Celebration of Excellence 2014: Students Honored for Academic Achievement

Hiram College students were honored on May 14, 2014, for their academic achievements throughout the 2013-14 academic year.

View photos of the celebration.

President’s Achievement Award

Abby Staysa and Joshua Turner
The President’s Achievement Award is given annually to a woman and man in the junior class whose academic records, campus leadership and devotion to the ideals and objectives of Hiram College distinguish their performances as outstanding. Students selected for this award have demonstrated, during their years at Hiram College, marked growth in academic achievement and in personal development. They have displayed sensitivity to the needs of their fellow students, to those in the College community and of society in general, and they have made constructive contributions to the solutions of these problems. In sum, the President’s Achievement Award goes to those whose records best symbolize the educational goals of Hiram College.

Distinguished Student Leadership Award-Dively

Kaitlin Ruszkowski
The Distinguished Student Leadership Award is given annually by Hiram College in recognition of an outstanding senior student whose contributions to campus life have earned peer respect and admiration. The award recipient receives a gift of $1,000. Michael Dively, a former Hiram College Trustee, founder of the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service, three-term member of the Michigan House of Representatives and former faculty member at Albion College, is the founder of the award.

Hal Reichle Memorial Award

Jessica Wilgus, Narwah Ashanti Shurat
The Hal Reichle Memorial Award is presented annually to an individual student who has demonstrated significant acts of kindness, generosity and compassion toward other human beings. The award recipient is chosen on the basis of humanitarian efforts, community involvement and volunteerism. The value of the Hal Reichle Memorial Award is based on investment returns and typically exceeds $5,000.

Nancy Moeller Award

Shannon Dudley
Established in the memory of Nancy Moeller, this award is given to the student who maintained high standards while achieving the goal of a college education and in so doing, earned the respect of faculty members and fellow students.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award

Kinyatta Edgerson, Tim Johnson, Shirlstine Miller, Nicole Rhode, Tyra Washington
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award is given annually by Hiram College to a student who, through the quality of his or her leadership and overall character, exemplifies a spirit of inclusiveness and an appreciation for multiculturalism and diversity. The value of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award is based on investment returns and typically exceeds $500.

Yuksel Ismail Scholarship in Humanities

Devlin Geroski
Established in 1986 by the Ismail family, colleagues, friends and former students, the Yuksel Ismail Scholarship honors the senior in humanities (humanities shall include classical studies, English, foreign languages, history, philosophy and religious studies) who best exemplifies the love of learning and high standards lived out at Hiram College by Yuksel Ismail, professor of languages and literature, until his death in 1986.

ODK National Leadership

Nicole Pueyosvoboda, Ronda Riggins, Shirlstine Miller, Mike Gatta, Joshua Turner, Alex Ulbricht (faculty/staff), Carol Shreiner (faculty/staff)
Omicron Delta Kappa (O?K) also, known as The Circle or more commonly ODK is a national leadership honor society. It was founded December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as Circles, are located on over 300 college campuses. The society recognizes outstanding achievement in the following areas: scholarship; athletics; campus community service; social/religious activities; campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts. As the identities of newly selected members are kept secret for a period of time, ODK is fondly considered a quasi-secret society. Membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa Society is regarded as one of the highest collegiate honors that can be awarded to an individual, along with Phi Beta Kappa. In addition to meeting rigorous leadership and service criteria, student membership requires a grade point average of 3.5 or above.

Phi Beta Kappa

Laila Almassri, Alisa Cario, Starlene Hunter, and Randall Shearer
Phi Beta Kappa membership has long been recognized as the highest distinction an individual can receive for scholarly excellence in undergraduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences. Founded in 1776, Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest undergraduate honors society. The official induction ceremony into Phi Beta Kappa takes place on the morning of commencement.

Alpha Society

Alpha Society is one of Hiram’s highest academic honors. Membership is limited to students who have completed 12 or more hours of graded coursework at Hiram College and whose cumulative grade point average is 3.75 or better.

Alpha Society Graduating Seniors

Alpha Society Underclassmen

Academic Department Awards 

These awards were presented, or will be presented, at individual departmental celebrations and ceremonies. They are listed here so all may partake in the celebration and recognition of excellence.

Art Department Awards

Alex and Tamara Brady Pendleton Best in Show Award: Niesha Zeigler

Paul A. Rochford Award for Excellence: Emily Packer

Ellen Jagow Award for Painting: Dawn Richards

Abigail Flint Award for Photography: Lydia Snyder

Award for Outstanding Work by Freshman or Sophomore: Rachel Buchleitner

Juror’s Mention: Abbey Corbett, Colin Guerand, Elle Rochford

Art History Book Award: A’Dreus Young

Pia Gallo ’78 Print Award:  Elle Rochford

Biology Department Awards

James H. Barrow Scholarship in Biology: Ryan Astalos and Jessica Gezymalla
Established by the friends and students of James H. Barrow, professor of biology at Hiram College from 1957 until 1987 and founder of the James H. Barrow Biology Field Station. Awarded annually to a deserving student majoring in field biology.

