Students and employees were recognized for their achievements at the 2022 ODK Honors Convocation.

The annual Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Honors Convocation was held at Morningside University on April 13, 2022, during which several students and employees were recognized for their academic, co-curricular, athletic, and professional achievements.

The Tommeraasen Award of Excellence for an outstanding campus organization went to the Morningside Student Nurses Association. The Student Government Event of the Year was awarded to Bake Sale for Ukraine held by the Pre-Professional Health Club, Sustainable Environment Organization, and Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Society.

The ODK Sophomore Cup, an honor that annually recognizes a sophomore for outstanding leadership and campus participation, was awarded to Jordyn Kemp of Hopkinton, Iowa. Thomas Moss of North Platte, Neb., 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. Tim Sesterhenn of the Department of Natural and Mathematical Sciences. Sesterhenn has taught at Morningside since 2014. Lauretta Shaver, copy center and mail room technician, was honored as the Staff Member of the Year. Shaver has worked at Morningside since 2015.

The John and Robin Reynders Awards for Community Engagement went to the Morningside Diversity, Openness, Togetherness student organization and Morningside women’s volleyball team.Students in the English program receiving awards at the 2022 ODK Honors Convocation at Morningside.

The Campus Compact AmeriCorps Award went to Garrett Anderson of Dunlap, Iowa, Cristal De la Torre of South Sioux City, Neb., and Emma Hannasch of Glidden, Iowa.

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. Makayla Mozak of Sioux City and James Spicer of Rock Springs, Wyo. were this year’s recipients. Mozak is on the cheer squad and Spicer is on the men’s swimming team.

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee’s Human Rights Essay Contest winners were Emma Martinac of Akron, Iowa and Elaine Morgan of Council Bluffs, Iowa for first-year student winners and Meike Dingenouts of Breda, Netherlands and Sharon Bassette of Winnebago, Neb. for upper-level student winners.

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

Applied Ag and Food Studies

• Outstanding Senior in Applied Agriculture and Food Studies: Megan Drey of Early, Iowa
• Outstanding Senior in Agricultural Education Teaching: Tyler Wingert of Holstein, Iowa
• Outstanding Senior in Agribusiness: Gage Dewsbury of Boise, Idaho
• Outstanding Senior in Agronomy: Tyler Vavrina of Linwood, Neb.

Art

• Outstanding Freshman: Gracyn Van Den Hul of North Sioux City, S.D.
• Outstanding Sophomore: Lauren Hedlund of Albion, Neb.
• Outstanding Junior: Megan Kyhl of Slater, Iowa
• Marion Shapiro Award: Rachel Steinkamp of Carroll, Iowa
• Outstanding Graduating Senior: Calissa Hanson of Sioux City

School of Business

• Outstanding Accounting Senior (ISCPA sponsored): Mark Roy of Omaha, Neb.
• Outstanding Accounting Senior (IMA sponsored): Madilyn Brown of Le Mars, Iowa
• Outstanding Business Senior: Braxton Hinders of Carlisle, Iowa and Jemar Lee of Cedar Rapids, Iowa
• Outstanding Marketing Senior: Elizabeth Obermeier of Indianola, Iowa

English

• Bill and Lorraine Knepper Award for an Outstanding Junior in English: Kennedy Skinner of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
• Ralph and Margaret Crary and Bruce Crary and Quicksilver Scholarship Fund in Literary Arts: Payton Sauerbrei of Worthington, Minn. and Lukas Knudson of Indianola, Iowa

Mass Communication

• Outstanding Mass Communication Senior: Emily Rotthaler of Angath, Austria

Natural and Mathematical Sciences

• Terra Industries Scholarship in Information Sciences: Brett McEachern of Las Vegas, Nev.
• Elise Muller Scholarship in Mathematical Sciences: Isaiah Hinners of Pomeroy, Iowa
• Faculty Award in Biology: Tenly Hansen of York, Neb. and Danielle Unrau of Arnolds Park, Iowa
• Faculty Award in Chemistry: Sarah Finn of Port Richey, Fla.
• Stephen J. Gould Award: Sarah Finn of Port Richey, Fla. and Nathan Barber of Sioux City
• Outstanding Service to the Department Award: Tenly Hansen of York, Neb.

Performing Arts

• Dorothy Paulson McLarnon Scholarship for Voice: Emily Cunningham of Omaha, Neb.
• Mildred Harrington Piano Scholarship: Ryan Kilmer of Walnut, Iowa
• Berdina Hospers Woodwind Award: Lindsey Kruse of Ida Grove, Iowa
• Marvin and Merry Klass Endowed Scholarship: Dalton Glawe of Le Mars, Iowa; Daisy Ortiz of Denison, Iowa; and Paige Kolk of Urbandale, Iowa
• Stone Woodwind Scholarship: Abigail Lincoln of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
• Music Area Award: Matthew Tweeten of Forest City, Iowa; Anna Fuelberth of Spirit Lake, Iowa; and Allison Franks of Lincoln, Neb.

Political Science

• Miller Award in Political Science: Garrett Arbuckle of Littleton, Colo.
• Senior Award in Political Science: Hannah Capps of Placerville, Calif. and Sam Peterson of Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Col. Bud Day Center Award for Ethical Leadership: Alex Freeman of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa

Religious Studies

• Robert Jewett Book Award: Darrian Adkins of Hinton, Iowa

Spanish

• The Dr. John P. Doohen Award: Melanie Rodriguez of Tustin, Calif.
• The Modern Languages Book Award: Marisa Beintema of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Emily Rotthaler of Angath, Austria; and Abdullahi Yusuf of Sioux City
• The Gahlon Family for Study Abroad: Addison McGraw of Omaha, Neb.

Teacher Education

• Sharon Ocker Endowed Scholarship for Secondary Education: Hope Morken of Ames, Iowa
• Maxine Nelson Scholarship: Semia Aldrich of Whiting, Iowa; Genevieve Bundy of Lincoln, Neb.; Gage Haake of Stapleton, Neb.; Makenzie Hunzeker of Lincoln, Neb.; Hanna Johnson of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa; Faith Laskie of Le Mars, Iowa; Sydney Petersen of Omaha, Neb.; and Taylor Richter of Rock Valley, Iowa
• Marcia McNee Scholarship in Elementary Education: Autumn Aspedon of Glenwood, Iowa; Catelyn Hoppe of Pierson, Iowa; Ashley Koopman of Le Mars, Iowa; Jessica Phipps of Harlan, Iowa; and Lindi Pojar of Windsor, Colo.
• Children’s Literature Friendship Award: Kelsey Toomey of Lincoln, Neb.

Undergraduate Nursing

• Professional Development and Achievement Award from the Nylen School of Nursing: JoHannah McKibben of Mapleton, Iowa; Maggie Barten of Zearing, Iowa; and Grace Holzerland of Sioux City