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Top seniors to be honored as Presidential Scholars

March 19, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Forty-six students will be recognized as Western Michigan University's top seniors for 2010 during the 30th annual Presidential Scholars Convocation starting at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 25, on campus in the Fetzer Center.

Each year, faculty members from across the University select the most outstanding senior in their various academic schools, departments and programs to represent their units as a WMU Presidential Scholar.

The designation is the highest academic honor that WMU can bestow on its undergraduates. Selection is based on the students' general academic excellence, academic and/or artistic excellence in their majors, and intellectual and/or artistic promise.

2010 Presidential Scholars Convocation

The 2010 Presidential Scholars Convocation, which is by invitation only, will include a program at 7 p.m. featuring a keynote address by WMU president John M. Dunn, who will talk on "Leading with Passion and Purpose." Also making remarks will be Nate Knappen, president of the Western Student Association, and Dr. John A. Jellies, president of the WMU Faculty Senate.

After each of this year's scholars are recognized and awarded certificates, a dessert buffet reception will be held while the scholars have their pictures taken with Dunn and Jellies.

This year's Presidential Scholars include a co-founder of the Kalamazoo Student Environmental Co-op, a budding physician-scientist who already has done important chemistry-related research at WMU and Baylor College, an undergraduate who has been analyzing high-crash sites for the Michigan Department of Transportation, and a woman aviation maintenance technology major who has served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Among the other scholars to be honored are a young man who will report on his National Science Foundation-funded research later this year at an American Geophysical Union meeting and an up-and-coming musician who was co-music writer and percussionist for the musical "Brunch," which premiered Off Broadway in New York in 2008.

The Presidential Scholars Convocation is sponsored by WMU's Faculty Senate and Office of the President.

For more information, contact Janice Anderson, convocation committee chair and Faculty Senate administrator, at (269) 387-3310, or Elena Gaudio, committee member and executive secretary to WMU's president, at (269) 387-2351.

2010 Presidential Scholars

  • Accountancy--Shelia N. Lenz of Allen Park, Mich.
  • Anthropology--Isaiah N. Zoschke of Saint Joseph, Mich.
  • Art--Andranika N. Tkachuk of Kalamazoo
  • Aviation--Stephanie L. Kimball of Holland, Mich.
  • Biological Sciences--Danielle E. Harik of Kalamazoo
  • Business Information Systems--Rolland C. Taft II of Battle Creek, Mich.
  • Chemistry--Neil B. Blok of Kalamazoo
  • Civil and Construction Engineering--Britney L. Richmond of Chesaning, Mich.
  • Communication--Angela N. Beck of Brownstown, Mich.
  • Comparative Religion--Rachel A. Nicholls of Harrison Township, Mich.
  • Computer Science--Jesse J. Wick of Battle Creek, Mich.
  • Dance--Carolyn M. Pampalone of Stevensville, Mich.
  • Economics--Janelle K. Garchow of Rockford, Mich.
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering--Richard J. Corsi of Whitehall, Mich.
  • English--Madeline J. Baker of Kalamazoo and Richland, Mich.
  • Environmental Studies--Ryan K. Koziatek of Traverse City, Mich.
  • Family and Consumer Sciences--Heather M. Sauber of Kalamazoo
  • Finance and Commercial Law--Bradley D. DeRyke of Rockford, Mich.
  • Foreign Languages--Laura J. Citino of Ypsilanti, Mich.
  • Gender and Women's Studies--Hannah C. McQuitty of Kalamazoo and Portage, Mich.
  • Geography--Sarah C. Coury of Marshall, Mich.
  • Geosciences--Patrick M. Donovan of Williamston, Mich.
  • Health, Physical Education and Recreation--Scott C. McLaughlin of St. Clair Shores, Mich.
  • History--Eric J. Ware of Davison, Mich.
  • Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering--Matthew J. Scarbrough of McBain, Mich.
  • Integrated Supply Management--Matthew A. Kelly of Elmhurst and Chicago, Ill.
  • Management--Amanda R. Arnold of Mattawan, Mich.
  • Marketing--Richard A. Range of Canton, Mich.
  • Mathematics--Kristina A. Inch of Flat Rock, Mich.
  • Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering--Nicholas L. Pohl of Fowler, Mich.
  • Music--Joseph M. Tucker of Walled Lake, Mich.
  • Music Theatre Performance--Kayla N. Peabody of Thompsonville, Mich.
  • Nursing--Shana C. Pastrana of Kalamazoo
  • Occupational Therapy--Anna "Liza" E. Timmons of Battle Creek, Mich.
  • Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Imaging--Michael D. Paeplow of South Bend, Ind.
  • Philosophy--Ian R. Kapenga of Kalamazoo
  • Physics--John F. Novak of Saline, Mich.
  • Political Science--Anna Liisa L. Schourek of Houghton, Mich.
  • Psychology--Todd A. Merritt of Byron Center, Mich.
  • Social Work--Jeffery J. Kinzer of Eaton Rapids, Mich.
  • Sociology--Amanda C. Vig of Fenton, Mich.
  • Spanish--Kaitlyn K. Paynich of Portage, Mich.
  • Special Education and Literacy Studies--Catelin E. Strang of Sterling Heights, Mich.
  • Speech Pathology and Audiology--Brianna A. Chapman of Port Huron, Mich.
  • Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies--Cassandra L. Little of Battle Creek, Mich.
  • Theatre--Victoria N. Blade of Kalamazoo
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Media contact: Jeanne Baron, (269) 387-8400, jeanne.baron@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
www.wmich.edu/news