The 2022 Academic Awards recognized several outstanding students of Newman University April 6 in the Dugan-Gorges Conference Center.
The annual ceremony celebrates student scholars and leaders for their academic excellence and mission-oriented service.
Newman President Kathleen Jagger opened the event by acknowledging that this time of year is a “hectic, high adrenaline, culminating time for many.”
“Students are sprinting toward several finish lines — completing term papers, passing final exams, planning for graduation, selecting graduate schools, seeking new jobs and even organizing weddings,” Jagger said. “It is time we reflect on and honor students for a joyous year of academic achievements.”
Director of Music Deanne Zogleman led the Troubadours in singing namesake St. John Henry Newman’s “Lead Kindly Light” in the opening ceremony. Vice President of Academic Affairs Alden Stout then announced that the awards were to be distributed by school.
Jump to:
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Business
- School of Education and Social Work
- School of Healthcare Professions
- School of Catholic Studies
Awarding of the St. Catherine’s Medal
The Academic Awards included the naming of the St. Catherine’s Medal honoree. The medal recognizes the contributions of a student to the university and the larger community and is one of the most prestigious undergraduate student awards at Newman.
Catherine Madison was named the 2022 recipient.
Madison’s nominator wrote that she is “active on campus in music, theater and on the Newman Cheer and Dance team. She also spends time working with area youth in gymnastics. Catherine is always eager to help others to succeed and she maintains a positive, friendly demeanor at all times.”
In addition to her extracurricular involvement, Madison has had top academic marks since she first became a student at Newman.
Madison was told she would receive an award at the ceremony but wasn’t given specific details.
“They went through all the theater awardees and I was like, okay, well maybe I’ll get an education one,” Madison said. “And then they went through all the education ones and I was like, well, I wonder if maybe they just messed up on the email or something. And then they got to the medal and that wasn’t on the program at all.”
“My friend Liz was like, ‘Catherine, wouldn’t that be funny if you got this award because your name is Catherine?’ So that’s kind of cool.”
For Madison, receiving the St. Catherine’s Medal at the Academic Awards “means everything.”
“I just think it was quite an honor to receive the biggest award you can get that’s also named after St. Catherine,” Madison said. “It’s a very big honor.”
School of Arts and Sciences awards
- Burbage Award – Brenden Schwartz
- Creative Initiative Award – Matthew Clark
- Fine Arts Achievement Award – Allison Williams
- Freshman History Prize – Isabel Porres
- Humanities Achievement Award – Alondra Torres-Hernandez
- Joyce Suellentrop Prize for Distinguished Scholarship in History – Joseph Shubert
- Randall Austin Award – Shawn Whiteker
- Outstanding Calculus Student Award – Nathan Klaus
- Outstanding Math Student Award – Jordan Ashworth
- Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student Award – Madison Shay
- Sister Margaret Knoeber Undergraduate Chemistry Award – Joshua Dessenberger
- The Claudine Axman Award – Marie Moore
- The Steve Palubicki Award – L. Charles Morrison
- The Surendra P. Singh Outstanding Freshman in Biology Award – Alexia Gamboa
School of Business awards
- Outstanding Business Data Analytics Student Award – Kayla Garvert
- Outstanding Accounting Student Award – Justin Johnson
- Outstanding Bachelor of Business Administration Student Award – Ian Lecki
- Outstanding Management Information Systems Student Award – Brayden Prockish
- Outstanding MBA Student Award – Hayden VonFeldt
- Outstanding Nontraditional Student Award – Tanya Potter
- Robbi and Larry Heck Outstanding Social Science Student Award – Paige Roubideaux
School of Education and Social Work awards
- Outstanding Intern Award: Wichita – Nolan Martin
- Outstanding Intern Award: Arkansas City – Elizabeth Ochoa
- Sister Susan Reeves Award – Miriam Solorzano
- Sister Sylvana Schulte Award – Eric Solis
- Sister Vivian Miller Elementary Award – Makayla Hayes
- Outstanding Master of Science in Education – Patricia Lujan
- Excellence in Mastery of Social Work: Wichita – Courtney Train
- Excellence in Mastery of Social Work: Colorado Springs – Mark Searle
School of Healthcare Professions Awards
- Distinguished BSN Graduate Award – Amanda Zavala
- Radiology Technology Janie Ward Clinical Excellence Award: Ascension Via Christi St. Francis – Matthew Roth
- Radiology Technology Janie Ward Clinical Excellence Award: Wesley Medical Center – Iveth De Loera-Gallegos
- Radiology Technology Janie Ward Clinical Excellence Award: Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph – Kacie Austin
- 2022 Outstanding OTA Student Award – Adison Wendt
School of Catholic Studies awards
- Bishop Gerber Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Catholic Scholarship – Madeline Schnieders
- Bishop Gerber Graduate Award for Excellence in Catholic Scholarship – Carey Boyzuck
In addition to the distribution of awards, students of the following honors societies, St. Newman scholars and ASC Community Leadership Scholars were recognized during the 2022 Academic Awards:
- Lambda Nu – Radiologic and Imaging Sciences
- Lambda Pi Eta – Communication
- Pi Gamma Mu – Social Sciences
- Sigma Theta Tau – Nursing
- Sigma Tau Delta – English
- Phi Alpha Theta – History
- Phi Alpha – Social Work
The 2022 Ablah Award nominees were also acknowledged, and the male and female winners will be announced at the Newman University Commencement ceremony May 6. The 2022 female nominees are Kayla Garvert, Jacqueline Lari, Kelly Mai, Hannah Millershaski, Julia Myers, Patti Rolf, Paige Roubiddeaux, Margaret Sweeney and Allison Williams. The male nominees are Matthew Clark, Tejay Cleland, McGrew Foley, Marcus Gonzalez, Daniel Knolla, Ian Lecki and Steven Nguyen.
Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn as we recognize Academic Award Ceremony winners individually.