Dwight H. and Trudy Berg Award: Maci Nelson
Established and endowed by Dwight H. Berg, professor emeritus in biology, and his wife Trudy. To be awarded to a deserving junior or senior biology major who has emphasis in botany and who is planning to attend graduate school in botany.

Eastman Kodak Company Awards: Amberly Neice, Randall Shearer, Michael Zielinski, Brian Zilla and Sarah Todd
Established by the Eastman Kodak Company to honor employees who are graduates of Hiram College. Awarded on the basis of merit to students majoring in biology.

Paul Smey Award in Biology: Ethan Tope
Awarded to an outstanding biology major with an interest in medicine, the Paul Smey Award in biology was established by family and friends in memory of Paul Smey ’69, a distinguished pediatric urologist.

Thomas E. Lingafelter Memorial Award: Andrew Koudelka
Established and endowed by Constance Rullestad Lingafelter ’59, and friends, in memory of her husband, Thomas E. Lingafelter ’60, a devoted alumnus. Awarded to the student who makes the most significant contribution to the work at the field station.

Biomedical Humanities Department Awards

Outstanding Achievement in Medical Humanities:  Maci Nelson

Outstanding Achievement in Biomedical Research:  Laila Almassri

Outstanding Achievement in Senior Seminar: Teresa Morrison

Carol Donley Scholarship Award:  Sarah Condon, Renee Brumabugh

Citizenship Award for the Center for Literature and Medicine:  Allison Fox

Chemistry Department Awards

Outstanding General Chemistry Student: Hannah Curtis

Outstanding Organic Student: Tanner Mathews

Outstanding Inorganic Student: Alisa Cario

Outstanding Analytical Student: Michelle Bezek

Outstanding PChem Student: Brendon James

Outstanding Biochemistry Student: Tiffany Marchewka

Outstanding Senior Biochemistry Research Student:  Anita Iveljic

Akron Chemical Society Outstanding Junior Chemistry Major:  Nancy Wells

Akron Chemical Society Outstanding Chemistry Major:  Tiffany Marchewka

American Chemical Society Outstanding Senior Organic Chemistry Student:  Michelle Bezek

Center for Engaged Ethics Award

Tom and Betty Niccolls First Year Ethics Essay Contest: Sara Shearer (1st place), Eric Sternberg and Ashley Myer (runners up)
The contest is generously supported by Betty Niccolls in memory of the late Tom Niccolls, professor emeritus of religion and Hiram College chaplain. Submissions were enlisted from any first-year student on ethical issues surrounding civility.

Center for Integrated Entrepreneurship Awards

Fall ideablitz! Idea Competition: Nicola Pedretti (1st place), Nicole Pueyo Svoboda (2nd place); Team of Devonta Fleetion, Michael Helco, Margaret Picolo, Richard Simpson, and Andrew Torres (3rd place)

Spring ideabuild! Idea Competition: Nicole Pueyo Svoboda and Justin Lonis (1st place tie), Cory Weddington (3rd place)

EEC’s IdeaLabs Regional Competition: Justin Lonis (3rd place)

Charter One Foundation Student Business Idea Competition: Ethan Holmes (2nd place)

Communication Department Awards

Russell L. Caldwell Memorial Research Award: Erica Eubank
Established and endowed by former Wooster High School speech students of Russell L. Caldwell, Class of 1929.  Awarded to either a history or communication major at the beginning of the senior year for research in the major field under the direction of a Hiram faculty member.  The award shall alternate yearly between the two departments.  The recipient will be chosen on the basis of character, creativity, and scholastic achievement.

Computer Science Department Awards

Irina Lomonosov Award:  John Kesegich
Presented to an outstanding senior computer science major.

Angela Guercio Award: Eric Wheeler
Presented to a senior computer science major who has shown outstanding dedication to computer science and service to the department.

Economics Management and Accounting Department Awards

Allyn A. Young Memorial Prize in Economics: Tomoyuki Fujimoto
Established and endowed in memory of Allyn A. Young, class of 1894, past president of the American Economic Association, professor at Harvard and at the London School of Economics, remarkable teacher, and one of the great economists of the 20th century. Awarded to the students studying economics who show the most promise in handling analytical or quantitative techniques in economic analysis.

Institute of Management Accountants Outstanding Accounting Student Award: Forrest Reed
Sponsored by the Institute of Management Accountants, awarded to an outstanding accounting student who demonstrates leadership abilities and is active in campus initiatives.

Institute of Internal Auditors Outstanding Accounting Student Award: Josh Buzbee and Shelby Warrens
Sponsored by the Institute of Internal Auditors, awarded to an outstanding accounting student who demonstrates strong analytical, critical thinking and communication abilities.

Ferguson Award:  Jacob Savel

English Department Awards

Grace J. Chamberlain Prize in Creative Writing: Mia (Tom) Pantic
Established in 2007 by Joyce, Robert, and Dylan Chamberlain, the parents and brother of Grace J. Chamberlain, who died tragically in an automobile accident in 2006, this prize is awarded annually by the English department to a student who shows great promise in creative writing. This prize is funded annually by a Cleveland Foundation Donor Advised Fund.

