Leadership Achievements Recognized at Park University’s Howell Awards

April 18, 2019 — In celebration of the leadership achievements of Park University students, faculty and staff during the 2018-19 academic year, the Office of Student Life and the Park Student Government Association co-hosted the 24th annual Dr. Doris A. Howell Leadership Awards on April 18 on the University’s Parkville Campus. The event is named for Howell, a 1944 Park graduate who was an internationally renowned leader in pediatrics and hospice care before passing away on Nov. 23, 2018.

Awards presented and the recipients:
(Name, year in school, major, hometown [and high school attended, if known], for students; name, work title and city of residence for faculty/staff):

Dr. Doris Howell Leadership Awards: This award is given to students who distinguish themselves uniquely as leaders regardless of position or title. Recipients represent the spirit of a Park University by: pursuing integrity in every endeavor; inclusiveness as a global citizen; are responsible and respectful in word, work and conduct; are aware of the implications and rewards of their education; truthful in every action; and excellence in modeling the Park University lifestyle.
          •  Jessie Arms, graduate student in the Master of Social Work program, Kansas City, Mo. (attended North Shelby High School, Shelbyville, Mo.)
          •  Melissa (Carin) Bublitz, graduate student in the Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership program, Kansas City, Mo. (attended Marshall [Mo.] High School)
          •  Camelin Cochran, sophomore organizational communication major, Dallas Center, Iowa (attended Woodward-Granger High School, Woodward, Iowa)
          •  Kenneth (K.J.) Courtney, senior secondary education major, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada
          •  Dustin Deason, senior business administration/management major, Leavenworth, Kan.
          •  Rachel Franklin, senior elementary education major, Loveland, Colo. (attended Mountain View High School)
          •  Loy-Anne Harrison, graduate student in the Master of Business Administration program, Kansas City, Mo. (originally from Portmore, Jamaica)
          •  Phillip Kabuye, sophomore business administration/management major, Kigali, Rwanda
          •  Matheus Matos Martins, senior economics major, Săo Paulo, Brazil
          •  Ozoda Narzullaeva, sophomore information and computer science/software development major, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
          •  Christian Ngoy, senior economics major, Lubumbashi, Congo
          •  Katherine Payne, junior graphic design major, Kansas City, Mo.
          •  Sandesh Pokharel, junior information and computer science/computer science major, Kathmandu, Nepal
          •  Kiara Puente, freshman social work major, Independence, Mo. (attended Van Horn High School)
          •  Cherie Servello, senior social psychology major, Kansas City, Mo (attended Gross Ile [Mich.] High School)

Outstanding Class Member Awards: This award honors one male and one female student from each class (sophomore, junior and non-graduating senior, based on credit hours completed) who best represent their class in service to, and participation in, Park University.
          •  Non-Graduating Seniors
                 o  Christian Leonard, senior mathematics major, Parkville, Mo. (attended Park Hill South High School, Riverside, Mo.)
                 o  Adrianna McMullen, senior chemistry and criminal justice administration/security major, Cameron, Mo. (attended Cameron High School)
          •  Juniors
                 o  Eric Rodriguez, junior K-12 education major, Smithville, Mo. (attended Smithville High School)
                 o  Oriana Tamburlini, junior nursing major, Valencia, Venezuela
          •  Sophomores
                 o  Arthur D’Avila, sophomore business administration/finance and business administration/management major, Novo Hamburo, Brazil
                 o  Rinku Gopali, sophomore information and computer science/software development major, Kathmandu, Nepal

Dusing-Proudfoot Award: This award is given to honor an outstanding contribution by a Park University faculty or staff member. It is named in honor of two former Park University professors, Albert Dusing and Merrill Proudfoot, who worked at Park for more than 20 years each and are respected for their academic and teaching betterment of students.
          •  Lora Cohn, Ph.D., associate professor of communication, Parkville, Mo.

Tipton Award: This award is given to honor an outstanding service contribution to Park University by a Park alumnus/alumna. It is named to honor Bill and Mary Lou Tipton, both 1928 Park graduates. Throughout their lives, the Tiptons served Park University through the Park University Alumni Association, Friends of the Park University Library and the Park University Board of Trustees.
          •  Cary Lundy, 1982 graduate (Bachelor of Arts in business administration/economics) and current baseball head coach, Kansas City, Mo.

