Fournier
Award in Mathematics
George A. Ross Mathematics Award to senior mathematics majors with the highest academic record in mathematics – Grant Whitingham Latina and Kaitlyn Elizabeth Simms
Awards in Nursing
Award for Integrity (BSN) – Gabrielle G. Gudehus
Award for Integrity (BSN-AT) – Samantha M. Gonzalez
Award for Compassion (BSN) – Heather Danielle Pangborn
Award for Compassion (BSN-AT) – Kristin B. Osborn
Awards for Scholarship (BSN) – Devin Ashley Hampton
Awards for Scholarship (BSN-AT) – Jessica Kane
Anne Bax Ozbolt Award for Servant Leadership (BSN) – Jolee Grace McMullin
Anne Bax Ozbolt Award for Servant Leadership (BSN-AT) – Kole Alexander Hummel
Award for Excellence in Practice (BSN) – Noah Joseph-Glen Bruce
Award for Excellence in Practice (BSN-AT) – Raven Jones
Mary Grant Seacole Award for Service (BSN) – Caitlyn Michelle Webb
Mary Grant Seacole Award for Service (BSN-AT) – Clinton T. Gillespie
Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (BSN) – Alexandra Entz
Outstanding Academic Achievement Award (BSN-AT) – Dana Ruth Chiesa
Outstanding Nursing Student Award (BSN) – Sarah Rosalia Bono
Outstanding Nursing Student Award (BSN-AT) – Elizabeth Ann Feller
Dr. Leesa A. McBroom Spirit of Nursing Book Award (BSN-AT) – Ellie Schroeder
Awards in the Performing Arts
Austin Cooper Edwards Acting Awards – Ivan Calderon and Suzanne Paige Wright
Virginia D. Rice Award for excellence in theatre throughout the year – Breanna Kristian
Kim Harries Golden Hammer Award for excellence in technical theatre – Kaden Rowe
Alpha Psi Omega Key Award for four years of service to the Jewell Theatre Company – Isabel M. Warden
Richard L. Harriman Theatre Scholarship established in 1994 by the Fine Arts Guild for outstanding theatre students – Ivan Calderon and Kassidy A. Schmidt
Ida and Maybelle Glenn Music Scholarship for outstanding achievement by someone preparing to teach music – Brynesha A. Griffin-Bey
Edward Lakin Music Theory Award to the student with the highest GPA in the first year of music theory courses – Irene J. Taboada
Linda L. Thomssen Award for an outstanding string player – Kathleen Eliza Winters
The Wes and Ginger Forbis Award for rising seniors in music – Cameron Wayne Huett, Brynesha A. Griffin-Bey and Kylie Schuster
The Dean Wilder Voice Award for music majors with special consideration for students who study or participate in vocal performance and who demonstrate leadership qualities – Kailynn Byrne and Elijah Kenneth Tang-Spigelman
The Collegiate Artists Competition winners of this annual competition perform a solo with the Liberty Symphony Orchestra – Syd Edie and Carolyn Schrock
Awards in Physics
The Charles Don Geillker Feynman Lectures Award to an outstanding first-year in physics – Adam Hoffman
James R. Eaton Memorial Scholarships for achievement as a sophomore or junior physics major – Riley Williams and Kaden Gammon
John E. Davis Sigma Pi Sigma Award for a senior physics major with the highest level of achievement in physics – Ellesa R. Henning
Outstanding Senior Physics Major Award – William Laycock
Awards in Political Science
Outstanding First-Year Students in Political Science – Makenna M. Gray, Ethan E. Naber and Riley E. Frasure-Smith
Outstanding Sophomores in Political Science – Jamie L. Schenck, McKinzie Thompson and Alexander Walls
Outstanding Juniors in Political Science – Calvin Joseph Heit, Jacqueline Grace Hensley and Mary Katherine Leniton
Outstanding Seniors in Political Science – Hattie Miller and Madalyn Newton
Dr. Will Adams Scholarship for an outstanding political science major – Luke L. Zahnd
Pi Sigma Alpha – Matthew Oliver Senior Scholar Award – Hattie Miller
Awards in Psychological Science
Distinguished Graduates in Psychological Science – Kaci V. Behrens, Adel Freitek and Charlene Audrey Bautista Noble
Premier Graduate in Psychological Science – Michelle Mee Distefano
Student Publication Awards
The Hilltop Monitor Newcomer Awards – Zach Gilmore and Jolia Bernal
The Hilltop Monitor Community Outreach and Engagement Awards – Trenton David Brink, Alexis D. Harper and Koda Payton
The Hilltop Monitor Editorial Leadership Awards – Brian Jordan Bartels, Trenton David Brink, Agatha Echenique, Alexis D. Harper, Claire Henry, Koda Payton and Liz Payton
Inscape Poem of the Year – Marquis E. Whitmire
Inscape Fiction of the Year – John Anderson
Inscape Creative Nonfiction of the Year – Morgan Tuttle
Inscape Fine Art of the Year (Visual Art, Digital Art, or Music) – Ashlynn Steller
Inscape Outstanding Editor Award – Allison J. Hillman
The John and Mary Pritchard Award Humanitarian Service Award
The Pritchard Humanitarian Service Award is given annually to a William Jewell Student who commits to engaging with persons in need and to supporting the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Cameron Wayne Huett
Mortar Board
Mortar Board is a national senior honor society demonstrating the ideals of leadership, scholarship and service. Members are selected through an application process and must meet the ideals of the society and have a grade point average in the top 35% of their junior class.
Miriam R. Allen
Kaci V. Behrens
Mary Catherine Capron
D’Asya Renee Coller-Williams
Eli River Engledow
Grace Olivia Faulkner
Megan E. Hall
Alyssa Hash
Claire Emma Hays
Claire Henry
Jenna Nicole Hultgren
Carly Mantia
Jolee Grace McMullin
Heather Danielle Pangborn
Rachel Reaves
Megan Monroe
Rachel Ann Schon
Payton Sarah Totzke
Morgan Marie Tuttle
Kathryn E. Wagenheim
Caitlyn Michelle Webb
Phi Epsilon Society
Students qualify for induction into Phi Epsilon if they are among the top 10% of the graduates with a minimum of 60 credit hours at William Jewell College.
Kaci V. Behrens
Mary Catherine Capron
Jayme Coon
Mallory Jo Dickerson
Michelle Mee Distefano
Alexandra Entz
Agatha Echenique
Megan E. Hall
Frida Hammarlund
Claire Emma Hays
Paige Liston
Hattie Evelyn Marks Miller
Madalyn Newton
Charlene Audrey Bautista
Rachell Ann Schon
Kaitlyn Elizabeth Simms
Graduating with Honors
For students who complete a project either within their declared major – and thus graduate with honors – or outside their declared major – and thus graduate with distinction. Eligible students must have a minimum institutional grade point average of 3.5 at the time of graduation and must have completed A-level work on a research or creative project over two or more semesters. Finished projects are rigorously evaluated by specially appointed faculty committees
Graduating with Honors in Philosophy – Agatha Echenique
Graduating with Honors in Digital Media Communication – Claire Henry
Oxbridge Honors Program
For completion of the Oxbridge Honors Program, an honors program of tutorials and examinations through which a small number of selected outstanding students pursue chosen areas of concentration. As its name implies, it is an American adaptation of the educational method of the great English universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Oxbridge students typically spend their junior year studying at Oxford University.
Agatha Echenique
William Laycock
Kathleen Winters
