EMU honored students for their accomplishments at the Fall 2025 Student Recognition Celebration, held Wednesday morning in Lehman Auditorium.
“This event is about lifting one another up,” said Tyler Goss, director for student engagement and leadership development. “Coaches, faculty, staff, and fellow students all took the time to nominate these students for these awards.”
Kyle Remnant, adjunct director of the EMU Wind Ensemble, emceed the program. He announced each student’s name, noted who had nominated them, and shared the reason they were selected for each award. Recipients received a $2 Common Grounds Coffeehouse gift card.
And now, the awards…
Academic Champions
This award is for people who excelled academically or contributed significantly to the academic success of others.
Recipients: Leah Palmieri, Thalia Salinas, Ezekiel Awkward, LaToya Fernandez, and Sophia Armato.
Amazing Leadership
This award is for those who provided significant leadership across campus.
Recipients: Alex Belisle, James Powell, Jacob Sankara, Kaylin Ozuna, Marie Spaulding, Arelys Martinez Fabian, and Leah Frankenfield.
Enthusiastic Encouragers
This award is for those who encouraged and supported others in meaningful ways. “I know this isn’t a complete list because I see examples of it all across campus,” Remnant said. “We have so many, and it’s awesome.”
Recipients: Shavia Davis, Alberto Weaver, Lauren Kauffman, Daeman Odom, José Gabriel Meléndez, Hannah Gilman, Kristen Andersen, Esme Martin King, Kiyah Mata, Rosa Martin Fonseca, Leah Frankenfield, and Lawson Kauffman.
Movers and Shakers
This award is for those who helped to shift campus culture for the better.
Recipients: Fiker “Fifi” Yigzaw, the EMU Outdoor club, the EMU Soccer Club, Malia Bauman, and Leah Beachy.
Create-Your-Own awards
“There are many things happening on campus that don’t fit into any box we’ve already created,” Remnant said. “So coaches, teachers, and friends made their own awards to better reflect the kind of awesomeness some of our students show.”
Daisy Buller received the I’m Going to Make Myself an Athlete Even if it Kills Me Award in recognition of her commitment to “do everything possible” as a triathlete to make the 2025 NCAA National Championships. “Ten thousand yards of swimming each week, too many 50- to 100-mile bike rides, too much running, and lots of strength sessions led to Daisy placing 12th at East Regionals and leading EMU to a sixth place finish at Nationals,” Coach Bob Hepler wrote in his nomination.
Logan Boyd received the Most Valuable Non-SGA Senator Senator Award. “Logan has been an amazing presence in SGA meetings,” wrote an anonymous nominator. “Logan did not run for student government this semester, but has shown up to numerous meetings and provided helpful insight and been a fun presence in meetings.”
Renae Benner and Isaac Greenleaf received the Planetarium Professionals Award from an anonymous nominator. “Renae and Isaac have been working for weeks to keep improving the planetarium in the Suter Science Center, which is not an easy project, and they are killing it,” that person wrote.
Engage Awards
“The moment we’ve all been waiting for all semester long: the EMU Engage Awards,” Goss announced. These awards, presented as emu-shaped trophies, were given to the three students who earned the most Engage Points this semester.
Third place (bronze emu) with 41 points: Arleigh Mason
Second place (silver emu) with 44 points: Mara Zimmerman
First place (gold emu) with 46 points: Lisa Zimmerman
For a recording of the ceremony, watch the video embedded below:
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