Park Family Award: This award recognizes Park staff and/or faculty members who embody the University’s family-like culture in their interaction with students and fellow staff/faculty.
          •  Gulmira Isomadinova, military and veteran funding analyst, Office of Military and Veteran Student Services, Parkville, Mo.
          •  Sarah Weygand, director of military and veteran student services, Leavenworth, Kan.

Toni Griggs Award: This award is given to honor students who have made an outstanding contribution to Park University through leadership, service or work performance. Griggs, a Park employee and an integral part of the University for three decades, was a friend to Park students, faculty and staff.
          •  Jocelyn Clayton, junior English and secondary education major, Burlington Junction, Mo. (attended Craig [Mo.] High School)

C.W. Bailey Award: This award is given in memory of C.W. Bailey, grandfather of John Shelton, a 1976 Park graduate, to students for the purpose of facilitating their education to the end that they may make a contribution to society in the tradition of Bailey. It is presented to one or two students who have distinguished themselves and exhibited the spirit of Park University.
          •  Gabriel Maldonado, sophomore secondary education major, Kansas City, Kan.
          •  Sophie Roper, sophomore business administration/logistics and business administration/ management major, Kansas City, Kan. (attended Piper High School)

Park Servant Leader of the Year Award: Awarded to a student who exemplifies the characteristics of a strong servant leader and/or has a service-focused mindset, and has worked effectively with others in the University and/or surrounding community to be a positive change.
          •  Catherine Rose, senior fine art major, Lake Waukomis, Mo.

Faculty/Staff Newcomer of the Year Award: Presented to faculty and staff members in their first year of outstanding service to the University.
          •  Faculty: Azin Agah, Ph.D., lecturer of chemistry, Lawrence, Kan.
          •  Staff: Juli Wilson, campus center coach, Gilbert (Ariz.) Campus, Gilbert, Ariz.

Student Employee of the Year Award: This award goes to an outstanding work-study student who is chosen on the basis of his/her reliability, quality of work, initiative, professionalism and the uniqueness of his/her contributions to the University.
          •  Austin Appollis, junior biology major, Kansas City, Mo., works in the Department of Natural and Physical Sciences

Graduate Assistant of the Year Award: This award goes to an outstanding graduate assistant student who is chosen on the basis of his/her reliability, quality of work, initiative, professionalism and the uniqueness of his/her contributions to the University.
          •  Michaela Petsch, graduate student in the Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership program, Augusta, Kan. (attended Circle High School, Towanda, Kan.), graduate assistant in the Counseling Center

Student Organization Adviser of the Year Award: This award recognizes the staff/faculty member who has provided outstanding efforts in guiding and advising student organizations.
          •  Kalli Cheffey, residence life coordinator, Parkville, Mo., advises Park’s Residence Hall Council

Student Success and Impact Award: This award recognizes educators who have made an outstanding impact and profound difference on Park students.
          •  Patricia Ryberg, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of Park’s Honors Academy, Kansas City, Mo.

Park Student Government Association / Cindy Anderson Senator of the Year Award: This award recognizes the senator who made the greatest contribution to PSGA during the year. The award is named for Anderson, a Park freshman soccer player from Grimes, Iowa, who was killed in an accident (along with a teammate and head coach) heading to a NAIA playoff game in 2000.
          •  Kayla Martinez, junior middle school education/math major, Erie, Colo.

Program of the Year Award: Awarded to the student club or academic organization that made outstanding contributions to local, national or global communities through an organized service or civic engagement program.
          •  Park Student Government Association 5K

Student Organizations of the Year Award: Awarded to the club(s) that has/have made the greatest contributions to the Park community through organization, innovation and commitment to the organization’s purpose and activities.
          •  Phi Alpha (large club) and Intervarsity (small club)

New Student Organization of the Year Award: This award is given to an outstanding student organization that was formed within the past academic year.
          •  Drag Club