HILLSBORO, Kan. – Tabor College students gathered at 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 14 for the Honors & Awards Chapel in the H.W. Lohrenz Building. The ceremony was held to honor those that achieved high success academically and athletically.
“Today we celebrated our best and brightest,” said Frank Johnson, vice president of academics at Tabor College. “At the same time, we were reminded of how God gifts each of us uniquely. I am so grateful to our students and faculty who exemplify our mission: preparing people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and His Kingdom.
Below is a list of all criteria and awards given out to students for the 2015 spring semester at Tabor College:
Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities
Honorees for this award are nominated by students and faculty and chosen by a committee with representatives from the student body, the faculty, and student development.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.3 and demonstrated leadership on campus are among the requirements for this award.
Alex Bumgarner
Jared Janzen
Aaron Johnson
Jeremy Johnson
Allie Jost
Krista Neifert
Beth Nesser
Lauren Neufeld
Ben Schmidt
Grant Shewey
Rebecca Strobridge
Amy Vaughan
Logan Whitney
NAIA All-America Scholar-Athletes
To be considered an NAIA Academic All-American, a student must meet these three criteria:
- Have achieved Junior academic status
- Have a 3.50 or higher cumulative GPA
- Transfers must have completed at least one full year of attendance at the nominating institution and freshmen must have completed two full years of attendance at the nominating institution.
Baseball
Ryan Neufeld
Basketball
Elliott Money
Mallory Zuercher
Cross Country
Allie Jost
Jessica Vix
Football
Colin Hodges
James Kawagoe
Matthew McElroy
Adrian Polk
Soccer
Jeremy Johnson
Anna Friesen
Jessica Renzelman
Nicole Stevenson
Amy Vaughan
Softball
Madison Tracy
Swimming
Elizabeth Janssen
Tennis
Jared Friesen
Rebecca Faber
Krista Schmidt
Volleyball
Madison Hoover
Daniele Wendland
Football and Track & Field
Shawn Johnston
Cross Country and Track & Field
Joel Allen
Garrett Daugherty
Hannah Holmes
Dean’s Scholars
These awards are based solely on academic achievement, regardless of the field of study. Both resident and transfer students are eligible for this award. Among the criteria is a resident grade point average of 3.9.
Dean’s Scholars
Andrea Acker
KimbraLee Adams
Alex Bumgarner
Rebecca Eichelberger
Rebecca Faber
Kendra Flaming
Anna Friesen
Katelyn Graber
Michel Herszenhaut Tauil Matias
Crystal Holmes
Hannah Holmes
Drew Janzen
Jared Janzen
Jeremy Johnson
Ashley Kemling
Brooke Kirby
Ashton Kroeker
Heather Loewen
Tena Loewen
Elliott Money
Krista Neifert
Beth Nesser
Tara Neufeldt
Zach Neumann
Drew Pankratz
Katherine Pritchard
Timothy Regier
Caleb Richert
Sara Sagner
Grant Shewey
Rebecca Spahr
Nicole Stevenson
Kaleigh Troxell
Amy Vaughan
Jessica Vix
Logan Whitney
Natalie Wiens
Celeste Worthy
Education and Applied Arts Division Awards
Business
Tristen Long – for academic achievement, leadership, and potential future success in the fields of business and marketing
Bret Mueller – for academic achievement, leadership on the Business Advisory Council, and future success in the field of accounting
James Shephard – for academic achievement, leadership, and future success in the field of business
Grant Shewey – for academic achievement, leadership on the Business Advisory Council, and future success in the field of business
Amy Vaughan – for academic achievement, leadership on the Business Advisory Council, dedication as an administrative assistant in the Business Department, and future success in the field of marketing
Matthew Wiebe – for academic achievement, leadership on the Business Advisory Council, and future success in the field of corporate law
Education
These students exemplify the goals of the Teacher Ed Program; Commitment, Christian Values, Competence, Compassion and Collaboration. They serve Christ and his kingdom by showing a commitment to teaching and a genuine love for students. Each displays Christian values within the teaching profession, demonstrating competence in their knowledge and ability to perform high quality instruction, showing compassion and reliably accepting the responsibilities of collaboration.
Kate Graber
Amber Mayer
Health/P.E.
Joel Allen – for academic achievement, contributions to the Tabor athletic program in service and participation, and potential for success in the coaching profession
Anthony Daniel – for academic achievement, contributions to the Tabor athletic program, and potential for success in the strength and conditioning profession
Garrett Daugherty – for academic achievement, contributions to the Tabor athletic program, and potential for success as a health and physical educator and coach
Shawn Johnston – for academic achievement, contributions to the Tabor athletic program, and potential for success in the strength and conditioning profession
Andrew Thomas – for academic achievement, contributions to the Tabor athletic program, and potential for success in the profession
Dr. Karol Hunt Sport Management Scholarship
Dr. Hunt’s father and stepmother both passed away during the 2012-13 school year. Each lived a life of devoted service to church ministry. To honor their legacy, she has established an endowed scholarship. It is awarded annually to a Physical Education major who is focused on academics and sport management. This year’s recipient is Ashtyn Stephens.