English Department Book Award: Tristan DeMaria, Maya Watkins, Robin Peshick
Awarded to a student who contributes to the intellectual life of the English department in creative and often unrecognized ways.

Hiram College Writing Center Award: Will Applebee
This award goes to the seniors who have made the greatest contributions to the Writing Center and the writing program at Hiram College. Both exceptional service to the institution and an extraordinary personal commitment to the study of writing are required.

John S. Kenyon Memorial Award in English: Devlin Geroski
Awarded to honor the graduating senior student in English who best exemplifies the creative and scholarly spirit associated with John Samuel Kenyon, class of 1898, professor of English, 1916-1944, and emeritus professor of English, 1944-1959.

Modern Languages Department Awards

Edith Scottron Miller Award:  Rachel Gluvna

Lindsay-Crane Center for Writing and Literature Awards

Gillmer Kroehle Contest in Creative Nonfiction: Caitlin Adams (1st place), Alys Dutton (2nd place), Mason Yeater (3rd place), Nick Sawatsky (Honorable Mention)

Vachel Lindsay Poetry Prize: Mason Yeater (1st place), Emily Packer (2nd place), Zach Fiore (3rd place), Tom Pantic and Francis Kou Sugita (Honorable Mentions)

Barbara Thompson Award for Short Fiction: Nick Sawatsky (1st place), Mason Yeater (2nd place), Paul Dickerson (3rd place), Alys Dutton and Shelby List (Honorable Mentions)

The Geoffrey H. Stamm Prize in Formal Poetry: Matt Margo

ECHO Student Literary Regional Competition:

Creative Nonfiction: Devlin Geroski (2nd place), Mira Walunis (3rd place), Zach Fiore & Alys Dutton (honorable mentions)

Fiction:  Grace Baran (1st place), Tristan DeMaria (2nd place), Paul Dickerson (honorable mention)

Poetry:  Nick Sawatsky (2nd place), Zach Fiore (3rd place)

The annual Echo Contest is open to undergraduate students currently enrolled at Bethany College, Heidelberg University, Hiram College, Marietta College, University of Mount Union, and Muskingum University.  A panel of faculty from the partner schools judges the entries.  Judges do not know the identity of the entrants, and judges do not read of evaluate the entries of students from the colleges or universities where they teach.

Music Department Awards

Gertrude Frohring Award: Sarah Weirich

Alice Crane Williams Award: Sydney Shawgo and Lydia Snyder

Mary A. Crawford Award: Alexis Alvarado

Clarence R. & Alice Seymour Bissell Award: Damani Hamzah

Marcia Kenyon Bissell Award: Robert Cardoso-Acheampong

Alice Seymour Bissell/Hiram Women’s Council Award: Tomoyuki Fujimoto, Damani Hamzah, Robert Noel, and Meredith Fitschen-Brown

Andrew Hopkins Prize – Outstanding Instrumentalist Award: Tomoyuki Fujimoto

John M. Watson Memorial Prize in Music: Sarah Weirich

Spring Honors Recital: Alexis Alvarado, Meredith Fitschen-Brown, Tomoyuki Fujimoto, Damani Hamzah, Faith Lemon, Halle Naveja, and Robert Noel

Nursing Department Awards

Academic Excellence in Nursing Award: To Be Announced at Nurses’ Convocation on Commencement Day
Given to a graduating senior who has achieved the highest overall and nursing GPA.

Service & Leadership in Nursing Award: To Be Announced at Nurses’ Convocation on Commencement Day
Given to a graduating senior who has made outstanding leadership and service contributions during his or her time at Hiram College.

Summit/Portage District Ohio Nurses Association Award: To Be Announced at Nurses’ Convocation on Commencement Day
Given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated organizational leadership and service.

Delta Xi Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau, International Nursing Honor Society: To Be Announced
Membership is by invitation only and is based on high academic performance, scholarship and leadership.

Philosophy Department Awards

Eugene H. Peters Prize in Philosophy: Abby Staysa
The Eugene H. Peters Prize in Philosophy was established in 1983 to honor the memory of Professor Eugene H. Peters, who taught philosophy at Hiram College from 1962 until his untimely death in May of 1983. The prize rewards students who have done exceptional work in the field of philosophy.

Psychology Department Awards

Psi Chi Awards, National Honor Society in Psychology: Kristina Bode, Zach Feist, Diontely Harper, Kayla Kennedy, Micaela Lippert, John Kesegich, Liudmila Titova
Psi Chi gives national recognition for academic excellence and offers opportunities for networking, scholarships and leadership development in the field.

Psychology and Philosophy Department Awards

The Thomas Wayne Grant Prize: Tiffany Foster (Psychology) and Liudmila Titova (Psychology)
Annual award given to an outstanding psychology and/or philosophy student.