Efforts awarded Saturday

photo by Jennifer Contreras

Harvey Good, professor of biology, presented junior Shane Haldeman with an academic award in biology at the 2002 Academic Awards Ceremony. The event was held Saturday afternoon in Founders Auditorium. Dean of Academic Support and Retention Services, Adeline Cardeñas-Clague, and Director of Academic Advising and Retention Services, Eric Bishop, were the head coordinators for the ceremony which has been held in the current format for more than 15 years.

by Oscar de Léon
Staff Writer

It was time to honor students' academic performance.

It was the University of La Verne's annual academic awards ceremony, which took place Saturday in Founders Auditorium.

Faculty, students and parents attended the event where students were honored with engraved plaques.

Among those present at the afternoon event were President Stephen Morgan, Provost Richard McDowell, Dean John Gingrich and Director of Academic Advising Eric Bishop.

Bishop, who organized the ceremony, said that this event has been an ongoing tradition.

"Each student is chosen by each department," he said.

"Each professor has his or her own criteria for choosing student honorees," he added.

Many of the student winners had grade point averages of 3.5 or higher, but good grades were not the only criteria by which departments chose their honorees.

Some students were honored because they showed leadership and initiative or because they excelled in the specific discipline.

"I am graduating this May, and I am going to go to graduate school and seek my credential and master's in education," said Stephanie Bracci, a senior liberal studies major and one of Saturday's honorees. "I love the Liberal Studies Program."

Besides the traditional academic departments, a tutor of the year working in the Learning Enhancement Center also was honored.

That award went to Kimberly Shinault. The presenter was Bailey Smith, director of the Learning Enhancement Center, who said that the award was being given to Shinault because she has made a difference with several students she's worked with.

"Shinault has been a great support to students that needed help in subjects like statistics," Smith said.

After all the awards were given out, ULV President Stephen Morgan congratulated all the students.

He also acknowledged the parents present, noting that their support was crucial to the students' success.

He finished by saying he was glad to see parents in attendance and continuous involvement in the students' lives.

"You all make it worthwhile," Morgan said. "We learn because you ask the right questions."

Academic Awards Recipients

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Brian DeRenzis -- Accounting
Clint Weiler -- Accounting
Jacqueline Reaser -- Business Administration
Sergio Villalobos II -- Business Administration
Jane Saikali -- Economics
Caleb Pico -- Economics
Carolina Quinteros -- International Business and Language
Ebony Williams -- International Business and Language
Sarah Negrete -- Marketing
Brandon Johnson -- Marketing

BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
Danielle Cote -- Anthropology
Kristen Johnson -- Anthropology
Jennifer Newton -- Behavioral Science
Lawrence Castillo -- Behavioral Science
Jennifer Davis -- Criminology
Alina Gheta -- Criminology
Yrenke Lolli -- Psychology
Traci Caswell -- Psychology
Peggy Fisher -- Sociology
Jeanette Sanchez -- Sociology

COMPUTER SCIENCE
Curtis Taylor -- Computer Science
Phu Son Nguyen -- Computer Science
Laureen Constantino -- Computer Engineering
Ashlee Banuelos -- Computer Engineering

COMMUNICATIONS
Veronica Garcia -- Broadcasting
Risa Martinez -- Broadcasting
James Morrison -- Communications
Christine Owen -- Communications
Ryan Mac Donald -- Journalism
Terry Birdsall -- Journalism

EDUCATION
Stephanie Bracci -- Liberal Studies
Jason Barrios -- Liberal Studies
Laura Vidal Child Development
Yvette Cuara -- Child Development

FINE ARTS
John Stiefeling -- Art
Christine Wichert -- Art
Amy Wolf -- Art History
Lianna Capasso -- Art History
Brian Wichert -- Music
Douglas Quinn -- Music
April Shenkman -- Theater
Obren Milanovic -- Theater
Kati Kelly -- Photography Concentration
Tom Galaraga -- Photography Concentration

GENERAL STUDIES
Jose Martinez -- Liberal Arts

HONORS PROGRAM
Pamela Brownlee -- Honors
Clint Weiler -- Honors
Noelle Andel -- Carol Fetty Award

HUMANITIES
Pamela Brownlee -- English
Jacob Moreno III -- English
Ghecemy Gonzalez-Bello -- English as a Second Language
Irina Sardaryan -- Philosophy
Noelle Andel -- Religion

MODERN LANGUAGES
Wanda Groppi -- French
Hilary Hahn -- French
Irma Martinez -- Spanish
Carolina Quinteros -- Spanish

MOVEMENT & SPORTS SCIENCE
Adriana Ramirez -- Athletic Training
Allison Alastuey -- Athletic Training
Gary Casias -- Movement & Sports Science
Nicholas Lemas -- Movement & Sports Science

NATURAL SCIENCES
Jennifer Cash -- Biology
Shane Haldeman -- Biology
David Taggart -- Chemistry
Joy Helou -- Chemistry
Brady Kocher -- Environmental Science (Biology)
Jennifer Brady -- Environmental Science (Biology)
Cynthia Matthews -- Environmental Science (Management)
Sara Gifford -- Mathematics
Wanda Groppi -- Mathematics
Amanda Holthouse -- Environmental Science (Natural History)
Anthony Estrada -- Environmental Science (Natural History)
Daniel Kiminki -- Physics

SOCIAL SCIENCES
William Martin -- History
Melissa Eikenberry -- History
Anna Roy -- International Studies
Sean Krispinsky -- International Studies
Beverly Samano -- Political Science
Matthew Erickson -- Political Science
Erik Mullen -- Social Science

LEARNING ENHANCEMENT CENTER
Kimberly Shinault -- Tutor of the Year