Concordia's natural sciences department announced student honors at its end-of-the year banquet and awards ceremony on April 21. Alumni Brock Simonsen and Dave and Janet Schmidt were special guests for the festivities.
The Natural Sciences Scholarship, funded by current and emeriti faculty, is considered the department's highest honor. This year's recipients are Kelsey Wagner, Saint Charles, Mo., and Brett Waite, Kearney, Neb.
"The Natural Sciences Scholarship is intended to recognize those students who have achieved the most as scholars in the sciences," explained Dr. Joseph Gubanyi, department chair.
Science Careers Support Scholarships also were awarded. This is a new scholarship to recognize and to encourage students who have demonstrated great potential in the sciences early in their college education. Junior Rachel Brainard, Enid, Okla., and freshman Mallory Hicks, Aurora, Colo., are this year's honorees.
Dan Jansen, Madison, Neb., and Brett Waite, Kearney, Neb., were presented achievement awards for being selected for summer internships in environmental science and in biochemistry. Jansen will be interning at Angler Environmental, Baltimore, Md., and Waite was chosen for the Research Experiences for Undergraduates summer internship in biochemistry at the University of Iowa, Carver School of Medicine.
Michael Tewes, Lincoln, Neb., was recognized as the outstanding freshman student in chemistry, and Jessica Busse, Heyworth, Ill., was given the Golden Scalpel Award as the top student in Bio 450 Gross Anatomy, Concordia's human cadaver dissection course.
Outstanding lab assistants also were honored. Dani Hoagland, Rushville, Neb., was the recipient for biology, Benjamin Mann, Seward, Neb., for chemistry, and Andrew Schulz, Seward, Neb., for physics.
