More than 100 Eastern Mennonite University students were recognized for accomplishments and achievements during the 2022-23 academic year during a special recognition ceremony on May 2.
View the livestream on EMU’s Facebook page.
Academics
Academic Success Center (ASC)
Seniors Hannah Giagnocavo and Joshua Wenger were selected as Tutors of the Year for “the way they make the ACS better,” said Vi Dutcher, ASC and Writing program director.
Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability
- Ethan Neufeld: Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student
- Aden Weybright: Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student
- Meredith Lehman: Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student
- Abigail Forrest: Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student
- Isaac Spicher: Outstanding Senior Biology Student
- Micah Buckwalter: Outstanding Senior Environmental Science Student
- Natnael Seifu: Award for Excellence in Research
- Ally Welty Peachey and Laura Craft: Award for Exceptional Service
Business and Leadership
- La`akea Fujita: Outstanding Accounting Senior
- Maggie Groetsch and Forrest Shuey: Outstanding Seniors in Recreation and Sports Management
- Matt Leavy: Outstanding Business Student
- Andrew Zook: Outstanding Senior in Organizational Leadership
- Allyssa Breidigan: Outstanding Senior in Marketing
- Matt Leavy: Award for Exceptional Service
- Alyssa Breidigan: Award for Exceptional Leadership
Education
Five education students were named as 2023 Teachers of Promise, among 100 of the best and brightest pre-service teachers in Virginia:
- Morgan Evans, from Dayton, Va.; Biology, Secondary Education, 6-12
- Amanda Kibler, from Woodstock, Va.; Music Education; PreK-12
- Stephanie Palomino, from Goshen, In.; English as a Second Language (ESL), PreK-12
- Caitlin Weaver, from Rockingham, Va.; Elementary Education, PreK-6
- Carrie Yoder, from Harrisonburg, Va.; History & Social Science, Secondary Education, 6-12
Molly Piwonka was selected by department faculty for the annual Courage to Teach Award, modeled after principles in Parker Palmer’s book of the same name. Department faculty selected Piwonka for her dedication and success in teaching, her genuine caring for students, reflective practice, highly-principled behaviors, and her courage to navigate challenging experiences. She was presented with a copy of Palmer’s book.
EMU faculty selected Ashley Schoenhardt for the Virginia Woman’s Scholar Award from the Virginia State Organization of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International. The award is for an outstanding graduate with the promise of being a key woman educator.
History
Alexa Lorenzana was recognized with the Outstanding History Senior Award, for demonstrating excellence in history research and writing for her Humanities Seminar paper “The Living Legacy of the Honduran Coup.”
Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science
- Ben Bontrager-Singer and Caleb Hostetler: Outstanding Seniors in Engineering Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate/s demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.
- Caleb Hostetler: Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.
- Seth Andreas and Noah Swartzendruber: Outstanding Seniors in Computer Science Award, awarded by the faculty as the highest honor for the graduate/s demonstrating academic excellence, service, and contributions to community and culture at EMU.
- Winners of the 2023 international Kryptos Codebreaking Competition: Mana Acosta, Laura Benner and Caleb Hostetler.
Psychology
- Casey Hartman was awarded the Galen R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research Award for excellent work in developing an original research project, including design, data collection, analyses, and dissemination of research in the senior psychology research course.
- Anahi Ramirez received the Judy H. Mullet Award for Internship Excellence, for excellent performance, engagement and commitment in a senior psychology internship field placement.
Campus Life
Campus Activities Council (CAC)
Natallie Brown, Aliyyah Haggard, Katelyn Sellars and Marciella Shallomita were each given a CAC Excellence in Leadership Award.
Brandon Ewing was recognized with the CAC Outstanding Volunteer Award for logging more than 200 hours during his two years as volunteer.
Common Grounds
Laura Benner, La’akea Fujita and Merry Yirga and were recognized by Shannon Dycus, vice president of student affairs and dean of students, for their outstanding leadership through the Common Grounds’ move this past year.
Office of Faith and Spiritual Life
Micah Buckwalter: Senior Student Chaplain for Sustainability, for three semesters of nurturing a faithful awareness and ethic of sustainability.
Philip Krabill: Senior Student Chaplain for Interfaith Engagement, for offering numerous opportunities for interfaith literacy and engagement on campus over three semesters.
Multicultural Student Services
Director of Multicultural Student Services Celeste Thomas recognized the leaders of the Black Student Alliance with the Beloved Community Award, for creating a brave, supportive space for African American/Black students to learn about and experience pride in belonging to the African diaspora.
Student Government Association
Co-presidents of the Student Government Association Hannah Beck, Ella Brubaker and Meredith Lehman and were recognized for outstanding leadership by Shannon Dycus.
Hannah Beck and Iris Anderson will serve as co-presidents for 2023-24.
Athletics (includes winter and spring seasons)
Athletic Department Awards
Freshman of the Year – Laney Cline: Women’s Volleyball and Keenan Fulwood: Baseball
Athlete of the Year – Ray Ray Taylor: Women’s Track & Field and Alijah Johnson: Men’s Track & Field
President’s Award – Becca Boone: Softball and Jansen Miller: Men’s Cross Country and Track & Field
Men’s Basketball
Aviwe Mahlong – Royals & ODAC Athlete of the Week
DaiJordan Brown and Michael Watlington – Royals Athlete of the Week
Women’s Basketball
Mya Hamlet – Royals Athlete of the Week & Second Team All-ODAC
Lauryn Moore and Brii Redfearn – Royals Athlete of the Week
Men’s Indoor Track & Field
Alijah Johnson – Royals & ODAC Athlete of the Week (also, Second Team VaSID Sprints)
Jansen Miller and Damon Morgan – Royals Athlete of the Week
Distance Medley Relay (Abenezer Abebe, Bellamy Immanuel, Michael Michael, Dawson Woodruff) – Third Team All-ODAC
Women’s Indoor Track & Field
Ray Ray Taylor – Royals & ODAC Field Athlete of the Week (also, Third Team All-ODAC High Jump, Second Team All-ODAC Long Jump, Second Team All-ODAC Triple Jump, First Team All-ODAC 400m, First Team VaSID Multi, Jumps)
Distance Medley Relay (Elili Asefa, Vanessa Gardiner, Halie Mast, Lucy Unzicker) – Royals Athlete of the Week
Kendra Oguamena – Royals Athlete of the Week
Men’s Volleyball
Nate McGhee – Royals & CVC Athlete of the Week (also, Third Team All-CVC)
David Ward – Royals Athlete of the Week
Baseball
Natty Solomon – Royals Athlete of the Week
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
Bellamy Immanuel – Royals Athlete of the Week
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Halie Mast – Royals Athlete of the Week
Ray Ray Taylor – Royals & ODAC Field Athlete of the Week
Lacrosse
Cristal Narciso – Royals Athlete of the Week
Disc Golf
Zach Bauman, Sean McClary, Ethan Spicher and Noah Swartzentruber finished 4th out of 51 Men’s A teams in the second-level division of the 2023 College Disc Golf National Championship.
Seth Andreas, Will Bartel, Aaron Moyer and Caleb Oesch finished 21st out of 42 Men’s B teams in the third-level division at Nationals.
For the first time, EMU sent two women’s teams to compete at Nationals. Out of 28 teams, the A team of Rebekah Amstutz and Lindsey White finished 9th and the B team of Kara Kornhaus and Maddie LaFlamme was 26th.
Lindsey White finished 13th in the nation in the women’s individual competition.