The Torchbearer Leadership and Service Ceremony is an annual event that takes place
in April of each academic year. We take this time to honor our students and student
organizations that have gone above and beyond each year. Below is the list of winners.
Congratulations to everyone!
Torchbearer 2021
The Rising Star is an annual award recognizing students who have exhibited their promise
as emerging leaders through campus and community involvement. Eligible students met
GPA requirements, were nominated, completed an application, and judged by a panel
of faculty, staff, and alumni. Judges were looking for students who have attended
leadership training, developed leadership goals, and have begun impacting the campus
community.
In 2009, to celebrate Ferris State University’s 125th birthday, a service award was
created to honor our Founders’ legacy of commitment to service. The Initiative 125
Service award is given to individuals who have completed 125 hours of service or more
in the past year.
The Community Impact Award asks community partners from Mecosta and Osceola Counties
to nominate their most deserving Ferris State student volunteer. The volunteer must
showcase their work advancing the mission of the community organization through dedication,
passion, and commitment.
Winner:
Britney Williams
The Newman Civic Fellows Award recognizes and supports community committed students
who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities
throughout the country. This award provides training and resources that nurture the
students’ assets and passions to help develop strategies to achieve social change.
There is only one representative selected from each Member University and the nomination
must come from the President’s office.
Winner:
Lezley Rodriguez
Winner:
Allyson Faulkner and Oren Whiteside
Winners:
New Member of the Year Winner: Emmalee Gabbert
President of the Year Winner: Daniel Hoye
Fraternity Member of the Year Winner: James Kendrick
Sorority Member of the Year Winner: Sharyl Karrip
Outstanding Program of the Year Winner: Zeta Tau Alpha - Best Greek on Campus
The Promesa Scholars Award recognizes extraordinary individuals who have achieved
all program standards through the Promesa Scholars Program. These individuals will
continue as scholars of the program for the following 2019 - 2020 academic year.
Winners:
Alondra Campos, Valeria Gonzalez, Nolan Valero, Lucero Hernandez, Edgar Perez, Natalia Monarrez, Alejandro Garrido-Pachecho, Pricilla Diaz, Marisol Benitez, Julio Lopez
The RSO recognition program is an annual opportunity for Ferris State registered student
organizations to showcase their story of how they have developed over the year and
impacted the campus and community.
RSOs provide evidence and a brief explanation for the following areas:
Campus Engagement
Events and Activities
Member Development
Community Engagement and Service
Mission
Being recognized for your organization's development has many benefits.
Gain more members
Receive invite only opportunities
Sharing the story that organizations do a lot for the students and community
Recognizable as an RSO who goes above and beyond
Enticing monetary awards for the RSO
This year’s winners:
Gold:
Zeta Tau Alpha
Crimson:
Alpha Sigma Tau
American Marketing Association
Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Inc.
Every Registered Student Organization (RSO) is required to have a faculty/staff advisor.
They provide guidance to the organization and serve as a liaison for the students
regarding University policies and procedures. Only one advisor will gain the recognition
of the annual Outstanding Advisor award but we do want to recognize all of the advisors
who are nominated that take the extra time to assist these student groups. Advisors
who are involved in their RSO, are easily accessible to the students in the organization
and really put the effort into their position as advisor are very deserving of the
award.
Winner:
Daniel Wrubel - Student Volunteer Optometric Service for Humanity
The Torchbearer Award recognizes students who will be graduating in the next year.
Nominees must meet eligibility requirements and exhibit outstanding leadership skills
during their career at Ferris. Torchbearer recipients are leaders on campus, in the
classroom, and in the community.
Winners:
TeaCaragao,Allyson Faulkner,JayJanutol,Trevor Roznowski,Leonardo Almanza,Amanda Eslinger,Byron Brooks,Arianna Lozano,Kelsey Ernst,Kyle White
Torchbearer 2020
The Rising Star is an annual award recognizing students who have exhibited their promise
as emerging leaders through campus and community involvement. Eligible students met
GPA requirements, were nominated, completed an application, and judged by a panel
of faculty, staff, and alumni. Judges were looking for students who have attended
leadership training, developed leadership goals, and have begun impacting the campus
community.
Winners:
Caitlin St. Clair, Emma Franklin, (Austin) Jay Janutol, Trever Roznowski, Jared Prevost,
and Valeria Gonzales
In 2009, to celebrate Ferris State University’s 125thbirthday, a service award was created to
honor our Founders’ legacy of commitment to service. The Initiative 125 Service award
is given to individuals who have completed 125 hours of service or more in the past
year.
Winners:
Katelyn Berens, Byron Brooks, Lillian Gray, Adam Kociba, Arianna Lazano, Eva Rand,
and Allison Roberts
The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes students who have the most recorded and
approved volunteer hours this past year.
