Natural science department names award winners

Concordia University, Nebraska’s department of natural sciences held its end-of-the year banquet and awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 20.  Scholarship recipients and other honorees were announced during the event.

 “We give these awards to acknowledge the achievements of our natural science majors,” said Dr. Janet Whitson, associate professor of biology. “Our students work hard and are very talented, and we enjoy having an opportunity to celebrate that.”

The Natural Sciences Scholarship, funded by current and emeriti faculty, is considered the department’s highest honor. The award is presented to outstanding returning seniors. This year’s recipients are Nathan Sindt, Scottsbluff, Neb., and Alexander Bowers, Aurora, Colo.

Science Careers Support Scholarships also were awarded. This scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated great potential in the sciences early in their college education. The award is given to outstanding returning sophomores or juniors. Sophomore Andrew Hammes, Colorado Springs, Colo., and junior Timothy von Behren, Falls City, Neb., are this year’s honorees; von Behren was also named outstanding student in general chemistry.

Senior Daniel Klinge, State Center, Iowa; graduate student Andrew Rogers, Tacoma, Wash.; Sindt and senior Brett Waite, Kearney, Neb., were presented achievement awards for being selected for summer internships in chemistry, biochemistry and physics respectively.

Senior Heather Blomenberg, Norfolk, Neb., and junior Chelsey Creedon, Eldridge, Iowa, were given the Golden Scalpel Award as the top students in Gross Anatomy, Concordia’s  human cadaver dissection course.

Outstanding lab assistants also were honored. Sophomore Marcus Gubanyi, Seward, Neb., and sophomore Dawn Martin, Rockford, Ill., were the recipients for physics. Senior Katelyn Butts, Kalispell, Mont., senior Benjamin Mann, Seward, Neb., junior Samantha Lafontaine, Hermantown, Minn., and junior Erienne TeSelle, York, Neb., were acknowledged in chemistry; and Blomenberg and senior Rachel Uden, Kenesaw, Neb., were recognized in biology.