Kesterson recognized at Wilmington College awards ceremony

Kesterson recognized at Wilmington College awards ceremony

Wilmington College recognized Rachel Kesterson from Meigs County during the ceremony on April 28, 2021

40th Annual Student Honors Convocation Held Monday Night

Wilmington College recognized those seniors that Dr. Blake Faulkner described as “our best and brightest” with top academic awards along with students “dedicated to living the mission of the College” with Student Life awards at the 40th annual Student Honors Convocation and Senior Recognition Awards program.

Kesterson was inducted into the Wilmington Colleges Green Key Honor Society

The ceremony featured academic major awards, Quaker Impact Awards, Green Key 2020 inductees and those inducted this year, Senior Student Life Awards and the awarding of the College’s top student leadership citation with the Robert E. Lucas Award.

Faulkner, interim vice president for academic affairs and dean of faculty, presided at the event with President Trevor M. Bates and Sigrid Solomon, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. Campus Minister Nancy McCormick offered an invocation.

The Academic Major Awards included: Agriculture — Agribusiness, Abby Ruth; Agricultural Communications, Carly Fitz; Agriculture Education, Matthew Younker; Agronomy, James Patrick Copeland; Animal Science, Sarah Gigandet; and Equine Business Management, Miranda Roesel.

Biology/Chemistry/Mathematics — Environmental Science, Elena Suggs; Life Science, Teiara Saling; Chemistry, Alora Pratt and Colton Williams; Mathematics, Jennifer Cochran and Layne Frederick. Business Administration — Accounting, Sidney Fields and Business Administration, Jalen M. James.

Education — Adolescent-Young Adult Social Studies, Phillip Gilmore; Adolescent-Young Adult Mathematics, Jennifer Cochran; Early Childhood, Kendra Nelson; Early Childhood/Intervention Specialist, Brianna Randolph; Education Studies, Brooke Reynolds; and K-12 Intervention Specialist, Mariah Monday.

Fine Arts — Communication Arts, Layne Frederick; and Theatre, Nicholas Keller. Humanities — English, Samuel Hudnell; and History, Jenna Fawcett. Social Sciences — Criminal Justice, Kelly Johnson; Political Science, Hannah Davis and Jenna Fawcett; Political Science Food Policy and Agriculture Advocacy, Carly Fitz; Psychology, Bridgette Farson; and Social Work, Lauren Elizabeth McCollum.

Sport Sciences — Athletic Training, Kadie I. Grundy; Sport Management, Joshuah Miller; Exercise Science Sport Performance, Jayme Maynard; Exercise Science Allied Health, Hannah Davis; Dr. Elizabeth S. Kinzig Award, Hannah Davis.

The Senior Awards in Student Life were awarded to: Ariana Riccardi, In Appreciation for Service as Student Body President; Ariana Riccardi, SGA Distinguished Service Award; Ariana Riccardi, Karen Couch Residence Life Award; Kadie Grundy, APB Distinguished Service Award; Cassie DeHart, Excellence in Community Engagement Award; Jennifer Cochran, Excellence in Wilmington College Honors Program; Ariana Riccardi and Chip Murdock, Reynolds’ Influence Award for Student/Faculty-Staff; and Ariana Riccardi, The Robert E. Lucas Leadership Award.

Also, in addition to Murdock, director of diversity + inclusion and service and civic engagement, receiving the faculty/staff portion of the Reynolds Award, he also captured the Van Black Award, which recognizes service to students beyond one’s job description.

This year’s Teaching Excellence Awards went to Allen Beatty, assistant professor of accounting, and Alan Ledford, assistant professor of sport management and director of sport management.

The Quaker Impact Award recognizes seniors who have a GPA of 2.75 or better, who have participated and demonstrated significant leadership within college organizations and extracurricular activities, who have (are) engaged in community involvement, and who have demonstrated future leadership ability and/or potential during his or her time at Wilmington College.

