During the 2009 Spring Honors Convocation dozens of Whittier College students were bestowed with various honors from departments and college heads for their dedication to academics and service.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Rhodes Scholarship Competition Ashley Phipps, Nominee Lara Hurlburt, Nominee
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Nicole Greer, Nominee
Marshall Scholarship Jessica A. Cerda, Nominee
James R. Parks Fellowship Abraham Solorzano
James R. Park Prizes Juliana Baez Terees Dowd Melissa Campos Noretta Morales Steven Olvera Gabriel Papa
2009 Newsom Awards in Fiction and Poetry Fiction 1st Place (tie) Martina Miles — Everysmell Lee Beltrand Chan — A Story to Be Submitted For the Newsom Award
Poetry 1st Place Martina Miles —Yours 2nd Place Martina Miles — Last Moment 3rd Place Alexander L. Johnson — Trenton Boogie
Honorable Mention Martina Miles — In Order Brandon Halcomb — On the Edge of Time With a Man Called Lonely
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Ashley Barton Eric Borja Celia de Sa Lea Jimenez Veronica Moreno
DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS
HUMANITIES DIVISION
Art and Art History Outstanding Students in Art And Art History Desiree Stewart Farrin Ochoa
English Language and Literature Outstanding Graduates in English Martina Miles Andrea Orwoll
First-Year Student Writing Prize First Place Catherine Faris King — Muses of Poetry, Muses of Poison Second Place Carlyn Werderman — Is Electroconvulsive Therapy Ethical? Third Place Julia-Ellen Spruill-Smith — Utopia in Modern America
Modern Languages and Literatures The Martin Ortiz Award for Academic Excellence In Spanish Teresa Hidalgo Annette Trujillo
The Tara Molloy Service and Leadership Award In Spanish Elizabeth Lutton Ernesto RÃos-Oropeza
Outstanding Students in French Haven Carey Awndrea Lassiter Abraham Rocha
Outstanding Research in French Language and Literature Erica Travers
Outstanding Student in Chinese Alexander Maupin
Music Outstanding Performance in Music Ashley Delzell Jessica Farrell Janice Lopez Jane Rasch
Outstanding Leadership and Service In Music Adrian Perez Whitney Cane
Outstanding Scholarship in Music Josh Wood
Outstanding Creativity in Music Will Dickerson
Philosophy Outstanding Student in Philosophy Callan Martinez
Religious Studies C. Milo Connick Award In Recognition Of Outstanding Work in The Field Of Religion Azaam Samad Outstanding Student in Religious Studies Corey Howell
Theatre and Communication Arts Outstanding Student in Theatre Vanessa Gonzalez
NATURAL SCIENCES DIVISION
Biology Outstanding Student in Biology Brittany Kunz Nicole Soliven
Outstanding Contribution to The Biology Department Brittany Kunz Nicole Soliven
Outstanding Contribution in Research Brittany Kunz
Chemistry The W. Roy Newsom Award in Chemistry Gabriel Nazaroff Ashley Phipps
Undergraduate Research Award in Chemistry James Edwards Nancy Pineda
Physics and Astronomy Outstanding Student in Physics and Astronomy Christopher Marvin
SOCIAL SCIENCES DIVISION
Business Administration Outstanding Graduate in Business Administration Arturo Rubio
Outstanding Student in the Finance Concentration Conner Schryver
Outstanding Student in Accounting Concentration Arturo Rubio
Outstanding Student in The International Business Concentration Benjamin Foden
Outstanding Student in The Management Concentration Kimberly Fattorini
Outstanding Student in the Marketing Concentration Blake Noriega
Murdy Writing Award Conner Schryver
Richard T. Clawson Service And Leadership Award Blake Noriega
Economics Outstanding Student in Economics Priya Punatar
Education and Child Development
Outstanding Service in Education Alexandra Guevara Teresa Hidalgo Lauren Sierra Matthew Vasquez
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Child Development Michele Loewy Jacqueline Ragusa
Outstanding Service in Child Development Laura Naumann Kelsey Raleigh Danielle Boland
Outstanding Research in Child Development Michele Loewy
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Secondary Education Nicole Soliven
Kinesiology and Leisure Science Outstanding Student in Kinesiology And Leisure Science Vanessa Cazas
Political Science Ben G. Burnett/Pi Sigma Alpha Awards For Outstanding Academic and Leadership Contributions by Seniors Steve Addezio Caitlin Finley Yuki Miyagiwa Dan Strauss
Psychology Outstanding Student in Psychology: Academics Joselynn Cruz Michele Loewy Outstanding Student in Psychology: Research and Scholarship Heather Toledo
Outstanding Student in Psychology: Service Michele Loewy
Whittier Psi Chi Review Award For Exemplary Research and Writing In Psychology Christina Barba Joselynn Cruz Michele Loewy Katherine Ore Jacqueline Ragusa
Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work Outstanding Sociologist in Political Praxis Lynnzi Brianza
Outstanding Student In Anthropology Jessica Hencier
Outstanding Leadership In Service To Anthropology Nozomi Umenai
Academic Excellence in Social Work Vanessa Iniguez Aracely Iniguez Outstanding Student In Field Education in Social Work Sasha Trejos
Outstanding Contribution to The Social Work Profession Enrique Saldana Yesica Sanchez
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
Global And Cultural Studies Contribution To The Major Alexander Maupin
Whittier Scholars Outstanding Student In The Whittier Scholars Program Amanda Settlage
Award for Service To The Writing Program Jacqueline Ragusa Calli Welsch
SERVICE AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS
Student Life Leadership Awards Steve Addezio Martina Miles Clarissa Schomer
Student Life Community Service Awards Nadine Barragan Michele Loewy
Student Life Diversity Awards Gabriel Papa
Student Life Emerging Leader Award Spencer Beck Jennice Ontiveros Maria Pizana
Broadoaks Service to Children And Families Award Daniel Covarrubias Madeleine Hass
Alianza De Los Amigos Leadership Award Nadine Barragan
Alianza De Los Amigos Academic Achievement Award Arturo Rubio
Patricia Van Oosbree, assistant professor of kinesiology and leisure science and the 2008 Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award recipient, delivered the keynote address, "If Not This?"