Robert Watson Memorial Award
Grant Shewey & Amy Vaughan
Humanities Division Awards
Bible, Religion & Philosophy
Cheyenne Derksen – for high academic achievement and commitment to Christian vocation
Hannah Holmes – for high academic achievement and intellectual curiosity in philosophy
Sam Klein – for growth in faith and passion for studying Scripture
Drew Pankratz – for high academic achievement, leadership capacity, and passion for ministry
Rebecca Spahr – for high academic achievement and leadership in cross-cultural ministry
Carly Wilhelm – for high academic achievement and commitment to holistic ministry
Trent Wilker – for academic growth and love for the Bible
Communications, Language and Literature
Cheyenne Derksen – For outstanding academic achievement in literature courses, deep understanding of the theater and how that enhances the study of literature, and her dedication to scholarship in presentations for Senior Seminar and twice at the Weber State University undergraduate literature conference
Becky Faber – for strong contributions to classroom discussion, for effective and compassionate work as a writing center tutor, and for strong potential as a high school English instructor
Brooke Kirby – for dedication to academic excellence, for intelligent classroom contributions, for consistent and cheerful work as a writing center tutor, and for personal support to the English Department students and professors
Jessica Vix – for dedication to excellent scholarship and research in the study of literature and communication, superior writing and presentation skills in her English and Communication senior seminars, and for effective and compassionate work as a writing center tutor and past editor of the Tabor College View
History
Benjamin Schmidt: the Richard G. Kyle Award for Excellence in Religious History – for excellent scholarship in religious history and as a communication major and for potential in using multiple formats to engage public audiences
Jared Friesen: the History and Global Relevance Award – for excellent scholarship and dedication to international affairs and for potential in Museum Studies and public policy
Rachael Wedel: the Mary J. Regier Award in Women’s or Minority History – for excellent scholarship in Women’s or Minority history and for potential in Women’s History and Museum Studies
Tabor Bible Award
Each year the Tabor Bible professors confer the Tabor Bible Award upon a deserving student who best demonstrates the qualities of research, creativity, and clear communication required to achieve excellence in the inductive Bible study projects known as FORRMALs.
Drew Pankratz
Natural, Mathematical, Social, and Behavioral Sciences Division Awards
Biology
Rebecca King – for service to the department and devotion to Green Club
Chemistry
James Kawagoe – for scholarship, commitment to the field of chemistry, and service to the department as a laboratory assistant
Diane Krehbiel – for being an outstanding chemistry student all four years at Tabor College, for representing Tabor College at a National Chemistry Conference, and for excelling in chemistry courses
Mathematics
Madison Hoover – for service to the department
Natalie Wiens – for scholarship and service to the department
Social Sciences
Brandon Johnson – for having an in-depth and very practical understanding of the many aspects of social work and for extending himself to other students in order to help them learn more about social work and to share Christ’s love
Matt Malo – for being a creative thinker with an excellent grasp of the complexities of social work; for thoughtful, practical, and instructive class contributions; and for a desire to find compassionate and realistic solutions for people
Taylor Redding – for being very conscientious and dependable about his work, for excellent written and oral skills, for being a very positive individual with a positive influence on other individuals, and for integrity
American Chemical Society Freshman Award – Mackenzie Suderman
American Chemical Society Senior Award – James Kawagoe
Outstanding Oral Research Presentation – Zachary Willems
Outstanding Research Poster Presentation – Natalie Wiens
William J. Johnson Scholarships – Nathaniel Burnham, Amy Horner & Kevin Lowe
Solomon L. Loewen Scholarship – Drew Janzen & Daniel Quiring
Richard Wall Memorial Scholarship – Aaron Johnson, Kendra Goertzen & Kirsten Neufeld
Outstanding Environmental Biologist – Alex Couch
Don C. and Frieda K. Peters Scholarship – Jennifer Crist
First Year Calculus Award – Alex Janzen & Annaliese Wiens
David B. Wiens Memorial Scholarship – Tim Regier
Jane Addams Award of Excellence – Carly Wilhelm
Performing and Visual Arts Division Awards
Music
Andrea Acker – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Cheyenne Derksen – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir and Chamber Strings
Tyler Entz – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Courtney Garcia – in recognition for contributions to Concerto Bella Voce
Natalie Hartzell – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Rebecca King – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Symphonic Band
Samuel Klein – in recognition of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Trevor Morris – in recognition of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir, in performance in senior recital, and as a soloist for Messiah performances
Krista Neifert – in recognition of participation and leadership in Concert Choir as both a singer and accompanist, for performance in senior recital, and as an instructor in the Music Preparatory School
Sara Sagner – in recognition of participation and leadership in Concert Choir and Symphonic Band, contributions to musical theater as a member of pit orchestras, outstanding performance in senior recital, and for promise as a music educator
