The academic achievements of students and soon-to-be-graduates were honored this spring at Fresno Pacific University.

Graduation Awards

Haden Lawton, B.A. in Pre-Health Science, and Mason Rivera, B.A. in Psychology, received awards for the highest grade point average, each maintaining perfect 4.0 throughout their career. Ashley Bese, B.A. in English and Graphic Design, was given the Harold Haak Academic Achievement Award, which goes to a member of the university’s Alpha Chi honor society who has made a significant contribution to the university, community and church. The award was created by Betty Haak and the family of the late president Harold H. Haak, Ph.D. Awards were announced during commencement ceremonies May 6.

(In the photo, from left: Dale H. Simmons, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president; Bese; Lawton; Richard Kriegbaum, Ph.D., president; and Karen Cianci, Ph.D., dean of the traditional undergraduate program and the School of Natural Sciences. Rivera, a December 2016 graduate, was not present.)

Seminary Awards

Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary honored its graduates and students with awards during the May 5 Seminary Gala:

RaeAnn Sadler received the Marriage & family Therapy Marriage & Family Therapy Designated Endowed Scholarship; Laura Laningham received the Marriage & Family Therapy Clinical Honors Scholarship; Grace Spencer received the Jon Isaak Best Paper Scholarship; Savannah Pronovost received the Allen R. Guenther Old Testament Endowed Scholarship; Meagan Bergem received the Nettie Toews Honors Scholarship; Naomi Wiens received the Marriage & Family Therapy Faculty Honors Scholarship; Anthony Flores received the Henry J. Schmidt Multi-Cultural Leadership Scholarship; Rose Letkemann received the Henry J. Schmidt Family International Endowed Scholarship; Brad Isaak received the Peter and Sophie Enns Honors Scholarship; Toby Hendrix received the Michael C. Eckgren and Bryan D. Goossen Scholarship; Casimira Joaquin received the Bob and Dorla Cross Excellence in Education Award; Amanda Bernade received the Mental Health & Integration Award; Luke Bese received the Zondervan Greek Award; Allison Ens received the Zondervan Hebrew Award; and Noemi Vega received the Zondervan Theology Award.

Graduate Research Symposium

The same evening the Third Annual Graduate Research Symposium took place. The 10 participants, all from School of Education, presented on topics ranging from training opportunities for working with visually impaired students to the effects of emotional abuse on the educational system to improving student engagement in U.S. history curriculum.

Honors Banquet

Seniors and juniors at the top of the traditional undergraduate program were recognized at the Honors Banquet April 27. Highest honors and honors were awarded in seven divisions in the School of Business, the School of Natural Sciences and the School of Humanities, Religion and Social Sciences. (Neither the School of Education nor the Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary offer traditional undergraduate degrees. Not all divisions gave awards in all categories.)

Highest honors went to

  • Business Division: Business Administration Major—Alyssa DenHartog and Cierra Pius (senior) and Christa DenHartog (junior).

  • Mathematics & Science Division: Biology Major—Sarah Sperling (senior). Mathematics Major—David Maes (senior) and Elizabeth Carr (junior). Applied Mathematics Major—Cho Fai Wong (senior) and Elaine Draper (junior). Pharmaceutical Science—Samuel Delk (junior). Pre-Health Sciences Major—Haden Lawton (senior). Kinesiology Major—Christopher Carlson (senior) and Rhoda Anderson (junior).

  • Biblical & Religious Studies Division: Biblical & Religious Studies Major—Payton Miller (senior) and Margaret Bowlin (junior). Contemporary Christian Ministries Major—Randi McCarley (senior) and Madeleine Cameron (junior). Intercultural Studies Major—Cierra Guerra (senior) and Celeste Lopez (junior).

  • Humanities Division: Communication Major—Hailey Millhollen (senior) and Rayna Endicott (junior). English Major—Ashley Bese (senior) and Magaret Bowlin (junior). Liberal Studies Major—Evelyn Smith (senior) and Hannah Weber (junior). Philosophy Major—Camille Cipolla (senior) and Clint Harris (junior). Spanish Language & Culture Major—Ricardo Jaza (senior) and Elizabeth Torres (junior).

  • Visual & Performing Arts Division: Art Major—Ashley Bese (senior) and Olivia Hynes (junior). Music Major— Kylie Ehlert Raby (senior) and Regine Abad (junior).

  • Social Sciences Division: Criminal Justice Major—Kaitlyn Friedrichs (senior) and Monica Garcia (junior). History Major—Camille Cipolla (senior) and Meg Clark (junior). Political Science Major—Madelyn Abourezk (senior) and Travis Armstrong (junior). Psychology Major—Danielle Donald (senior) and Elyse Vincent (junior). Social Science Secondary Teaching Major—Cole Sorensen (senior) and Jacob Torres. Social Work Major—Donte McDaniel (senior) and Elizabeth Torres (junior).

Honors went to

  • Business Division: Business Administration Major—Colton Taylor (junior).

  • Mathematics & Science Division: Biology Major—Mariela Mendoza (senior) and Brandon Booth (junior). Environmental Studies Major—Michael Fredieu (junior). Mathematics Major—Kimberlie Raulino (senior) and Kyle Sugimoto (junior). Applied Mathematics Major—Joshua Ewert (senior). Pharmaceutical Science Major—Tripat Cheema (junior). Pre-Health Sciences Major—Brian Lawton (senior) and Tatiana Sandoval and Rebekah Young (junior). Kinesiology Major—Samuel Zemede (senior) and Derek Arkelian and Bavindeep Basra (junior).

  • Biblical & Religious Studies Division: Biblical & Religious Studies Major—Jessica Cruz and Nayely Viruel (senior) and Josiah Bedford and Michael Thompson (junior). Intercultural Studies Major—Jenna Orcutt (senior).

  • Humanities Division: Communication Major—Joy Rubio and Benjamin Weaver (senior) and David Wier (junior). English Major—Josephine Souza and Crysta Williams (junior). Liberal Studies Major—Rachel Benitez and Noemi Gloria (senior) and Jordyn Mora and Tannisse Tuttrup (junior). Philosophy Major—Axel Atkinson and Cho Fai Wong (senior). Spanish Language & Culture Major—Veronica Orozco Alvarez and Angelica Soriano (junior).

  • Visual & Performing Arts Division: Art Major—Amber Cielo and Alina Gutridge (senior) and Joselyn Smith (junior). Music Major—Jesse Micu (senior) and Elisa Duffy and Lauren Nichols (junior).

  • Social Sciences Division: Criminal Justice Major—Travis Anderson and Jonathan Jalomo (junior). History Major—Brandon Carpenter and Alice Nielsen (senior) and Fidenzio Ailanjian and Mark Martinez (junior). Political Science Major—Nicholas Valla (senior) and Kaitlyn Fehderau (junior). Psychology Major—Kalyn Mello and Amy Savage (senior) and Tolulope Akande (junior). Sociology Major—Anahi Arias-Aranda (senior). Social Science Secondary Teaching Major—Joel Hignojoz (senior). Social Work Major—Mirella Mata and Kimberly Garcia Rodriguez (senior) and Anselma Crispin and Mariah Torres (junior).

Brandon Carpenter won the Classics and Ancient History Award. Meg Clark won the University Scholars Award.

 

Author

Wayne Steffen
Associate Director of Publications and Media Relations