Dean of Faculty Susan Gotsch presented the 2009 Nerhood Award to chemistry professor Devin Imoto.
Presentation of 2009 Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award by Dean of Faculty Susan Gotsch
Before we recognize our students for their scholarship and service, we pause for a moment to consider our faculty. For in honoring our students, we also celebrate the work of our faculty. Each year, a committee of peers selects a winner of the Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award. Many faculty have been nominated over the years by students or other faculty for this award. The list of recipients still teaching at the college is impressive: McBride, Bergerson, Furman-Adams, Howard, Chabran, Woirol, Adams, O'Connor-Gomez, Decker, Lozano, Lagan, Marks, Swift, johnston, Geirola, pAddy, McEnaney, Morris, and Van Oosbree. So tonight, as we honor the new Nerhood winner, I feel that we also honor our entire faculty.
For you as students, we hope that your encounter with excellent teachers at Whittier College has contributed to your route to success. Excellent teaching translates into learning for students. Think back to your experiences with great teachers of all sorts—whether parents, a first-grade teacher, a piano teacher, or someone like Harry Nerhood.
For those of you who are new to the Whittier community, let me tell you a little bit about the award. The Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award is probably the most important recognition a faculty member at Whittier can receive. It is named after a Whittier history professor who became a legendary figure. It was said of Professor Nerhood that if you came to the College you needed to take at least one of his classes, regardless of the topic, as the experience was virtually guaranteed to be special—excellent in some way regardless of your own interests.
The Nerhood Award is given for many reasons and many kinds of accomplishment, to people at different stages of their career. Sometimes it recognizes a whole career. Sometimes it recognizes incredible new energy and accomplishment. Sometimes it recognizes innovation. There are many reasons to give it. All those who have received it are humbled by the experience and feel that there are others who deserve it. Its core meaning is that it acknowledges something special—the best of what we do here in many manifestations.
Now on to tonight's recipient. He embodies the essential aspects of teaching and encouraging student learning that are worthy of this prestigious award:
The setting of high standards The ability to stimulate both enthusiasm and creative thought Fairness in the evaluation of student work Creation of a quality environment for learning in and out of the classroom, and Readily available for dialog and counseling with students.
Comments made by his students and colleagues include:
"[Devotion to students is found in the] online chats with students before exams as well as lots of student interaction in his office."
"Gives extremely difficult exams, but rather than expressing frustration, students are inspired to work hard and remain positive about the course and their learning experience."
"An active director of undergraduate research, mentoring 2-4 students each year, working hard to equip [the] lab."
"A leader in bringing a global focus to our curriculum."
"Relates course materials and experiments to [students'] lives and the world around them."
"Gives until it hurts [to students and the College]; and at the same time..."
"Enthusiasm is evident in his joyful laugh [that] permeates the halls; " and
From a student now in graduate school: "set up a learning environment with his students in which creativity was fostered. . . . Once we learned how to be creative, he taught us how to be practical. . . . [and] I found a way to combine my love for chemistry with my longing to do something to address [environmental energy issues]."
"His course on AIDS is a shining example of how science and society intersect—a course in which students can engage in service learning."
As I read these comments, it was clear to me that tonight's winner is such a great teacher because he himself loves learning.
Please join me in congratulating an extraordinary teacher among extraordinary teachers, Professor of Chemistry, Devin Iimoto, the 2009 recipient of the Harry W. Nerhood Teaching Excellence Award.
