Western Nebraska Community College presented Outstanding Student Awards in its 13th Annual Award Ceremony at the Scottsbluff Campus on May 1, and the Sidney and Alliance campuses on May 2. All College Awards, a committee of nine faculty, staff, and students, nominates prospective awardees and makes the final award selections. Phi Theta Kappa, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and TRIO also choose awardees for their own award categories and take part in the event.
“This is always a special time of the year because the College has the privilege of honoring some of our most outstanding students,” says Dean of Students Michael Houdyshell. He proudly tells us that the committee makes selections based on academic achievement, campus leadership, and community service. “The award ceremonies give us an opportunity for the College to show students that we recognize their efforts in and out of the classroom and would like to honor them in front of their faculty and families.”
WNCC Awards and Awardees are as follows:
Alliance
Alliance Powerline Award, Allyn J. Kemp, Ogallala; Alliance Practical Nursing Award,
Shelby L. Grimes, Alliance; Alliance Campus Director Encourager Award, Maria Lili
Gomez, Alliance; Dean of Instruction Award, Jennifer E. Sampson, Alliance; Vice President
of Administrative Services and Non-Traditional Student Award, Nikki Akers, Alliance;
Vice President of Educational Services Award, Laura R. Carlson, Hemingford; Vice President
of Student Services Student Leadership Award, Jaden W. Dreher, Alliance; Presidential
Award, Ashley P. Johnson, Alliance; Board of Governor’s Award, Douglas W. Hickox,
Alliance.
Scottsbluff
Fostering Community Award, Molly Bonuchi, Scottsbluff; Phi Theta Kappa Excellence
in Teaching, Kail Bowman, Chadron; Resident Assistant of the Year – Conestoga, Maryella
Broberg, Lingle, Wyo.; Presidential Award, Maryella Broberg, Lingle, Wyo; Division
of Math Award, Matthew DeHaven, Scottsbluff; Division of Social Sciences Award, Mitchell
DeHaven, Scottsbluff; Residence Hall Student of the Year – Conestoga, Chance Giles,
Halsey; Outstanding Student Ambassador, Andres Gomez, city information unavailable;
Staying on Course Award, Javier Gonzalez, Bridgeport; Division of Applied Technology
Award, Darrel Grimm, Chadron; Publication Award - Emerging Voices, Elizabeth Gross-Blanchard,
Scottsbluff; ADN Health Occupations Award, Tara Harris, Torrington, Wyo.; Cougar Award,
Ravae Herrera, Grand Junction, Colo; Trio Touchstone Award – Faculty, Jeanette Johnson,
Scottsbluff; Practical Nursing Award, Sarah Maddox-Clark, Gering; Division of Science
Award, Luiza Martins, Rio De Janeiro; Outstanding Student Ambassador, Allison McMann,
Scottsbluff; Division of Business and Information Technology Award, Diante Mitchell,
Syracuse, Utah; Division of Social Sciences Award, Beth Muhr, Mitchell; Vice President
of Administrative Services Award, Beth Muhr, Mitchell; Supplemental Instruction Leader
of the Year, Shelby Olson, Scottsbluff; Board of Governors Award, Shelby Olson, Scottsbluff;
Trio Touchstone Award - Emerging Voices, Carrie Peterson, Lyman; Vice President of
Student Services Outstanding Student Leader of the Year Award, Carrie Peterson, Lyman;
Vice President of Educational Services Award, Dallas Schnell, Bridgeport; Division
of Language and Arts Award, Victoria Seibert, Morrill; Performing Arts Award – Theatre,
Amanda Shepperd, Comstock; Resident Assistant of the Year – Pioneer, Kyle Shoutta,
Englewood, Colo; Highest GPA - Sophomore Female Athlete, Ashley Stevens, Bridgeport;
Student Government - Super Cougar Award, Alex Stricker, Scottsbluff; Highest GPA -
Sophomore Male Athlete, John Timmins, Omaha; Supplemental Instruction Leader of the
Year, Danielle Vesper, Scottsbluff; Outstanding Kappan of the Year, Danielle Vesper,
Scottsbluff; Residence Hall Student of the Year – Pioneer, Brandy Whitney, Scottsbluff;
Performing Arts Award – Instrumental Music, Nicholas Brady, Gering; Performing Arts
Award – Instrumental Music, Debby Wagner, Scottsbluff; Performing Arts Award – Vocal
Music, David Weishaar, Alliance; Dean of Student Services Organization of the Year
Award, Letters mailed to President and Vice President Justin Richardson and Derrick
Bowers, respectively, at Residential Hall Council.
Sidney
Board of Governor's Award, John Bahr, Sidney; Presidential Award, George Lapaseotes,
Harrisburg; Vice President of Educational Services, Sheila Laiti, Sidney; Vice President
of Student Services Student Leadership Award, Trevor Puckett, Box Elder, S.D.; Vice
President of Student Services Organization of the Year Award, Student Ambassadors;
Vice President of Administrative Services Non-Traditional Student of the Year Award,
Mark Keller, Lodgepole; Dean of Instruction Award, Abbey Boppre, Oshkosh; Dean of
Students Award, Sarah Jenkins, Sidney; Sidney Campus Director Encourager Award, Meeghan
Bentley, Sidney; Phi Theta Kappa Excellence in Teaching Award, Kelly Dean, Leyton;
Outstanding Aviation Student of the Year Award, Kurt Daniels, Lodgepole; Outstanding
Business Student of the Year Award, Katherine Weisbrook, Sidney; Outstanding Cosmetology
Student of the Year Award, Kayla Rushman, Dalton; Outstanding English Student of the
Year Award, Katie Coker, Sidney; Outstanding IT Student of the Year Award, Ross Lehmkuhler,
Sidney; Outstanding Math Student of the Year Award, Maria Hernandez Serna, Dalton;
Outstanding Nursing Student of the Year Award, Kim Collins, Chappell; Outstanding
Science Student of the Year Award, Jean Baker, Sidney.
For more information, contact Vice President of Student Services Susan Yowell at 308.635.6104 or email yowells@wncc.edu.