Winner:
Arianna Lazano 574.75 Hours
The Community Impact Award asks community partners from Mecosta and Osceola Counties
to nominate their most deserving Ferris State student volunteer. The volunteer must
showcase their work advancing the mission of the community organization through dedication,
passion, and commitment.
Winner:
Byron Brooks
The Newman Civic Fellows Award recognizes and supports community committed students
who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities
throughout the country. This award provides training and resources that nurture the
students’ assets and passions to help develop strategies to achieve social change.
There is only one representative selected from each Member University and the nomination
must come from the President’s office.
Winner:
Lezley Rodriguez
The OMSS Above and Beyond Award honors students who have been actively engaged with
the Office of Multicultural Student Services over the past academic year.
The Club Sport Core Values Award was created to honor a Club Sport that best represents
Ferris State University. These nominees represent Ferris through our core values that
we pride ourselves, so highly on… Collaboration, Diversity, Ethical Community, Excellence,
Learning, and Opportunity. Each year, the clubs that are selected for this award demonstrate
these values on the playing field, throughout our campus, and within our community.
They also carry and represent these values throughout our state, the Midwest region,
and at a national level.
This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through
their involvement with Veterans on campus and in the local community. The recipient
should be a student who has a strong desire to continue serving others after leaving
the military. This award is given to a student who also exhibits a strong balance
between academics, employment and personal life. This student may have also overcome
significant obstacles during the transition from the military to Ferris State University.
Winners:
New Member of the Year Winner: Madison Markham & Dawson Forner
President of the Year Winner: Camryn Booms & Joshua Betz
Fraternity Member of the Year Winner: Adam Petrowitz
Sorority Member of the Year Winner: Noelle Kraus
Outstanding Program of the Year Winner: Zeta Tau Alpha - Think Pink Week
The Promesa Scholars Award recognizes extraordinary individual individuals who have
achieved all program standards through the Promesa Scholars Program. These individuals
will continue as scholars of the program for the following 2019 - 2020 academic year.
The RSO recognition program is an annual opportunity for Ferris State registered student
organizations to showcase their story of how they have developed over the year and
impacted the campus and community.
RSOs provide evidence and a brief explanation for the following areas:
Campus Engagement
Events and Activities
Member Development
Community Engagement and Service
Mission
Being recognized for your organization's development has many benefits.
Gain more members
Receive invite only opportunities
Sharing the story that organizations do a lot for the students and community
Recognizable as an RSO who goes above and beyond
Enticing monetary awards for the RSO
This year’s winners:
Gold:
Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity, Inc.
Crimson:
Alpha Sigma Tau
American Marketing Association
Pre-Medicine and Pre PA Club
Sigma Lambda Gamma Sorority, Inc.
Every Registered Student Organization (RSO) is required to have a faculty/staff advisor.
They provide guidance to the organization and serve as a liaison for the students
regarding University policies and procedures. Only one advisor will gain the recognition
of the annual Outstanding Advisor award but we do want to recognize all of the advisors
who are nominated that take the extra time to assist these student groups. Advisors
who are involved in their RSO, are easily accessible to the students in the organization,
and really put the effort into their position as advisor are very deserving of the
award.
Winner:
Brent Williams - American Welding Society
The Torchbearer Award recognizes students who will be graduating in the next year.
Nominees must meet eligibility requirements and exhibit outstanding leadership skills
during their career at Ferris. Torchbearer recipients are leaders on campus, in the
classroom, and in the community.
Winners:
Alyssa Bala, Amanda Lietz, Ashley Harmison, Ashley Kerr, Brendan Calvert, Camden Whitney,
Cameron Bourlier, Dylan Tasson, Madison Schnell, Noelle Kraus, and Emily Charles
Torchbearer 2019 Award Winners
The Rising Star is an annual award recognizing students who have exhibited their promise
as emerging leaders through campus and community involvement. Eligible students met
GPA requirements, were nominated, completed an application, and judged by a panel
of faculty, staff, and alumni. Judges were looking for students who have attended
leadership training, developed leadership goals, and have begun impacting the campus
community.
In 2009, to celebrate Ferris State University’s 125th birthday, a service award was
created to honor our Founders’ legacy of commitment to service. The Initiative 125
Service award is given to individuals who have completed 125 hours of service or more
in the past year.
Winners:
Melanie Bale, Katelyn Berens, Byron Brooks, Emily Charles, Emily Faltin, Declan Flood,
Erica Foote, Mariah Gaither, Lilian Gray, Nicholas Hadley, Ciara Kibby, Cassandra
Kolka, Noelle Kraus, An Le, Arianna Lozano, Trevor Polisuk – Balfor, Lucille Reigle, Megan Ritchie, Maria Rogers, Hannah Romero, Samantha Sanchez – Rivera, Sara Sease, Jonathan Stevens, Madison Tollstam, Stephanie Weller, and Alysha West.
