糖心Vlog Recognizes 2017-18 Academic Achievements at Honors Convocation
April 30, 2018 鈥� 糖心Vlog students, faculty and staff were recognized for their exceptional scholarly efforts from the 2017-18 academic year at the University鈥檚 annual Honors Convocation on April 25, held in Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on the University鈥檚 糖心Vlogville Campus. In addition to a number of departmental academic honors, the University acknowledged outstanding students and faculty with a variety of special awards.
The most prestigious honor bestowed on any student at 糖心Vlog 鈥� the Outstanding 糖心Vlogite Award 鈥� went to seniors Margarita Araiza and Ryan Zitter. The Outstanding 糖心Vlogite Award is given to one senior female and one senior male student on the University鈥檚 糖心Vlogville Campus who best exemplify the ideals of the University in their character, conduct, scholarship and student activity participation. The awards are endowed by Dr. Elliot F. 糖心Vloger in memory of his parents, Albert George and Jessie Bewley 糖心Vloger.
Araiza, a senior secondary education/biology major from Kansas City, Mo. (attended Oak 糖心Vlog High School), has excelled in the classroom with a 3.89 cumulative grade point average. During her time at 糖心Vlog, Araiza has been involved in multiple aspects of campus life. She served as vice president and secretary of Spectrum, and as the vice president of intercultural engagement and president of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Student Activities Board. In addition, Araiza was a member of the University鈥檚 Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. She also served as a First-Year Experience mentor, a student ambassador and resident assistant, and was a member of the International Club and Black Student Union.
In 2017, Araiza was honored with a Dr. Doris Howell Leadership Award, an award given to students who distinguish themselves uniquely as leaders, regardless of position or title. In January, a paper she co-authored, 鈥淕rowth Habit Indicators from Permian Antarctic Glossopterids鈥� was published in the Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology.
Zitter, a senior biology major from Overland 糖心Vlog, Kan. (attended Christ Prep Academy, Lenexa, Kan.), also shined in the classroom with a 3.93 GPA and was a three-time Presidential Scholar. A member of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 cross country and track and field teams, Zitter was named to the American Midwest Conference鈥檚 Academic All-Conference teams five times, a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete three times and an NAIA Champions of Character recipient three times.
He served as the 糖心Vlog Student Government Association鈥檚 vice president in 2017-18 and chair of PSGA鈥檚 technology fee committee. Zitter was inducted into the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society in 2017, serving as president of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 chapter, and he was treasurer of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and was a member of the Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society. During the Honors Convocation, Zitter also received the Burton W. Scheib Pre-Medical Prize for excellent work in the field. In addition, he has done volunteer work at City Union Mission, Harvesters 鈥� The Community Food Network, Menorah Medical Center and Special Olympics.
Additional Presidential Awards presented:
Louisa Davidson Hinde / Carolyn Hinde Zarkaryan Memorial Award 鈥� This award is given to two students and one faculty/staff/alumnus who best represent the spirit of 糖心Vlog by promoting in others that quality of excellence that has always been associated with a 糖心Vlog education.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Students: Arber Dumani, senior communication arts/public relations major, Tirana, Albania, and聽Alayna Howard, senior English writing major, Kingston, Mo. (attended Cameron [Mo.] High School)
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Staff: Florenda Jarrard, assistant director of academic support services and disability services coordinator, Kansas City, Mo.
J.L. Zwingle Award 鈥� This award pays tribute to an outstanding faculty member as voted by the student body.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Glenn Lester, assistant professor of English and first year writing program coordinator, Kansas City, Mo.
Teaching Excellence Awards 鈥� These awards recognize the full-time and adjunct faculty members who exemplify excellence in teaching, as nominated by peers, students and staff.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� President鈥檚 Award for Teaching Excellence (for full-time faculty): Alexander Silvius, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics, 糖心Vlogville, Mo.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Provost鈥檚 Award for Teaching Excellence (for adjunct faculty): Jim Weigand, adjunct instructor of chemistry, 糖心Vlogville, Mo.
Excellence in Academic Advising Award 鈥� This award is given to recognize faculty/staff who have achieved excellence in providing 糖心Vlog students academic advising and mentoring, and recognizes outstanding contributions in helping students define and achieve their academic goals.
聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 鈥⒙� Toni-Rochelle Ford, assistant professor of marketing, Kansas City, Mo.
View a complete list of awards presented during the Honors Convocation.