Delaney Stersic and Kendrick Green were named the Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award winners while Eric Kos received the Rice Award for Outstanding Teaching during SHU’s annual Honors Convocation May 1, 2021, in a virtual format.

Stersic graduated in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. She was a Peer Mentor, Public Safety Dispatcher and a two-time NAIA All-American Track and Field scholar-athlete. She completed an internship in the SHU Marketing Office this spring and also earned an Outstanding Student Award in the Humanities Division. Next fall, the Madison High School graduate will pursue her master’s degree in Higher Education at the University of Michigan, and will attempt to walk-on UM’s track and field team.

Green graduated in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree, double majoring in Law and Politics and Spanish. In winter 2020, he studied abroad at Universidad Veritas in San Jose, Costa Rica. On campus, he has been a Resident Assistant, a member of the SHU football team and the treasurer, vice-president and eventual president of the Men of Distinction student organization. He was a Student Life Division award recipient for Servant Leadership, and was SHU’s recipient of the 2021 Martin Luther King Jr. Student Service Scholarship. He also served as a 2021 commencement student speaker for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Kos began his teaching role at Siena Heights as an adjunct and moved into a full-time role in the political science program in 2011. He is currently the program director for the Law and Politics major. In addition to his political science classes, he has taught the liberal arts classes, Diversity in Community as well as Inquiry and Truth numerous times. He has served on the committee on liberal arts for nine years and chaired the Division of Social Sciences for eight years. He has overseen the annual “Constitution Day” event over nine years. According to one of his student nominators, “Dr. Eric Kos is … kind, patient, understanding, and has an intellect that is above and beyond what I hope to encompass one day.”

Here are other award winners who were recognized during the event:

• Thomas Emmet Award (top junior student-athletes: Lauren Southworth (women’s soccer); Kole Murlin (football)
• Team Academic Award: Women’s soccer
• Business and Management Division Outstanding Student: Addyson Tomczak
• Computer, Mathematics and the Sciences Division Outstanding Students: Marcia Hawkins-Day and Dustin Lennox
• Teacher Education Division Outstanding Students: Kayla Kormos and Matelyn Yarbrough
• Humanities Division Outstanding Students: Delaney Stersic and Carri Jane Tenniswood
• Nursing Division Outstanding Students: Cheyenne Tule and Jessica Niebauer
• Social Sciences Division Outstanding Students: Danielle Nowak and Haylie Curtiss
• Visual and Performing Arts Division Outstanding Student: Isabelle Pioch
• Catherine of Alexandria Award (for junior leadership and service): Aileen Pena
• Sister Jean Cecile Hunt Outstanding Advising Award: Paget Clark
• Extra Mile Award: Cindy Birdwell
• Staff Excellence Awards: Cindy Anderson, Lori Timmis
• Jack Bologna Innovative Teaching Award: Anthony Farina
• Staff Emeritae: Cindy Anderson, Michael Fink

Associate Professor of English Julieanna Frost received the Fred Smith Champion Award in August 2020. The award is given to the person who demonstrates passion to a particular area or cause, devotion and commitment to Siena Heights University, ability to deal successfully with adversity and handle heavy responsibility without complaint. In addition, there should be evidence the nominee cares deeply for others and treats them with dignity and respect.

Maintenance Technician Fred Shepherd and Senior Director of Advising and Operations Khalilah Outlaw were the recipients of the Staff Excellence Award for 2020.

The following faculty and staff were recognized for their years of service at the Aug. 21, 2021 All-University Forum:

10 Years:

• Karin Barbee
• Kate Hamilton
• Dalila John
• Tania Kersey
• Eric Kos
• David Lucas
• Mike Miron
• Agnes Wesche

20 Years:

• Scott Oliver