Seniors honored with Alumni Foundation award |
| Posted by Administrator on Apr 29 2009 at 3:23 PM |
Photo by Stacy Laue
Kendra Francke, a senior business administration major from Waverly, stands with parents Gina and Dennis Francke after receiving the Outstanding Senior Award from the Student Alumni Association. Francke was one of five recipients.
By Stacy Laue
Antelope Staff
Scholarship. Leadership. Involvement. Service. Dedication.
These five main qualities embody the meaning behind the Student Alumni Foundation's outstanding senior award.
Five seniors were honored with the award at the Mortar Board honors convocation Sunday. The award has been presented to seniors since its first debut in 1981.
Michelle Widger, assistant director of the Alumni Foundation, feels the award is a significant achievement for recipients.
"The award was created to recognize four years of dedication to the campus and community, as well as the recipients' education and involvement," Widger said.
To receive this award, students first had to fill out an application. "We had about 23 seniors apply this year," Widger said. There are no set number of students who will receive the award.
Out of all the applicants, 15 students are selected to come in for interviews, Widger said. They would meet individually with different board members who focused on the five main qualities.
"I had one interview, but I spoke with four different people from the Alumni Foundation. That was a great experience," said Kendra Francke, a senior business administration major from Waverly and one of the five recipients of the outstanding senior award.
Members of the board selected the five finalists.
"I got a letter in the mail. It had been a little while, and I had been up against some very good students. I was very surprised and honored," Francke said.
Michael Eiberger, a senior vocational business education and industrial education major from St. Paul, said he was honored to be another recipient of the outstanding senior award.
"I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to excel and achieve what I have been able to at UNK. This is the award that tops everything off," Eiberger said.
Three other seniors earned the award from the Alumni Foundation.
Those recipients include Stacey Bonner, a senior biology major from Madison; Claire Bryan, a senior special education major from Katy, Texas; and Charles Whitten, a senior chemistry major from Smithfield.
"I am very proud of all the hard work and effort these students have put in at UNK," Widger said.
Francke and Eiberger both said they have great plans for their future.
"I am currently on the job search, but I have an interview coming up and I hope that will turn out well," Francke said.
"My plan is to move to York with my wife and pursue employment in the education field," Eiberger said.
As the outstanding senior award recipients graduate, Widger hopes the students will continue to stay involved. "I hope they keep UNK and all they have done here close to their heart," she said.
