Annual Leadership Awards Ceremony honors student leaders and standout organizations at Maryville College
April 17, 2023
More than two dozen Maryville College students, faculty, staff and student organizations were honored for outstanding campus and community leadership during the institution’s annual Leadership Awards Ceremony, held Monday, April 17, in the William Baxter Lee III Grand Foyer of the Clayton Center for the Arts.
“Through our annual Leadership Awards, we recognize students who provide exemplary leadership within our campus community,” said Doniqua Flack Chen ’15, director of campus life at Maryville College. “These are students who contribute to the vibrancy of campus life, advance the College’s mission and engage their peers in meaningful ways. These are students who go above and beyond, consistently demonstrating compassion and passion; these are students who seek the opportunity to serve and give back.”
Students, faculty and organizations recognized during the April 17 include:
Diversity Awards
Catelee “Crow” Crow, a junior outdoor studies and tourism major from Clinton, Tennessee, was honored with the Sojourner Truth Award, given to an outstanding female student who exemplifies the spirit and courage of Sojourner Truth, a former slave who became an outspoken leader in the American fight for human rights in the 19th century.
Lavarius Thenthirath, a sophomore psychology major from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, accepted the College’s W.E.B. DuBois Award, given to the male student who best captures the character and spirit of W.E.B. DuBois, the founder of the NAACP and a respected spokesperson for the rights of African Americans in the early 20th century.
The Nancy Smith Wright Unity Award, named for the first African-American to graduate from Maryville College following reintegration, recognizes an individual or organization that consistently demonstrates unity through diversity within the Maryville College community and beyond. The 2023 honor went to the Latinx Student Alliance, the mission of which is to create community, programs and leadership opportunities for Latino and Hispanic students and their allies, as well as to promote cultural events and activities.
Zineb Aarab, a junior international studies and management double major from Casablanca, Morocco, received the International Student Leader of the Year Award, given to an international student or leader in the campus international community who exhibits leadership.
Nonprofit Leadership Alliance
The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance recognized the following students who received the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential: Lesly Fuentes, a senior psychology major from Knoxville, Tennessee; Chandler Godfrey, a senior exercise science major from Summerville, Georgia; David Nibayubahe, a senior management major from Memphis, Tennessee; Ellen Rossano, a senior psychology major from Farragut, Tennessee; Kris Seiber, a senior elementary education major from Maryville, Tennessee; Maddie Taylor, a senior political science major from Arlington, Tennessee; and Angela Stolpe, a senior sociology major from Knoxville.
Community Engagement Awards
The Community Engaged Faculty Member of the Year award went to Dr. Kathie Shiba, professor of psychology and assistant dean for institutional equity.
Alcoa Elementary School, led by Dr. Jarrod Pendergraft ’07, was recognized as the Community Agency Partner of the Year for having “gone above and beyond, both through service in community and in their example and leadership in service with” Maryville College students.
Kelton Bloxham, a junior American Sign Language-English Interpreting and psychology double major from Fort Mill, South Carolina, received the Student Volunteer of the Year award.
The College also recognized Azusena Hernandez, a sophomore mathematics major from Alcoa, Tennessee, for her selection as a 2022 Newman Civic Fellow. The fellowship recognizes students committed to finding solutions for challenges that communities face locally, nationally and internationally.
Spirit of the Covenant Award
Six members of the campus community were named recipients of the College’s Spirit of the Covenant Award, which recognizes individuals who embody the spirit of the principles of scholarship, respect and integrity as outlined in the College’s Covenant.
Student recipients were Lacey Hunter, a junior political science major from Sevierville, Tennessee; Daryl Rice, a junior mathematics major from Tyrone, Georgia; and Alina Rosati, a senior philosophy major from Knoxville. Employees recognized were Dr. Jeff Bay, professor of statistics and chair of the Division of Mathematics and Computer Science; and Lisa Vitale, interim registrar.
The final Spirit of the Covenant Award was bestowed upon Chen in a surprise addition to the ceremony. In presenting the award, Dr. Barbara Johnson, assistant professor of computer science, noted that despite being nominated multiple times as both a student and a staff member, Chen has never received it.
“One person described her as ‘the most dedicated, caring and reliable person I know, therefore the most deserving of the award,’” Johnson said. “She upholds and instills the Covenant every day in her interactions with students, colleagues and faculty, and leads by example as a servant-leader.”
Residence Life Awards
The RA (resident assistant) of the Year Award was given to Holly Walker, a junior elementary education major from Knoxville; and the Distinguished Service Award went to Emily Christian, a senior management major from Church Hill, Tennessee.
Student Involvement Awards
The Outstanding First-Year Leader Award went to Chance Loveday, a computer science major from Sevierville. The award is given annually to a rising sophomore who has “shown outstanding performance as a campus and community leader in their first year, and who shows excellent potential of continuing in leadership roles at Maryville College.”
Andrew Hastings, a theatre studies major from Sevierville, was awarded the Outstanding Sophomore Leader Award.
Savannah Mahery, a psychology major from Sweetwater, Tennessee, received the Outstanding Junior Leader Award.
Jenni Cate Rhodes, a junior theatre studies and American Sign Language and Deaf Studies double major from Hartselle, Alabama, earned the Sharon A. Murphy Crane Award, which recognizes a rising junior or senior who is an active participant in the College theatre and/or student programming activities, and who deeply loves the College and is willing to raise issues intended to benefit the entire campus community.
MC’s Best Buddies was named Student Organization of the Year. The award is presented to the student organization that has extraordinarily served its student members, as well as positively impacted the entire college community with vibrant programming and service. Best Buddies, according to the organization, works to create “one-to-one friendships between MC students and community members with intellectual and developmental disabilities.”
Dr. Zach Himmelberger, an assistant professor of psychology and faculty advisor to Best Buddies who received the 2022 Outstanding Teacher Award from the College, was named Student Organization Advisor of the Year. The award recognizes the advisor who has enabled his or her organization to reach its goals and make a significant contribution to student activities at Maryville College.
