On Monday, April 25, the Student Awards Convocation occurred in the Kresge Auditorium from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In an email sent to the student body, Dr. Ashley Puzzo, director of student fellowships and awards, stated, “Every academic year is filled with a myriad of achievements across our campus. No single event can adequately recognize the many important achievements of all Tigers this academic year. This year's Student Awards Convocation focuses on major Student Awards as well as Staff Awards voted on by students.”
“We gather tonight, in one of the most wonderful, ritual days of the spring, to honor, and to celebrate members of our community for their scholarships, leadership, and service. For those who are being honored this evening, please know we admire you, and that you inspire us,” President Dr. Lori White said at the ceremony’s commencement.
White hopes when each of us looks back on the 2022 academic year, we pause for just a minute and allow ourselves to feel good about what we have been able to accomplish. “I love hearing students and my colleagues talking about what they have been able to achieve as the year has unfolded:, a thesis written, a recital completed, a play directed, a book published, an article quoted, an election won, a scholarship recognized,” she said.
The list of this year's prestigious awards and recipients go as follows:
- Staff of the Year Award - awarded by Demetrius Morrow, student body president to
- Dr. Kevin Hamilton, associate dean of students and director of housing and residence life
- Troy Scott, facilities service provider
- Beth Haymaker, director of international student affairs
- Frae Binder, director of fraternity and sorority life.
- Lifetime Achievement Award - awarded by Demetrius Morrow to Mr. Alan Hill, vice president for student affairs and dean of students.
- Class of 2022 Faculty Speaker Award - awarded by Mr. Alan Hill to Dr. Harry Brown, professor of english.
- Ferid Murad Medal - awarded by Dr. Dave Berque, vice president for academic affairs to senior Nina Katarina Štular.
- Walker Cup - awarded by President White to senior Christina Bourantas.
Nina Katarina Štular, a senior at DePauw who won the Ferid Murad Medal, explained that she received an email in advance that she had been nominated as one of the candidates. According to the website, the award “recognizes the senior who has had the most significant scholarly or artistic achievements during his or her time at DePauw.”
Štular said, “I was really touched by how excited the professors from both the Philosophy and the English departments were for me because apparently the award is most often awarded to STEM majors, likely because there might be more direct pathway[s] for them to get involved in academic research.” She also believes “the other finalists did some really impressive things during their time at DePauw,” and said she was “happy and surprised,” to receive the award.
Štular expressed her hope that this would encourage students in the humanities and show the strength of DePauw’s humanities departments. “There are opportunities to get involved in research and gain valuable professional experience while studying humanities,” Štular said. “English and Philosophy professors at DePauw are amazing scholars and super nice people so I'd encourage students to be proactive in seeking out opportunities to collaborate with their professors while at DePauw.
Hill, who was helping run the ceremony and received the Lifetime Achievement Award, said he was not aware he’d been nominated for an award before he was called to the stage. “I was in the back working with the plaques and I heard Demetrius Morrow say, we have one more award. And I thought, I don't have anything.”
About the award itself, Hill said, “I was surprised and truly honored to receive the award from DePauw Student Government. I’ve been so committed to my work with students throughout my career… I know that doesn’t mean that throughout my career I’ve done everything right, but I’m a work in progress, and I will continue to do my best to serve all students and ensure they get the full benefits of a DePauw education.”
Other awards presented include the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Fulbright Student Fellowship Rector Scholars, Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Nelle Barnhart Award, Randal L. Wilson Memorial Union Board Award, the Kate McQueen Award, Alice G. Ross Senior Award, NCAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, and COVID-19 Recognition Award.
Ending the ceremony, White invited DePauw Capella to the stage to lead the audience in “A Toast To DePauw.”