2010 honors recipients

Students honored for scholarship and leadership

Della Blackburn Osvald Memorial Award for superior scholarship in preparing to enter the field of medicine was awarded to Kelli Ruppel of Chandlerville. Ruppel is a senior majoring in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. She is a 2007 Graduate of AC Central High School. She is the daughter of Phil and Tricia Ruppel of Chandlerville.

Louise Sheppard Memorial Award for best Speech in Rhetoric 103 was awarded to Nicole Quarrels of Springfield. Quarrels is a junior in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education and the Interpreter Training Program. Quarrels was also named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester.

Patricia Lanahan Schweiter Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in the creative arts was awarded to Courtney Alice Taylor of Vandalia. Taylor is a senior majoring Spanish Education. She is the daughter of Mark Taylor and Christine Taylor of Vandalia.

Burmeister Award for Poetry for best poem of the year was awarded to Rebecca Sherwin of Roodhouse. Sherwin was also awarded the English Department Award for superior scholarship as a senior English major. Sherwin graduated with a bachelor’s in English. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sherwin of Roodhouse and a 2006 graduate of North Greene High School.

Accounting Department Award for superior scholarship as an accounting major was awarded to Rachel Lin Luber. Luber graduated with a bachelor’s in Accounting and Business Administration and was named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester. She is a 2004 graduate of Jacksonville High School and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Luber of Jacksonville.

The Art Department Award for superior scholarship as a senior art major was awarded to Krystal Marie Jones. Jones graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Art and a minor in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Teacher Education. She was named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2010 semester. Jones is 2006 graduate of Jacksonville High School and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Jones of Murrayville.

E.H. Fosterling Memorial Art Award for dedication to intellectual and professional promise in art was awarded to Bret A. Shoopman of Mt. Sterling. Shoopman graduated with a bachelor’s in Art and was named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester. He is a 2005 graduate of Brown County High School and the son of Alan and Shannon Shoopman of Mt. Sterling.

The Tillard Truscott Laurent Memorial Award for outstanding creativity in graphic arts was awarded to Rachel Marie Ozog of East Peoria. She graduated with a bachelor’s in Art and Educational Studies with a concentration in Special Education. Ozog was named to the Dean’s List for spring 2010. She is the daughter of Conrad and Elizabeth Ozog of East Peoria.

Athletic Department Award for Highest Academic Achievement was awarded to Kristin Marie Flahive of Mendota. She graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in Accounting and Business Administration and minors in Management and Sports Management . The 2006 graduate of Mendota Township High School is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Flahive of Mendota. While a student at MacMurray, Flahive played volleyball and softball. She was 2009 MacMurray Homecoming Queen, treasurer for Phi Nu sorority, secretary for SAC-Student Athlete Advisory Council, and an accounting and economics tutor. She was also awarded the Roger William LaFavre Award for superior scholarship as a business major and the Elizabeth Rearick Sportsmanship Award for outstanding qualities of good sportsmanship. She is the daughter of Mary Lou and Roger Flahive of Mendota.

The Biology Department Award for superior scholarship as a senior in biology was awarded to Toni Roseann Attebery of Ashland, Ill. She is a 2007 graduate of A-C Central High School and the daughter of Judith Davenport of Girard, Ill.

Athletic Department Award for Highest Academic Achievement was awarded to Steven C. Etheridge of Sweet Water, Ala. He is a senior majoring in physical education and biology and plays football. He is a 2006 graduate of Sweet Water High School. He is the son of Adoleia Etheridge of Little River, S.C. and the late Roy Etheridge.

Criminal Justice Award for superior scholarship as a senior criminal justice major was awarded to Thomas Wayne VanDusen of Kewanee, Ill. VanDusen graduated with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and History and a minor in Psychology. He was also awarded the History Department Award for superior scholarship as a history major, the Wendell S. Dysinger Award for outstanding leadership and service on campus, the Richard Nesmith Leadership Award for fine qualities of leadership and scholarship as a MacMurray Student Association leader, and the Dean W. Reiter Memorial Award for exemplifying a high sense of responsibility and leadership among peers. He is the son of the late Dale VanDusen and grandson of Gladys Swearingen of Kewanee, Ill.

Grace Fitch Award for Elementary Education for excellent scholarship, professional and social qualities was awarded to Allegra Chelsey Lane of Milton, Ill. Lane graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Elementary Education from MacMurray College. Lane graduated at the top of the 2010 graduating class. She is a 2006 graduate of Pittsfield High School and the daughter of Laura Lane of Milton, Ill.

Grace Hasentab Haskell Award for Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing for excellent scholarship, professional and social qualities was awarded to Lyndsey Minton of Hesperia, Cal. Minton is the daughter of Bruce and Donna, also of Hesperia, Cal.

Education Department Award for Special Education for excellent scholarship, professional and social qualities was awarded to Arthur Viles of Jacksonville, Ill. Viles is a senior in Special Education and Psychology.

