Friday, April 21, 2017 43 students honored for character and civic engagement
A combined ceremony on Thursday, April 19, recognized positive achievements for students named to ‘Franco’s List’ and those who earned certificates and service awards through the Center for Civic Engagement. At the event the Character Council debuted two new distinctions, the Sam Foltz Award and the Franco Fund Scholarship.
Sam Foltz Award
The Sam Foltz Award is named for Sam Foltz, a student who passed away earlier this year and was a Franco’s List recipient in 2015. The Foltz award will honor one Franco’s List recipient each academic year who exhibits the characteristics of caring, courage, commitment and open-mindedness, the same characteristics for which Foltz was honored.
"The Sam Foltz Award is so important to the Character Council because it is an opportunity for us to honor the legacy of Sam Foltz and the character and integrity he represented,” said Jerica Burgess, president of the Character Council, the student organization who selects Franco’s List recipients.
This year the council honored senior Sam Jensen from the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with the Foltz award. Foltz's parents were in attendance to present the inaugural award and expressed their appreciation for the character-based honor.
Franco Fund Scholarship
A new $250 scholarship will be awarded to the top Franco’s List recipient each academic year. To honor Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Juan N. Franco for establishing the council, the scholarship is named the ‘Franco Fund.’ The scholarship may go toward the recipient’s choice of a cause or project.
This year’s Franco Fund Scholarship recipient is Jake Headid from the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.
Franco’s List
Thirty students were named to ‘Franco’s List,’ a distinction for character and integrity that is similar to a Dean’s list.
College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources:
Taylor Lofdahl, junior, from Omaha
Sarah Schuelke, sophomore, from Waverly
Grant Suddarth, sophomore, from York
College of Arts and Sciences:
Taylor O'Brien, freshman, from Falls City
Corey Archer, junior, from Fremont
Jonathan Baker, senior, from Hickman
Sidney Vandyke-ries, senior, from Lincoln
Madison Pohlman, freshman, from Omaha
Charlotte Sjulin, senior, from Omaha
College of Business Administration:
Stephanie Brummond, senior, from Elkhorn
Regan Burnham, sophomore, from Fort Collins, Colo.
Angelica Carlini, junior, from Grand Island
Trevor Burr, junior, from Kenesaw
Libby Gentry, junior, from Leawood, Kan.
Khu Htoo, junior, from Lincoln
Joe Zach, junior, from Omaha
Quincey Bernard, sophomore, from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti
Blake Lechner, junior, from Union
College of Education and Human Sciences:
Krista Johnson, sophomore, from Clay Center
Alyvia Simmons, sophomore, from Overland Park, Kan.
Amber Scott, junior, from Ralston
College of Engineering:
Tyler Barker, sophomore, from Auburn
Josiah Johnson, sophomore, from Lincoln
Julian Davis, junior, from Omaha
Nick Underwood, senior, from Springfield, Ill.
College of Graduate Studies:
Jessica George, graduate student, from Colorado Springs, Colo.
Greg Wilson, graduate student, from Raleigh, N.C.
College of Hixson-Lied Fine and Performing Arts:
Ly Nguyen, sophomore, from Lincoln
Shea Thompson, freshman, from Lincoln
College of Law:
Stephany Maness, graduate student, from Southaven, Miss.
Certificates for Civic Engagement
The Center for Civic Engagement honored nine students for completing the certificate program which integrated academic outcomes and student life experiences.
- Abigail Foley, College of Arts and Sciences,
"Creating a Peer Mentoring Program at Belmont Elementary School" - Grace Geiger, Explore Center,
"Digital Story of Learning" - Mitchell Higgins, College of Business Administration,
"Video Compilation of Civic Learning" - Rikki Neumann, Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts,
"Visual History of Events in Cannonball, North Dakota" - Devyn Prodoehl, College of Business Administration,
"TeamMates" - Ryan Rothman, College of Journalism and Mass Communication,
"UNL Bateman Public Relations Competition" - Sydni Rowen, College of Journalism and Mass Communication,
"Honors Thesis on Transformative Leadership" - Amanda Sughroue, College of Education and Human Sciences,
"Research Core Values of Physical Therapists" - Kirsten Sullivan, College of Arts and Sciences,
"Guide for Pre-Optometry Students"
Spirit of Service Awards
Additional honors at the program included the Spirit of Service awards which recognize students, student organizations, university employees and the community for their civic-minded efforts and/or service-learning participation.
Students
Eric Garcia
Adolfo "Danny" Reynaga
Student Organization
Computer Science and Engineering Ambassadors
Community Partner
NE Department of Revenue – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Faculty
Dr. Lisa Pennisi