On May 12, 2023, the day before the 95th Commencement Exercises took place at Thomas More University, graduating members of the class of 2023 gathered to be honored for their excellence while achieving their higher education goals. President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D., along with Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Jerome Langguth, Ph.D., college Deans Kimberly Haverkos, Ph.D., Bruce Rosenthal, Ph.D., and Joseph Christensen, Ph.D., and students, families, and faculty celebrated professors who were honored as faculty of the year, graduates who earned master’s degrees with a hooding ceremony, and to bestow honors on high achieving seniors with departmental and college awards. The Rev. Raymond Enzweiler closed the afternoon with the Benediction. Following here are the names of those being honored.

Faculty Awards

Outstanding Full Time Faculty

ST. ELIZABETH COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: Shiv Sharma, Ph.D.

ROBERT W. PLASTER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS: Gregory Mazza

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES: Alissa Ayres

Outstanding Part Time Faculty

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES: Pamela Caudill

Hooding Ceremony

Master of Arts in Teaching

Amanda Hope Baker 

Elizabeth Jane Barker 

Brooke Alexandra Bird 

Maggie Irene Flanagan 

Rianna Jeanelle Gayheart 

Zachary Ryan Neal 

Zachary Michael Ober 

Corey Douglas White

Master of Business Adminstration

Joseph Brian Baxter

Kieran Edward Casey

Mckenna Arleen Clark

Martha Ann Hamblen

Chelsea Lynn Hartzler

Madison Taylor Johnson

Crystal Lynn Lawrence

Ebony Cherree Linzy

Rishit Mehta

Brian R. Minning

Molley Elizabeth Neace

Mary Kathryn Noonan

Francisco Guillermo Quiteno Burgos

Brooke Lee Ramsey

Kathleen Marie Ray

Christopher Jeffrey Reynolds

Phillip Andrew Rudolph

Sebastian Sims

Deanna J. Uhl

Collin Wood

Lucas Charles Young

Master of Ethical Leadership

Hanan H. Elgusain

Felicia Faith Medina

Venyke Payton

David John Sandlin

David Sprawl

Awards

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Creative Media: Art Student of the Year – Christine Huck

Communication: Outstanding Seniors – Ansley Rooks | Autumn Frank | Brady Brunsman | Myles Anderson | Torri King | Samantha Sloan

English & Creative Writing: Outstanding Senior – Ana Herrera

Foreign Language: Outstanding Student in Spanish – Zoie Barth

Political Science: Outstanding Senior – Stanislav Beresford

Education – Undergraduate: Academic Achievement Award – Hannah Back | Annabelle Clayton | Duncan Hoffman | Olivia Staveman | Juli Ezell | Natalie Hamilton | Destiny Souder

Education – Undergraduate: Krystal Pepper Spirit Award – Destiny Souder

Education – Undergraduate: School of Education Leadership Award – Hannah Back

Education – Graduate: Outstanding Graduate Student – Elizabeth Barker

Education – Graduate: Dr. Mary Rozier Memorial Diversity Award – Zach Neal

Education – Graduate: Ruth Wernersbach-Shreve Award – Brian Tolle

Sociology & Criminal Justice: Outstanding Senior – Ashley Cooper

Theology: Outstanding Senior – Dominic Lemma

History & Law: Sister Mary Albert Murphy, SND Award for History – Alyssa Murphy | Logan Rauen

History & Law: Sister Mary Albert Murphy, SND Award for Law- Abby Hightchew

History & Law: Sister Mary Philip Trauth, SND Award for History – Ruth Hahn | Kevin Bissonnette

History & Law: Sister Mary Philip Trauth, SND Award for Law – Garrett Flynn | Ian Daughtery

History & Law: Father Anthony Deye Award for History – Kevin Bissonnette | Emily Aisenbrey

History & Law: Father Anthony Deye Award for Law – Abby Hightchew

History & Law: Nancy Bruns Scholarship Award – Evelyn Brauer | Ruth Hahn | Alyssa Murphy | Jacob Summers

History & Law: Tenkotte-Meier Award – Sienna Anderson

Psychology: Psi Chi National Honor Society Members – Hannah Bishop | Emma Blake | Caitlin Dawson | Margaret Kinney | Kameron Nab | Harley Tomlin | Serah Whitacre | Chloe Woeste | Laurna Verbrugghen | Lillian Delk | Mariah Palmer

Psychology: Mid-America Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference – Emma Blake | Caitlin Dawson | Hannah Bishop | Chloe Woeste | Yennefer Trevino-Heun

Psychology: Midwestern Psychological Association – Serah Whitacre

Psychology: Student Research Forum – Laurna Verbrugghen | Hannah Mullane | Jonathan Litzler

Psychology: Internship Completion – Emma Blake | Lilly Delk | Haley Dougherty | Ana Herrera | Hudson Montgomery | Kameron Nab | Tori Neltner | Natalie Shabanov | Harley Tomlin | Yennefer Trevino-Heun

Robert W. Plaster College of Business

Accountancy: The Gilday Family Experiential-Learning Award – Hannah Halbig | Dominic Braun

Accountancy: The Luca Pacioli Outstanding Accountancy Senior – Branden McKinley

Business Administration: Top BBA Student Award – Mark Smith

Business Administration: Top Marketing Student Award – Matthew Lodge

Business Administration: Top Finance Student Award – Kyle Kelly

Business Administration: Top Management Student Award – Samantha Whiteman

Business Administration: Top Human Resources Student Award – Max Dierig

Business Administration: Top Sports and Entertainment Marketing Student Award – Jacob Caruso

Business Administration: Top MBA 4+1 Student Award – Andrew Martini

Business Administration: Top MBA Student Award – William Neltner

Business Administration: Wall Street Journal Award – Matthew Lodge

Organizational Management & Ethical Leadership: Outstanding Graduate Student – Karen Nieberding

Organizational Management & Ethical Leadership: Outstanding Undergraduate Student – Shelby Green

St. Elizabeth College of Natural and Health Sciences

Biology: Academic Excellence – Delaney Mederer | Hannah Spergin

Biology: Research and Service – Faith Smiddy

Biology: Academic Excellence and Service – Jared Bulluck

Biology: Academic Excellence and Research – Zoie Barth | Chase Scheben

Biology: Academic Excellence, Research, and Service – Jenna Cayze | Cassandra Drago | Olivia Jackson | Sawyer Lorentz | Rebecca Mitchell | Spencer Trimpe

Chemistry: Outstanding Senior Award – Maria Rice

Student Research Awards

Outstanding Research Political Science – Stanislav Beresford

Outstanding Research History – Ruth Hahn

Outstanding Research Biological Science – Spencer Trimpe

Benedictine Library Student Research Award – Hannah Mullane | Jonathan Litzler