The Vice Chancellor’s Academic Honors Convocation at Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) is an annual event which provides IUPUC the opportunity to reflect on the outstanding work and achievements of selected individuals throughout the academic year. The event was held on April 26 in the Custer-Nugent Lecture Hall located in the Columbus Learning Center. 

Nearly 50 top students, in a wide range of disciplines, were recognized for scholarly accomplishments during the 2022-23 academic year. One staff member and seven faculty members were also honored. Selected by their peers for recognition, these award winners demonstrated significant service and contributions to IUPUC students, the campus, and the South Central Indiana region.

Additionally, the thirteenth round of Student Research Grant recipients were recognized. This year, 23 students received grants, which are funded through the Office of Student Research. This is a dynamic program that promotes intellectual inquiry and innovation to enrich the educational experiences of IUPUC students. This is just one of many ways IUPUC advances scholarship in South Central Indiana.

Following is the list of individuals recognized at IUPUC’s annual event.

CHANCELLOR’S SCHOLAR | Sarah Achenbach – Greenwood

CAMPUS AWARDS

•  Undergraduate Service Leadership Award | Olivia Fuel – Columbus

ACADEMIC AWARDS

Division of Business

• Division of Business Foundation Outstanding Student in Business | Bryan Tucker – Columbus
• Agresta, Storms & O’Leary Outstanding Student in Accounting | Reagan Medaris – Columbus
• Centra Credit Union Outstanding Student in Finance | Austin Watts – Greenwood
• Georgia Blair Miller Business Student Award | Tatum Downing - Columbus
• The Republic/AIM Media Indiana Outstanding Student in Marketing | Shelby Branum - Columbus
• Outstanding Student in Health Services Administration | Eva Chamberlin – North Vernon
• Outstanding Student in Management | David Blankman – Greensburg
• Outstanding Student in Supply Chain Management | Amber Hess – North Vernon

Business Scholar Awards

• David Blankman – Greensburg
• Shelby Branum - Columbus
• Angie Elizabeth Guzman Presenda - Columbus
• Anna Haste – Trafalgar
• Kameron Lawson – Hope
• Levi Frederic Poplin – Franklin
• Macey Prewitt - Seymour
• Sarah Elizabeth Schneider – Greensburg
• Sarah Joanne Springmeyer – Greensburg
•  Ashley Anne Thill – Columbus

University College

• First-Year Seminar Award | Nicholas Perkins – Trafalgar

General Studies Degree Program

• Outstanding Graduate Award | Sophie Jeanette Barrett - North Vernon

Division of Education

• Distinguished Service to Education | Olivia Fuel – Columbus
• Distinguished Teaching & Learning Performance in K-6 Content and Pedagogy | Gracie Simon – Osgood
• Distinguished Teaching & Learning Performance in K-6 Content and Pedagogy | Tyler Petro – Seymour
• Distinguished Teaching & Learning Performance in K-6 English Language Learner Education | Chanel Martinez – Seymour
• Distinguished Teaching & Learning Performance in Equity Education | Carina Rodriguez - Seymour
• Distinguished Teaching & Learning Performance in K-6 Special Education | Savannah Kiefer - Greensburg
• IUPUC Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Future Educator | Sarah Achenbach – Greenwood
• IUPUC Indiana Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Future Educator | Lily Thompson – Columbus

Division of Health Sciences

• Columbus Regional Health Outstanding Student in Nursing | Abigail Sweet – Edinburgh
• Outstanding Pre-Licensure Student in Nursing | Stevie Hiner – Trafalgar
• Outstanding Student in Community Health | Sarah Tedder – Hope  
• Vicki Johnson-Poynter Nurse Leadership Award | Lili Ervin – Edinburgh 
• Sharer Preceptor of the Year Award | Dottie Gommel - Greensburg (Healthcare professional: helps w/clinicals at hospital - not faculty, staff, nor student)

Division of Liberal Arts

• Outstanding Student in Liberal Arts | Zoe Lawless – Trafalgar
• Best English Essay | Bryce Malan – Freetown
• Outstanding Student in Communication Studies | Elizabeth Pike – Columbus
• Outstanding Student in Criminal Justice | Amy Sanford – Columbus
• Outstanding Student in English | Elizabeth Pike – Columbus

Division of Science

• Columbus Regional Health Outstanding Student in Science | Kylie Warfield – Greenwood
• Outstanding Student in Advanced Math | Justice Burton – Westport
• Outstanding Student in Calculus | Paul Mellencamp – Seymour
• Promising Future Psychologist | Joseph Lampton – Columbus
• Outstanding Student in Psychology | Emily Meyers – Columbus
• Jack P. Young Chemistry Award | Krista Blackburn – Hope

2022-2023 Office of Student Research Grant Award Winners

• Sarah Achenbach – Greenwood
• Austin Baecke - Bargersville
• Sophie Jeanette Barrett – North Vernon
• Todd Coons – Columbus
• Tatum Downing – Columbus
• Carson Farmer – Crothersville
• Austin Finney – Nashville
• Kaleigh Goode – Columbus
• Natalie Heidenreich – Indianapolis
• Anakarina Hurtado – Columbus
• Jordan Kelley – Columbus
• Kylei Kinworthy – Columbus
• Joseph Lampton – Columbus
• Chanel Martinez – Seymour
• Natalia Alexandra Martinez – Columbus
• Yamileth Martinez Gaitan – Columbus
• Bryan McGaha – Franklin
• Paul Meyer – Columbus
• Andrea Rodriguez – Seymour
• Dariagne Romero Lopez – Indianapolis
• Tina Russell – North Vernon
• Lily Thompson – Columbus
• Samuel Willis – Trafalgar

These IUPUC faculty and staff members received special recognition for outstanding service.

FACULTY AWARDS

• Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creativity Award | Scott Desmond
• Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Service Award | Karen Garrity
• Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Teaching Award | Aimee Zoeller
• Jacqueline D. Franz Outstanding Part-time Faculty Teaching Award | Beth Donald
• Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award | Kevin Jones
• Indiana University Trustees Teaching Award | Lawrence Ruich

STAFF AWARDS

• C. W. Coons Distinguished Service Award | Julie Goodspeed-Chadwick
• Vickie Welsh-Huston Staff Council Service Award | Cris Craig