Jesse Todd – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Jessica Vix – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir
Rachael Wedel – in recognition of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir and Chamber Strings
Matthew Wiebe – in recognition of four years of contributions to and leadership in Concert Choir and Symphonic
Band
Natalie Wiens – in recognition of participation and leadership in Concert Choir and Chamber Strings, and in recognition for outstanding performance as a cello soloist
Theater
Jessica Coldwell – for leadership and overall contributions as an invaluable member of casts and crews
Cheyenne Derksen – for exceptional achievement in academic theater on the regional and national levels, and commitment to production, both onstage and behind the scenes
Hannah Evans – for leadership and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member
Robert Howell – for leadership and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member
Kyvie Lahman – for service to productions in several capacities
Micah Leake – for continuous involvement and support of productions, both onstage and behind the scenes
Mallory Nelson – for outstanding service to productions through stage management
Silas Pederson – for continuous involvement and support of productions, both onstage and behind the scenes
Cora Ruhl – for exceptional commitment and exemplary service to productions in countless capacities
Kelyn Vix – for leadership and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member
Nathan Vogel – for leadership and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member
Hannah Vogt – for achievement in acting and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member
Cassie Whiteneck – for outstanding contributions to technical aspects of production
Benjamin Wiens – for leadership and contribution to productions as an excellent cast member and member of the pit orchestra
Visual Arts
Jan Tschichold Award for Typography: Krista Schmidt – For commitment to fine typographic form
Paul Rand Award for Graphic Design: Becky Spahr – For producing an outstanding portfolio of graphic design
Silver Pushpin Award: Taylor Janzen – For outstanding conceptual work and substantive contributions during critique
Rembrandt Award for Painting: Natalie Hartzell & Elizabeth Janssen – For diligent effort and outstanding work in the painting studio
Käthe Kollwitz Award for Drawing: Mariah Kliewer – For diligent effort and outstanding work in the drawing and printmaking studio
Outstanding Visual Art Major: Erin Maxwell, Tessa Downs & Bailey Clark – For consistent and diligent effort in the studio and for being supportive and generous with classmates
Josef and Anni Albers Award for Most Promising Newcomers: Devon Fisk-Aguilar, Elizabeth Reimer, Laura Pankratz & Braden Vix – For exceptional commitment to developing your God-given talent
Herman and Louise Friesen Award – Heather Loewen
Jake and Selma Friesen Award – Zach Neumann
Hiebert Outstanding Student Merit Award
Honorees for this award are nominated by students and faculty, and chosen by a committee with representatives from the student body, the faculty, and student development.
A cumulative grade point average of 3.3 and demonstrated leadership on campus are among the criteria required for this award.
Hiebert Family History
Kornelius Hiebert was the father of J. K. Hiebert, who was the first Chair of the Tabor College Board, and the father of P. C. Hiebert, who was the first Vice President of Tabor College. The Hiebert family all attended the Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church outside town. They were were strong supporters of MB education. Consequently, the family honored their father by establishing this scholarship award.
Award Criteria
This honor and monetary scholarship endowed by the descendants of Kornelius Hiebert are awarded each year to one male and one female student based on the following criteria:
“To perpetuate the scholarship, faith, leadership and desire to serve that characterized the founders of Tabor College.”
This year’s honorees are Jeremy Johnson and Krista Neifert.
The Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award
This award is given annually to the faculty member who best exemplifies the qualities of excellent teaching at Tabor College. These qualities include:
- A strong Christian commitment
- Record of excellence in teaching, as shown by peer and student reviews.
- The faculty member will have completed at least one three-year evaluation at Tabor College.
- Evidence of integrating faith and learning.
- Commitment to Tabor College as an institution, as shown in support of departments outside one’s own area.
Quotes from Nominations –
- This professor is excellent in preparing lessons that are relevant to both student needs and student interests, using technology!
- The professor is insightful when it relates to managing students, not afraid to practice tough-love…but at the same time exhibiting genuine compassion and concern.
- This person is an excellent teacher that provides us not only with the information needed for our degree, but life advice that is centered around Christ.
- I personally have never felt I have had a better teacher. I know that I will do well in my field someday because I have learned so much from what this instructor has taught me.
- This person…teaches in a variety of ways, always keeping class fun, interesting, and informative.
- This professor is more than worthy for this award because of hard work and determination.
Professor Carisa Funk receives the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award from Dr. Frank Johnson.
This year’s recipient of the Clarence R. Hiebert Excellence in Teaching Award is Professor Carisa Funk.