Each spring, APU hosts an Honors Assembly highlighting the contributions and successes of APU’s students, faculty and staff members. Here are the highlights from the April 21st event.
Brian McDermott, Assistant Director of Admissions, was recognized as Staff Employee of the Year. Staff members nominated and voted on who they believed was most deserving of the title. One of the peers that recommended him said, “He works tirelessly within our community especially with students. He has a team player mentality and a friendly demeaner which endears him to staff, faculty and students alike. He is willing to embrace new challenges with a calm and positive attitude. He is committed to our students and is an exceptional spokesperson of our brand and promotes the vision of APU through various channels with determination and excellence.”
Similarly, faculty members nominated their own for Faculty Merit Awards. Those selected were:
– Professor Stephanie Morgan was selected for the Faculty Merit Service Award. Her peers said, “Directing both business and psychology graduate programs, work that was previously completed by three people”).
-Professor Nathan Wolf won the Faculty Merit Scholarship Award. His nominators mentioned, “Nathan is whole-heartedly committed to research and scholarship. He arrives at APU every morning at 5AM to prep for his lectures just to make space in his day for mentoring students, researching, and writing proposals and papers”.
– Professor Gina Miller was appointed the Faculty Merit Award for Teaching. Of her, nominators said, “Her classes are engaged and Gina goes out of her way to help students be successful in her class. She holds review sessions prior to tests…on the weekend…and students show up! That is dedication” and “This year Gina has given so much time to teaching and helping students that LS faculty became worried enough that we thought of having a ‘work’ intervention or start shadowing her to make sure she actually went home at night”.
Numerous students were also recognized at Honors Assembly by their professors or advisors. Those students were awarded scholarships or gifts. Students included:
Business Administration
-Outstanding undergrad student: Tamara Gjosund
-Outstanding graduate student: Diana Velez
Counseling Psychology
-Jim Parsons Memorial Scholarship: Martina Diamond
-MSCP Jessica Miller Memorial Scholarship: Karen Tessandore
-Outstanding Student: Rebecca Ervin
Education
-Cliff Hartman Teaching Scholarship: Bonnie Moore
-Barney and Rachel Gottstein Scholarship: Bonnie Moore
Liberal Studies
-Outstanding Student: Elbert Joseph
-Renaissance Student: Cayley Eller and Sydney Hawk
-Jane Hartman Writing Award: Vicky Lam and Johanna Kumpala
-Turnagain Current Recognition: Isabella Valdez
-Early Honors Recognition: Sayeed bin Zubaeir and Anthony Jurasek
Marine and Environmental Science
-Outstanding Student: Kaili Martin and Hannah Gould
-Rusty Myers Memorial Scholarship: Julia Ditto
-At Sea Processors: Emily Smith, Hannah Gold, Kaili Martin, Amy Dowling, Caitlin Marsteller
Outdoor Studies
-Outstanding Student: Rebecca Erdman and Corey Schmidt
-Jim and Dee Mahaffey Outdoor Studies Award: Sammie Ellsworth and Macey Hoffman
-Dasani Marshall Outdoor Studies Adventure Fund: Sammie Ellsworth
Other:
One Team, One Dream: Carrie Hallinan, Jocelyn Cramer, Jacob Behnke