Marjorie Howard Physical Education Award for superior scholarship as a senior physical education major was awarded to Caleb Jett of Springfield, Ill. Jett graduated with a bachelor’s in Physical Education. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jett of Springfield, Ill.

Victor H. Sheppard Award for Secondary Education for outstanding work as a student teacher was awarded to Angela Christine Marsaglia of Jacksonville, Ill. Marsaglia graduated with a bachelor’s in English. She is the daughter of Jim Martin of Springfield, Ill.

Creative Writing Award for special interest and outstanding aptitude for creative writing was awarded to Chelsey Foehner Lapinski of Freeport, Ill. Lapinski is a 2007 graduate of Freeport High School and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Lapinski of Freeport.

Ruby Neville Berlin Memorial Award for English for best senior thesis was awarded to Liesel Marie Reinersmann of Danville, Ill. Reinersmann is a senior in Interpreter Training with a minor in English. She is the daughter of Richard Reinersmann of Rockville, Md. and Rosemarie Rose of Bridgeville, Del.

Rhetoric 103 Wesley Mathers Memorial Award for accomplishments and talents in public speaking was awarded to Amber Eileen Sperry of Springfield, Ill. Sperry is a senior majoring in Nursing and is the daughter of Timothy and Kristi Sperry of Springfield, Ill.

Martha Blackburn Glasgow Award for Music for significant contributions to the college music program was awarded to Rachel Renee Riggle of Danville, Ill. Riggle graduated with a bachelor’s in Philosophy and Religion and Art with a minor in English. She was named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester. She is a 2005 graduate of Danville High School and the daughter of Kolby and Pam Riggle, of Danville, Ill.

The Nursing Department Award for Highest GPA in graduating nurses’ class was awarded to Kristina Nicole Zoschke of Springfield, Ill. Zoschke graduated with a bachelor’s summa cum laude in Nursing. She was named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester. She is a 2005 graduate of Pleasant Plains High School and the daughter of Mr. Marc Zoschke of Springfield, Ill.

The Nursing Department Award for Exemplary Leadership and Professionalism was awarded to Kathryn Lynn Couper of Springfield, Ill. Couper graduated with a bachelor’s in Nursing. She is the daughter of Cathy Schwartz and John Shafer, both in Springfield, Ill.

The Nursing Department Award for Exemplary Leadership and Community Service was awarded to Erica Gale Hunt of Franklin, Ill. Hunt graduated with a bachelor’s in Nursing. She was named to the Dean’s List in the spring 2010 semester. She is a 2002 graduate of Franklin High School and the daughter of Irving Hunt of Franklin.

Psychology Department Award for superior scholarship as a senior psychology major was awarded to Christina Benoit. Benoit graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology. She was named to the Dean’s List. The 2006 Champaign Central High School graduate is the daughter of John and Linda Benoit, of Champaign, Ill.

Social Work Department Award for superior scholarship as a social work senior was awarded to Jessica Marie Murphy of Murrayville, Ill. Murphy graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in Social Work. She is a graduate of North Greene High School and the daughter of Ms. Beverly Wyrick of Franklin, Ill.

Social Work Department Award for superior scholarship as a social work senior was awarded to Alyssa Kay Potter of Hudson, Ill. Potter graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in Social Work. She was named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2010 semester. She is a 2006 graduate of University High School in Champaign, Ill. and the daughter of Mike Potter of Towanda and Julie Anderson of Hudson.

Sport Management Award for superior scholarship as a senior sport management major was awarded to Miracle Bell of Dupo. Bell graduated with a bachelor’s in Sport Management with a minor in Marketing. She is the daughter of Robert Brown of Dupo.

Olive L. Austin Award for Exceptional Executive Ability as a senior woman and graduate was awarded to Malea Harney of Jacksonville, Ill. Harney graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in Business Administration and minors in Psychology and Management. Harney is the recorder in the Office of the Registrar and Recorder at MacMurray.

C.M. Fisher Concert Choir Award for superior leadership, musicianship, attitude and character in choir was awarded to Joel Bernard Tinsley-Hall of Jacksonville. Tinsley-Hall graduated with a bachelor’s in Liberal Studies with concentrations in Music and Special Education. He is the son of Kathie Tinsley of Baltimore, Md.

Conlee-Kent Memorial Award for superbly representing college ideals as a junior was awarded to Audra Rebecca Glenn of Carlinville, Ill. A Dean’s List student, Glenn is majoring in Social Work with a minor in Psychology. Glenn started a donor awareness program working with Donate Illinois in Chicago. She is president of the Campus Activities Board and active in the Social Work Club. She has been involved in the campaign against genocide in Darfur and in the MacMurray Coalition Against Hunger.

John Austin Van Hook Prize for Outstanding Campus Leadership in the 2009-10 academic year was awarded to Melissa Lee Drake of Bloomington, Ill. Drake is a senior majoring in Special Education. She is the daughter of Fred and Jamie Drake of Bloomington, Ill.