Outstanding students honored at Saint Martin’s Scholars Day and Honors Convocation

May 8, 2012

LACEY, WASHINGTON — The exceptional academic work of several Saint Martin’s University students was honored April 24 at Saint Martin's Scholars Day and Honors Convocation.

The day included student presentations throughout the afternoon and an awards ceremony followed by a reception.

The annual celebration was started in 2000 by former Saint Martin’s faculty member Doug Ford, in memory of his mother, Grace Riddell Ford, a talented chemist, metallurgist and teacher. The day is set aside by the University to honor the significant scholarly and artistic accomplishments of Saint Martin’s students.

Following the afternoon of presentations, a number of year-end student awards and honors were announced at the University’s Honors Convocation.

Scholars Day presenters:
Jacob Ames, a mechanical engineering major from Lacey.
Travis Bleich, a mechanical engineering major from Seabeck.
Jacob Buehn, a mechanical engineering major from Puyallup.
John Burke, a mechanical engineering major from Everett.
Andrew Byers, a mechanical engineering major from Lacey.
Jacqueline Danielle LaPrentice Clark, a criminal justice major from Oklahoma City, Okla.
Joslyn Eugenio, a business administration major from Kapolei, Hawaii.
Crystal Flaten, a mathematics major from Lacey.
Jessica Flores, a criminal justice major from Olympia.
Emily Fowler, a mathematics major from Montesano.
Sara Gies, a criminal justice major from Olympia.
JoAnna Godsey, a political science major from Olympia. 
Amber Graves, an English major from Federal Way.
Adam Hudspeth, a mechanical engineering major from Salem, Ore.
Nicholas Isaacson, a mechanical engineering major from Chehalis.
Jeremy Jennings, a mechanical engineering major from Montesano.
Seijun Kanazawa, major undeclared, from Lakewood.
Jesse Lamp, a sociology and anthropology major from Olympia.
Jeffrey Liebert, a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma.
William Marsh, a mechanical engineering major from Auburn.
Ryan Martin, a mechanical engineering major from Marysville.
Yauheni Martynau, a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma.
Chad McCorkle, a criminal justice major from Buckley.
Kimberly Menius, a criminal justice major from Lacey.
Amy Merritt, a biology major from Seattle.
Marelle Moehrle, a psychology major from Lynnwood.
Christopher Montgomery, a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma.
Stephen Mullinax, a mechanical engineering major from Randle.
Christian Munoz, a mechanical engineering major from Portland, Ore.
Alyssa Nastasi, a psychology major from Federal Way.
Robert Neel, a mechanical engineering major from Olympia.
Kailah Nettle, a psychology major from Lacey.
Lenh Nguyen, a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma.
Erik Orozco, a chemistry major from Federal Way.
Nicholas Palzer, a business administration major from Olympia.
Matthew Parrott, a mechanical engineering major from Tacoma.
Anjelica Perez, a biology major from Hagatna, Guam.
Natasha Potter, a psychology major from Watertown, N.Y.
Amelia Reidy, a business administration major from Rochester.
Nicholas Roney, a political science major from Tacoma.
Ricco Sanchez, a political science major from Federal Way.
Rebeka Santos, a biology major from Olympia.
Kersten Stanton, a biology major from Centralia.
Luke Steinbrecher, a mechanical engineering major from Olympia.
Melinda Thomas, an education major from Olympia.
Jason Tirrell, a mechanical engineering major from Tumwater.
Gary Villanueva, a mechanical engineering major from Lacey.
Erin Ward, a business administration major from Clancy, Mont.
Christopher Ward, a mathematics major from Shelton.
Yang Li, a Master in Education-pedagogy major from Tianjin, China.

Honors Convocation awards were presented to:
Class of 2012 Valedictorian – Kimberly Menius, a criminal justice major from Lacey.
Class of 2012 Salutatorian – Taylor Meadows, an elementary education major from Olympia.

Biology:
The Biology Department Service Award – Rebeka Santos, a biology major from Olympia.
The Rosalind Elsie Franklin Award – Laryssa Smith, a biology major from Kent.
The Undergraduate Biology Research Award – Kersten Stanton, a biology major from Centralia.
The Undergraduate Biology Research Award - Amy Merritt, a biology major from Seattle.
The Upper Division Biologist Award – Allison Myers, a chemistry major from Olympia.

Chemistry:
CRC Press Achievement Award in General Chemistry – Kristyn Ross, a biology major from Olympia.
Father Bede Ernsdorf, O.S.B. Award for Excellence in Research in Chemistry – Justin Rewerts, a chemistry major from Shelton.
Tetrahedron Award for Excellence in the Study of Organic Chemistry - Rebeka Santos, a biology major from Olympia.

Computer science:
Outstanding Achievement Award in Computer Science – Christopher Ward, a mathematics major from Shelton.

English:
English Faculty Prize – Amber Graves, an English major from Federal Way.
Leslie G. Bailey Tennyson Award – Brian Caughlan, an English major from Olympia.
Nursia Prize in English and American Letters – Melinda Thomas, an English major from Olympia.

History/political science:
Outstanding Senior Thesis in History and Political Science – JoAnna Godsey, a political science major from Olympia.
Outstanding Senior Thesis in History and Political Science - Nicholas Roney, a political science major from Tacoma.

Mathematics:
Cap of Pythagoras Award – Kelsey Baker, a mathematics major from Spokane.
Cap of Pythagoras Award – Jesse Gomez, a mathematics major from Olympia.
The CLIMB Award –Christopher Ward, a mathematics major from Shelton.
The CLIMB Award – Kelsey Baker, a mathematics major from Spokane.

Psychology:
Award for Outstanding Senior in Psychology – Kailah Nettle, a psychology major from Lacey.
Award for Outstanding Senior in Psychology - Michelle Richburg, a criminal justice major from Olympia.

Criminal justice:
Outstanding Senior Thesis in Criminal Justice – Kimberly Menius, a criminal justice major from Lacey.

Business and economics:
Excellence in Business Award – Kimberly Vivian, a business administration major from Olympia.
Outstanding Accounting Student – Matthew Kiefel, an accounting major from Centralia.
Outstanding Business Administration Student – Erin Ward, a business administration major from Clancy, Mont.
Peter V. Vale Scholarship for Graduate Studies – Kathryn Wakeman, a business administration major from Aberdeen.

Engineering:
Civil Engineer of the Year – Kaden Wulf, a civil engineering major from Shelton.
Mechanical Engineer of the Year – John Burke, a mechanical engineering major from Lacey.

Education:
Cady Academic Achievement and Leadership Award – Taylor Meadows, an elementary education major from Olympia.
Cady Inspirational Leadership Award – Ashley Kim, an elementary education major from Centralia.
Paff Special Education Award – Suzette Burdick, an English major from Olympia.
Paff Special Education Award - Patricia Kulp, an elementary education major from Chehalis.
Paff Special Education Award - Jennifer Landauer, a Master in teaching major from Shelton.
Paff Special Education Award - Guadalupe Villela, an elementary education major from Du Pont.
Special Education Resources Award – David Gray, an elementary education major from Lacey.

Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 14 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and six graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College. Visit the Saint Martin’s University website at www.stmartin.edu.

For additional information:

Sarah Holdener
Director of community relations and event management
Office of Marketing and Communications
Saint Martin’s University
sholdener@stmartin.edu