Quaker Impact Award recipients include: Ipsilan T. Castillo, Jennifer M. Cochran, James P. Copeland, Darron J. Crump, Zane D. Cukovecki, Hannah G. Davis, Jenna K. Fawcett, Carly E. Fitz, Soukaina S. Fram, Layne T. Frederick, Sarah M. Gigandet, Kadie I. Grundy, Kelly A. Johnson, Luke A. Kleindl, Mackenzie Leon, Tia S. Louiso, Cody L. Martin, Chase R. Menchofer, Bryan J. Miller, Kendra K. Nelson, Ellen Maria Cecilia Nilback, Julio Olivarez, Wil E. Overholt, Brianna N. Randolph, Ariana M. Riccardi, Joseph A. Schmidt, John E. Shell, Samuel T. Stanley, Hunter T. Stewart, Hannah R. Thirey, McCormick E. Warncke, Karmiela O. White, Joshua E. Woodward and Christopher R. Zody.

The Green Key, Wilmington College’s honor society founded in May 1951, was organized to recognize superior scholarship by students from Wilmington College in the years following accreditation by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges in 1944. Dr. Samuel Marble, 12th president of Wilmington College, encouraged the founding of this society.

Seniors become eligible for Green Key membership upon the completion of 90 semester hours with grade-point averages of 3.50. Graduates once eligible for membership may be initiated at any time.

Current Green Key members are: Ashley Boone, Hannah Bowles, Jennifer Cochran, James Copeland, Hannah Davis, Nikolai Dunlap, Jenna Fawcett, Layne Frederick, Sarah Gigandet, Shiree Grimes, Katie Hughes, Joelle Jones, Nicholas Keller, Jayme Maynard, Brandon McCammon, Chase Menchofer, Joshuah Miller, Colin Myers, Julio Olivarez, Abbygail Pitstick, Brianna Randolph, Teiara Saling, Karley Schlensker, Marion Schnitzler, John Shell, Kelsey Smith, Ashley Stockmaster, Katelyn Summe, Mckenzie Walton, Olivia Wendel, Alexa Wyant and Christopher Zody

Inductees for this year are: Katelyn Abney, Mat Barton, Alexis M. Byrd, Taylor L. Cooper, Megan E Crager, Grace L. Dicke, Adam F. Eckart, Heidi N. Edens, Bridgette I. Farson, Noah C. Finley, Carly E. Fitz, Riley A. Gatlin, Ryan A. Grant, Kadie I. Grundy, Hannah E. Hall, Kaleb M. Harp, Katelyn E. Hill, Abigail R. Hissong, Margaret F. Hover, Kaleb G. Hubner, Jalen M. James, Kayci N. Johnson, Rachel L. Jordan, Alecia M. Kemp, Chyann D. Kendel, Kaitlin M. Kestermann, Rachel R. Kesterson, Heather A. Klenke, Treanna P. Lavy, Rileigh C. Lefever, Caroline E. Liggett, Kayli S. Long, Killian Lott, Abigail D. Lozano, Marisa J. Matlin, Lauren E. McCollum, Mary F. McConnell, Aaron S. Miller, Bryan J. Miller, Kylie E. Miracle, Sarah A. Monnier, Jordan W. Moore, Triston M. Moore, Jaycie M. Patterson, Jordan R. Penrose, Tristan C. Reiley, Ariana M. Riccardi, Samuel A. Shanes, Bethany A. Sheridan, Jessica N. Small, Alana J. Smith, Marisa Smith, Kendra R. Stahl, Hunter T. Stewart, Geena M. Sturgill, Hayley A. Suchland, Melanie Taylor, Faith E. Teaford, Hunter E. Toller, Jacob I. Wagoner, Austin R. Wampler, McCormick Warncke, Mackenzie J. Weaver, DeLanie F. Weber, Tyler W. Wells, Christina M. Williams, Shelby R. Williams, Abigail J. Wittel, Daniel J. Wolboldt, Mark A. Wolfer, Joshua E. Woodward, Chandler J. Wren and Sydney M. Wright.