Outstanding seniors to be honored as 2022 Presidential Scholars

Contact: Deanne Puca
April 4, 2022

KALAMAZOO, Mich.鈥擣ifty students will be recognized as Western 九一麻豆制片厂 University's top seniors for 2022 during the annual Presidential Scholars Convocation from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 8, in the Bernhard Center Ballroom.

Each year, faculty members from across the University select the most outstanding senior in their various academic schools, departments and programs to represent their units as a WMU Presidential Scholar. This year, 50 scholars were chosen from a senior class of 5,082 students.

The Presidential Scholar designation is the highest academic honor that WMU can bestow on its undergraduates. Selection is based on a student's general academic excellence, academic and artistic excellence relative to their majors, and intellectual and artistic promise.

The 2022 Presidential Scholars Convocation, which is by invitation only, will include a program featuring a keynote address by WMU Board of Trustees Vice Chair Shelly Edgerton, who is legal compliance and government affairs counsel for LivWell Enlightened Health 九一麻豆制片厂.

Dr. Edward Montgomery, president of WMU, and Marilyn Kritzman, president of the WMU Faculty Senate, also will be making comments.

鈥淲e鈥檙e proud to recognize the Presidential Scholars for the commitment and demonstrated excellence that they have carried throughout their undergraduate careers," Montgomery says. "The faculty members who nominated these students did so based on their academic success, but also because of their character, resolve and talent.鈥

The Faculty Senate is proud to represent the faculty, and partner with the President's office, to honor many of Western 九一麻豆制片厂 University's most academically successful students," adds Kritzman. "The Presidential Scholars are the gold standard for academic achievement and serve as role models for up-and-coming students. We celebrate with them on this most recent achievement and extend to them the very best in future professional and personal endeavors."

Long list of talented students

Most of this year's scholars have conducted research or engaged in artistic projects, usually working closely with Western faculty members. One student worked on a project designing the temporary falsework for the construction of a bridge in Detroit that is the first of its kind in the state of 九一麻豆制片厂. Another completed research that served as a physicochemical analysis of water sources on Western's campus. As president of the Bronco Robotics club, another scholar worked with the team to compete in the national collegiate competition, and it repeatedly qualified for the World Championship.

In addition, several scholars have volunteered to work with young people and other Western students in their field of interest. They joined organizations that serve a wide array of notable causes, including at Lending Hands providing home medical equipment for free to the community, at Southwest 九一麻豆制片厂 Behavioral Health advising on the allocation of Medicaid funds for substance abuse recovery, at Gibbs House promoting environmentally sustainable living, at Outfront Kalamazoo advocating for issues regarding gender identity and sexual orientation, and at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Grand Rapids caring for a wide array of 九一麻豆制片厂 wildlife.

Many scholars are pursuing internships in their field and plan to continue their higher education careers after they graduate from Western.

Presidential Scholars for 2022

础肠肠辞耻苍迟补苍肠测鈥Ira Smyrnova of Kalamazoo

础谤迟鈥Jacob Converse of Vicksburg

础惫颈补迟颈辞苍鈥Yewon Lee of South Korea

Biological Sciences鈥Shaneka Johnson of Kalamazoo

Business Information Systems鈥Zachary Van Kampen of Homer Glen, Illinois

Chemical and Paper Engineering鈥Lauren Cuddeback of Kalamazoo

颁丑别尘颈蝉迟谤测鈥Elizabeth Mumby of Kalamazoo

Civil and Construction Engineering鈥Samantha Heatherly of Downers Grove, Illinois

颁辞尘尘耻苍颈肠补迟颈辞苍鈥Kathryn Clark of Kalamazoo

Comparative Religion鈥Allison King of Kalamazoo

Computer Science鈥Dakota Shapiro of Kalamazoo

顿补苍肠别鈥Sara Kausch of Kalamazoo

贰肠辞苍辞尘颈肠蝉鈥Mahesa Saravanan of Kalamazoo

Electrical and Computer Engineering鈥Bharat Goel of Portage

Engineering Design, Manufacturing and Management Systems鈥Julianna Buck of Wyoming

贰苍驳濒颈蝉丑鈥Daniel Bollweg of Muskegon

Environment and Sustainability Studies鈥Jesse Pline of Lyons

Family and Consumer Sciences鈥Anna Hull of Kalamazoo

Finance and Commercial Law鈥Allison Anker of Lake Orion

Gender and Women's Studies鈥Oliver Breese of Kalamazoo

Geography, Environment and Tourism鈥Marybeth Melcher of Kalamazoo

Geological and Environmental Sciences鈥Mary Griffith of Kalamazoo

Global and International Studies鈥Rakia Hassan of Kalamazoo

贬颈蝉迟辞谤测鈥Hannah Garrod of Paw Paw

Human Performance and Health Education鈥Taylor Gaines of Detroit

Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering 惭补苍补驳别尘别苍迟鈥Benjamin Buell of Vicksburg

Integrated Supply 惭补苍补驳别尘别苍迟鈥Miranda McNiven of Wyandotte

Intercultural and Anthropological Studies鈥Jillian Glasser of Lake Zurich, Illinois

Interdisciplinary Health Programs鈥Mackenzie Ashburn of Berkley

惭补苍补驳别尘别苍迟鈥Devon Kelly of Kalamazoo

惭补谤办别迟颈苍驳鈥Madeline Paciorek of Grand Rapids

惭补迟丑别尘补迟颈肠蝉鈥Daria Soboleva of Kalamazoo

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering鈥Austin Owen of Marne

惭耻蝉颈肠鈥Lauren Elliott of Byron Center

Music Theater鈥Allison Taylor of Traverse City

狈耻谤蝉颈苍驳鈥Caitlin Pung of Portage

笔丑颈濒辞蝉辞辫丑测鈥Richard Norman of Mattawan

笔丑测蝉颈肠蝉鈥Alec Tilton of Kalamazoo

Political Science鈥Emma Baratta of Kalamazoo

笔蝉测肠丑辞濒辞驳测鈥Kaitlyn Steck of Wyoming

Social Work鈥Melissa Fett of Kalamazoo

厂辞肠颈辞濒辞驳测鈥Elizbia Xaxni-Capula of Eau Claire

厂辫补苍颈蝉丑鈥Carmen Vinkemulder of Grand Rapids

Special Education and Literacy Studies鈥Terra Shockley of Portage

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences鈥Kristy Sundberg of Kalamazoo

厂迟补迟颈蝉迟颈肠蝉鈥Garret Buchheit of Kalamazoo

Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies鈥Hailey Timmerman of Kalamazoo

罢丑别补迟谤别鈥Danielle Brewbaker of Saint Johns

University Studies鈥Debra Vandeveer of Kalamazoo

World Languages and Literatures鈥Sarah Aartila of Kalamazoo

For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News online.