Sioux City, Iowa – Students, staff, and faculty received awards at the 2024 Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Convocation inside Morningside University’s Eppley Auditorium Wednesday, April 10. The ODK Honors Convocation gave recognition to students and employees for their academic, co-curricular, athletic, and professional achievements.

The Tommeraasen Award of Excellence for an outstanding campus organization went to the Morningside Spanish Club. The Student Government Event of the Year was awarded to the CEO Club’s “Finals Care Packages.” 

The ODK Sophomore Cup, an honor that annually recognizes a sophomore for outstanding leadership and campus participation, was awarded to Ella Stapek of Fulda, Minn. Deon Williams of Laurens, Iowa was the recipient of the ODK Freshman Cup, which recognizes excellence in leadership and participation in a student’s first year on campus.

The winner of the Dr. Bruce Forbes Faculty Person of the Year Award was Dr. Lillian Lopez of the Social Sciences Department. Terri Curry, vice president for student life and enrollment, was honored as the Staff Member of the Year. Curry’s career at Morningside has spanned over 37 years, serving various roles.

The John and Robin Reynders Awards for Community Engagement went to the Garden Club and the Women’s Volleyball Team.

The Robert “Bob” Miller Academic Student-Athlete of the Year Award is presented by the Miller family in his memory and is awarded to a senior female and male student-athlete who has achieved outstanding academic and athletic performances while at Morningside. Lauren Hedlund of Albion, Neb. and Skander Ben-Abdallah of Tunis, Tunisia were this year’s recipients. Hedlund is on the women’s basketball team and Ben-Abdallah is on the men’s tennis team.

The following departmental awards were presented for outstanding achievement by students in the corresponding program of department:

Applied Ag and Food Studies

• Outstanding Senior in Applied Agriculture and Food Studies: Liz Zobel of Battle Creek, Iowa
• Outstanding Senior in Agricultural Education Teaching: Jakob Jerabek of Ashton, Neb.
• Outstanding Senior in Agribusiness: William Pinnow of Whiting, Iowa
• Outstanding Senior in Agronomy: Emily Chicoine of Primghar, Iowa

Art

• Outstanding Freshman: Itzel Gonzalez of South Sioux City, Neb.
• Outstanding Sophomore: Jordan Kwarcinski of Greenwood, Neb.
• Outstanding Junior: Landry Phipps of Aubrey, Texas
• Marion Shapiro Award: Amber Waters of Hudson, Iowa

School of Business

• Outstanding Accounting Senior (ISCPA sponsored): Brenick Birks Hoppe of Le Mars, Iowa
• Outstanding Accounting Senior (IMA sponsored): Renae Mixan of Plattsmouth, Neb.
• Outstanding Business Senior: Jil Hellerforth of Luedenscheid, Germany; Victoria Stausholm of Esbjerg, Denmark; Roselynn Bosman of Drempt, The Netherlands
• Outstanding Marketing Senior: Allison Madden of Kasota, Minn.
• Iowa Society of CPAs Education Foundation 2024 Scholarship: Tevin Harms of Odebolt, Iowa
• Institute of Management Accountants, CMA 2024 Program Scholarships: Carli Antonovich of Sioux City; Hadley Howell of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ben Schmitz of Carroll, Iowa

English

• Bill and Lorraine Knepper Award for an Outstanding Junior in English: Samantha Giesen of Belle Plaine, Minn.
• Ralph and Margaret Crary and Bruce Crary and Quicksilver Scholarship Fund in Literary Arts: Elaine Clark of Briggsdale, Colo.

Multimedia Communication

• Outstanding Multimedia Communication Senior: Payton Miller of Rock Springs, Wyo.

Natural and Mathematical Sciences

• Terra Industries Scholarship in Information Sciences: Mackailee Longobricco of Mead, Colo.
• Elise Muller Scholarship in Mathematical Sciences: Cade Nolan of Menifee, Calif.
• Robert Wood Green Mathematical Sciences Scholarship: Jorge Hernandez Umanzor of Sioux City
• Faculty Award in Biology: Hannah Harris of Homer, Neb.
• Faculty Award in Chemistry: Abbe Morten of Hartington, Neb.
• Stephen J. Gould Award: Allison Franks of Lincoln, Neb.
• Outstanding Service to the Department Award: Hannah Harris of Homer, Neb.; Abbe Morten of Hartington, Neb.; Allison Franks of Lincoln, Neb.; Brooke Harvey of Remsen, Iowa

Performing Arts

• Dorothy Paulson McLarnon Scholarship for Voice: Haley Hallengren of Milford, Iowa and Gabriel Potts of Hartington, Neb.
• Berdina Hospers Woodwind Award: Piper Ross of Boyden, Iowa
• Marvin and Merry Klass Endowed Scholarship: Anna Fuelberth of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Matthew Tweeten of Forest City, Iowa
• Tom Shilhanek Technical Theatre Award: Sarah Brown of Sidney, Iowa

Political Science

• Miller Award in Political Science: Jacob Martin of Moville, Iowa
• Col. Bud Day Center Award for Ethical Leadership: Agnes Garder of Halden, Norway; Camrie Miranda of Papillion, Neb.

Religious Studies

• Robert Jewett Book Award: Christian Leonard of Logan, Iowa
• Theta Alpha Kappa Undergraduate Achievement Award: Sarah Brown of Sidney, Iowa

Spanish

• The Dr. John P. Doohen Award: Jennifer Morales of Sioux City
• The Modern Languages Book Award: Jorge Hernandez Umanzor of Sioux City
• The Dr. Gail Ament Scholarship for Study Abroad: Hayden Stephenson of Hastings, Neb.

Teacher Education

• Sharon Ocker Endowed Scholarship for Secondary Education: Grace Lange of Waverly, Neb.
• Nelson Elementary Education Scholarship: Hali Brown of Lawton, Iowa; Nancy Magana of Sioux City; Sophia Knuth of Westfield, Iowa; Sydney Marlow of Burlington, Iowa; Nathaniel Sage of Paullina, Iowa; Grace Buffington of Gretna, Neb.
• Marcia McNee Scholarship in Elementary Education: Tessa Jackson of Sioux City; Chloe Lofstrom of Armstrong, Iowa; KJ Williams of North Liberty, Iowa; Kayla Eilander of Ankeny, Iowa; Callie Stephens of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Skylee Blocker of Sioux City; Isabelle Majeres of Le Mars, Iowa; Morgan Roark of Spring City, Tenn.
• Children’s Literature Friendship Award: Melanie Harson of Little Rock, Iowa

Undergraduate Nursing

• Professional Development and Achievement Award from the Nylen School of Nursing: Abigail Webb of Colorado Springs, Colo.; Elizabeth Hogrefe of Eagle Grove, Iowa; Brianna Meals of Merrill, Iowa