Michayla Miller and Jenna Stahl were named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award winners during Siena Heights University’s annual Honors Convocation, which was conducted May 1 in a virtual format.

Miller, a senior double major in applied mathematics and Spanish, is from Medina, Ohio. She was a captain on SHU’s women’s cross country and track and field teams and was president of the Spanish Club. Stahl, a senior from Monroe, Mich., majored in nursing and was a NAIA All-American in competitive dance for the Saints. She also was a former Miss River Raisin Festival pageant winner.

Assistant Professor of English Dana Schumacher-Schmidt received the Eileen Rice Award for Outstanding Teaching. According to her nominator, “Not only are her teaching methods creative, she also encourages and allows her students to be creative.” One of her students’ favorite assignments is the “Dr. Schu Un-essay Project,” in which students are allowed to express their knowledge about a subject using any means of creative expression they choose other than an essay.

Professor of Anthropology Dr. Linda Easley was honored with Faculty Emerita status after serving 40 years with the university. She was known in the local community with her classes’ involvement in the Boys and Girls Club and Michener (and formerly McKinley) schools. She was selected as a recipient of the Michigan Campus Compact Faculty Staff Community Service-Learning Award in 2001 and received the Rice Award in 2003-04.

The university bestowed Staff Emerita status on Deb Keller, Donna Marowelli and Amy Sturtevant, who are all retiring. Keller retired in March after serving as the executive assistant to the President for more than 12 years. She also served the university in various capabilities for more than 40 years. Marowelli served more than 20 years as an administrative assistant for the Business and Management Division. Sturtevant is retiring after serving more than 42 in various capacities, including administrative assistant to the president for 25 years. She spent the last 18 years as the administrative assistant to the Visual and Performing Arts Division.

Here are more award winners who were recognized during Honors Convocation:

• Thomas Emmet Student-Athlete Award: Dakota Spears (women’s golf); Nicholas Stalworth (football).
• Team Academic Award: Women’s Soccer.
• St. Catherine of Alexandria Medal: Marysa Prettyman.
• Sister Jean Cecile Hunt Outstanding Advisor Award: Jennifer Dickey.
• Sister Eileen Rice Award for Outstanding Teaching: Dana Schumacher-Schmidt.
• Jack Bologna Innovative Teaching Award: Dr. James Loughran.

Divisional Outstanding Undergraduate Student Awards

• Business and Management: Leo Hisamatsu.
• Computing, Mathematics and the Sciences: Amanda Dershem, Kathryn Gordon.
• Education: Anna Tartarian, Lauren Raburn.
• Humanities: Jacob Jenkins, Alex Wilkinson.
• Nursing: Jenna Stahl.
• Social Sciences: Madison Griffith, Ashley Strong.
• Visual and Performing Arts: Bobbi Sue McDaniel, Jacob Wilson.