By Erika Neldner
End of the academic year activities have begun as Reinhardt University honored high-achieving students and esteemed faculty at the annual “Evening of Honors” Tuesday.
Held each spring near the end of the academic year, the annual “Evening of Honors” features scholarship and service awards for juniors and seniors and recognizes faculty members’ exemplary work over the past year.
Senior Ian Schumacher – who easily could be called Mr. Reinhardt – was selected as the 2019 Traditional Student of the Year. In announcing the award, President Kina Mallard read Schumacher’s essay – a requirement of anyone nominated. “I was 100 percent committed to Reinhardt and had not set foot or had not seen pictures of this beautiful campus. Some may call it luck, but I like to call it divine intervention.”
Schumacher quickly found his place at Reinhardt his freshman year on the gridiron, but soon realized there was so much more to do than football. While earning his bachelor’s degree in mathematics, he served on the Student Activities Council, as an Orientation Leader and Admissions Captain, participated in School of Performing Arts productions and excelled in the Honors Program.
“I have been asked why and how I do so much. I love this school and everyone in it to such an extent that I feel compelled to give back the experiences that were so generously given to me. Reinhardt made me more than a football player, it made me a man,” Schumacher said.
A man who chose to return to school while married with three young sons and working a management position with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office earned the 2019 Non-Traditional Student of the Year Award. Lt. Mark Anderson – a U.S. Marine Corp veteran – will graduate in May with his Bachelor of Organizational Management and Leadership.
“Going back to school at the age of 46, with a family and a demanding full time job has been a challenge. But I felt it was unfinished business that I needed to complete for the benefit of my family and career,” Anderson said in his essay. “My personal philosophy is to lead my life in service to God, my family and my community with honor and integrity. My Reinhardt education has helped me gain new perspectives in life that will only benefit my personal mission.”
The No Greater Love Award was given to Carson Ivester, a senior early childhood education major, who will graduate in May. The No Greater Love Award is given to a student who exemplifies John 15:13, showing care for others and is ready to help.
“Carson’s enthusiasm for Reinhardt and his kind and welcoming personality make him an excellent captain. He’s confident and friendly, and he listens with compassion and understanding,” Director of Admission Lacey Satterfield said of Ivester. “I’m so proud to have prospective students and parents meet him and know that this is the kind of student we have at Reinhardt.”
The first Center for Innovative Teaching and Engaged Learning (CITEL) Engaged Learner Award was given to Madeline Gray who partnered with Dr. Anne Good to complete 18th century research for her senior thesis. Gray, the first recipient of a Center for Innovative Teaching and Engaged Learning grant
– along with Good – focused on the long 18th century (1675-1800). They traveled to Washington, D.C., where they studied “Mrs. Knight’s Receipt Book, 1740,” along with other secondary sources. Gray completed her degree requirements in December and will participate in the May Commencement Ceremony.
The Annual Evening of Honors also recognizes faculty members for their exemplary work over the academic year. The following faculty members were honored Tuesday evening:
- Dr. Anne Good won the Vulcan Outstanding Teaching Award, given in partnership with Vulcan Materials Company’s Southeast Division, is awarded to a faculty member who consistently reflects excellence in their teaching and work with students.
- Dr. Joe Mullins, program coordinator for the Sport Studies program and the new Master of Science in Sport Administration and Leadership, was given the United Methodist Exemplary Teacher Award.
- Drs. Efe Seven and Ken Wheeler were jointly given the Faculty Research & Scholarship Award, for their scholarship work and published research over the course of the academic year.
- The Faculty Artistic Award was given to Bill Walsh, coordinator of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.
- Dr. Cheryl Brown earned the CITEL’s first Innovative Teaching Award.
- Dr. Theresa Ast was given the Elizabeth Moss Bailey Faculty Mentor Award, voted on by Reinhardt University students.
Reinhardt’s seven schools honored deserving students with both academic degree program awards and school awards. The following students were honored:
Art: Sarah McFarland and Kayla Rosee Smith
Biology: Collin Durant and Taylor Weaver
Business: Abigail Catano and Daniel Dolensky (Accounting), William Durban and Michael Kight (BBA online), Ethan Hayes and Stanlee Logue (General Business/General Comm), Chase Hawkins and Mary McElroy (Management), Avery Miller and Torge Widenroth (Marketing), Adam Cornelison and John New (Organizational Management and Leadership), and Tessa Colden and Jackson Helfrich (Sport Studies)
Communication Arts: Jazzmyne Garcia (Communications & Media Studies), Devin Francois (Communication & Media Students – Digital Storytelling) and James Gilbert (Digital Media Arts)
Criminal Justice: Michael Bennett
Education: Randi Harbuck and Jane Howell (Early Childhood Education), Cassandra Sanders and Aleah Irvin (Middle Grades Education), JessAnn Nix (Secondary ELA), River Kayle Brannon and Bradley Hayes (Secondary History) and Breonna Nicole Liguori (Secondary Math)
English: Jessica Fanczi (English-Creative Writing) and Brooke Fountain (Creative Writing)
Healthcare Administration: Cynthia Foust
History: Grant Ashton and Paige Oglesby
Interdisciplinary Studies: Madelyn Montgomery and Zoe Roberts
Math: Ian Schumacher and Jesus Guzman Bonilla
Nursing: Jocelyn Blair and George Seddon
Performing Arts: Kaleb Harkins and Dominique Xiong (Music Education), Dylan Cronan and Jaime Mandujano (Music Performance), Stephanie Kinney (Sacred Music), Rhonda Kelley and Daniel Schmidt (Theatre Studies) and Chase Brackett and Nicole Korch (Musical Theatre).
Political Science: Rosa Gasca
Psychology: Katie Payne
Sociology: Hanna Braswell (Cultural Diversity) and Maria Del Alfaro (Social Service)
World Languages and Cultures: August Oberkrom
School Student Achievement Awards
Arts & Humanities: Madeline Gray
McCamish School of Business & Sport Studies: Daniel Dolensky & Tessa Colden
Price School of Education: Bradley Luke Hayes
Mathematics & Sciences: Kersten Claire Joyner
Nursing: Richard Seddon
Performing Arts: Mikensley Clayton
Professional Studies: Carol Kendrick
