Ivy Day Honors Outstanding Students

Monday, April 4, 2016 Ivy Day Honors Outstanding Students

Ivy Day 2016 members of Mortar Board at UNL

Family and friends celebrated the accomplishments of top UNL students at the Ivy Day ceremony on Saturday, April 2. Presented by the Innocents Society and the Black Masque Chapter of Mortar Board, Ivy Day recognizes outgoing senior honor society members and includes induction ceremonies for new members.

This year’s ceremonies took place at the Memorial Stadium – West Club Level and included a keynote address by UNL alumnus and Innocents member Ryan Downs, president and CEO of Proxibid. Downs challenged students to use their passion and intellect to make the world a better place while commenting that invention brings forth new opportunities and challenges for morality.

“The keynote speaker did an excellent job of making it clear how much potential was in the room among all of the young Innocents and Mortar Board members, and how many opportunities all of us will have to promote change in the world,” said Jake Luther, incoming Innocents Society president.

Luther stated that he was very honored and he considers this to be his greatest achievement from his collegiate experience. “Being chosen for membership in the Innocents Society means that I have been entrusted with a position that provides potential to change UNL in a positive way, which is an extremely exciting position to be in. It also means that I get to work closely with 12 other driven and intelligent individuals.”

Similarly, Leemah Nasrati, incoming Mortar Board president found her selection to Mortar Board to be her greatest honor and a humbling experience. She recalls that she learned about the organization from a teaching assistant during her freshman year.

“I remember hearing her talk about it, and I wanted to do enough in my time at UNL to be a part of it, too. So many of my role models have been members. I think one of the coolest things about both Mortar Board and the Innocents is that in these groups you have students who are similarly motivated and dedicated to bettering UNL, but are so diverse in their passions and the paths they’ve taken to this point,” said Nasrati.

In addition to new members, the societies named several honorary members. The Innocents Society honorees included Rich Bailey, founder and retired chairman of Bailey, Lauerman, Marketing Communications; Paul Engler, entrepreneur and philanthropist; and Dr. Jake Kirkland, Jr., interim director of the office of academic success and intercultural services and the Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, and interim assistant to the vice chancellor for student affairs. Mortar Board honorees included keynote speaker Ryan Downs, Senator Kate Bolz and Dr. Jim Pillen, a current member of the Nebraska Board of Regents.

Each society also awarded scholarships to notable members and underclassmen.

Innocents Society Outstanding Seniors
Kathryn Rentfro, UNL Dance Marathon
Jack Sunderman, Navigators
Becca Schollaert, Students Together Against Cancer

Innocents Society Freshman Scholarship Winners
Lauren Maciejewski, James S. Pittenger Scholarship
Chase Caverzagie, Irvin A. Sherman Memorial Innocents Society Scholarship
Aaron Halvorsen, Innocents Society Memorial Scholarship
Melissa Newkirk, Innocents Society Memorial Scholarship
Amaryssa Parker, Innocents Society Memorial Scholarship

Drvol Family Innocents Society/Mortar Board Scholarship Recipient
Emma Himes

Mortar Board Sophomore Notables
Jon Freese
Alec Williams

Mortar Board Freshman Notables
Chase Caverzagie
Jackson Grasz
Lauren Maciejewski

Jayne Wade Anderson Scholarship Recipient (presented by Mortar Board)
Olivia Beier

Dean Helen Snyder Scholarship Recipient (presented by Mortar Board)
KayLee Flower

For more than 100 years the Innocents Society and Mortar Board have celebrated leadership, service and scholarship. Founded in 1903, the Innocents Society is uniquely Nebraskan and serves as the Chancellor’s Senior Honorary. Each year 13 juniors are selected for membership. The Black Masque Chapter of Mortar Board began in 1905 and affiliated with the national Mortar Board in 1920 to become UNL’s only national senior honor society.

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