The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes students who have the most recorded and
approved volunteer hours this past year
Winners:
Cassandra Kolka with 437.45 hours
Arianna Lozano with 466.8 hours
Stephanie Weller with 553.5 hours
The Community Impact Award asks community partners from Mecosta and Osceola Counties
to nominate their most deserving Ferris State student volunteer. The volunteer must
showcase their work advancing the mission of the community organization through dedication,
passion, and commitment.
Winner:
Katelyn Berens
The Newman Civic Fellows Award recognizes and supports community committed students
who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities
throughout the country. This award provides training and resources that nurture the
students’ assets and passions to help develop strategies to achieve social change.
There is only one representative selected from each Member University and the nomination
must come from the President’s office.
Winner:
Ally Faulkner
The OMSS Above and Beyond Award honors students who have been actively engaged with
the Office of Multicultural Student Services over the past academic year.
Winners:
Nia Goins, Idasha Jones, and Byron Brooks.
Honored:
Joseph Rockwell, Rebecca James, Taylor Scheurer, Victoria Sellas, Jonathon Stevens,
and Brittney Rickerson.
Winner:
Victoria Sellas
The Ubuntu International Student Ambassador Award goes to an International student
who embodies the Philosophy of Ubuntu, which has been adopted by the Office of International
Education. Ubuntu means, “I am who I am because of who we all are.” This recipient
has lived by this philosophy by not only being an ambassador from her country but
also an ambassador on campus.
Winners:
Anirudh Baliga and Kexin (Coco) Zheng
The Ubuntu Education Abroad Scholar also goes to a domestic student who embodies the
Ubuntu Philosophy as well by engaging globally through study abroad and campus engagement.
Winner:
Rebecca James
The Club Sport Core Values Award was created to honor a Club Sport that best represents
Ferris State University. These nominees represent Ferris through our core values that
we pride ourselves, so highly on… Collaboration, Diversity, Ethical Community, Excellence,
Learning, and Opportunity. Each year, the clubs that are selected for this award demonstrate
these values on the playing field, throughout our campus, and within our community.
They also carry and represent these values throughout our state, the Midwest region,
and at a national level.
Winner:
Women’s Volleyball
This award recognizes a student who has demonstrated exceptional leadership through
their involvement with Veterans on campus and in the local community. The recipient
should be a student who has a strong desire to continue serving others after leaving
the military. This award is given to a student who also exhibits a strong balance
between academics, employment and personal life. This student may have also overcome
significant obstacles during the transition from the military to Ferris State University.
Honored:
Tracy Little, Nathaniel Wyatt, Kristin Wilcox, Christopher Rawson, Tiphani Blenman,
and Dan Hall.
Winner:
Kristin Wilcox
Winners:
New Member of the Year Winner: McKenna Matthews of Zeta Tau Alpha.
President of the Year Winner: Shaylee Meyer of Alpha Xi Delta.
Fraternity Member of the Year Winner: Daniel Rivera from Sigma Lambda Beta Fraternity,
Inc.
Sorority Member of the Year Winner: Christine Labby from Alpha Xi Delta.
Outstanding Program of the Year Winner: Phi Sigma Kappa
The Promesa Scholars Award recognizes extraordinary individual individuals who have
achieved all program standards through the Promesa Scholars Program. These individuals
will continue as scholars of the program for the following 2018/19 academic year.
Winners:
Bryan Salinas, Jose Romo, Katy Moreno, Lesly Rodriguez, and Edith Moreno
To be eligible to apply for Five star status, RSO’s must keep up to date on any required
trainings, submit an OrgSync profile update on time both semesters as well as be able
to prove that the RSO’s actions are furthering the University’s Mission and Core Values
which are Collaboration, Diversity, Ethical Community, Excellence, Learning, and Opportunity.
Each eligible RSO interested in this honor, completes an ePortfolio showcasing their
accomplishments on campus and in the community, member development, sponsoring of
events, and overall impact of the organization. Only the Top RSOs are recognized with this Five Star honor each year. The selected
5 star organizations will be showcased online and receive special privileges and invite
only opportunities for the next academic year.
Winners:
American Marketing Association, Social Work Association, and Students for a Sensible
Drug Policy.
Every Registered Student Organization (RSO) is required to have a faculty/staff advisor.
They provide guidance to the organization and serve as a liaison for the students
regarding University policies and procedures. Only one advisor will gain the recognition
of the annual Outstanding Advisor award but we do want to recognize all of the advisors
who are nominated that take the extra time to assist these student groups. Advisors
who are involved in their RSO, are easily accessible to the students in the organization,
and really put the effort into their position as advisor are very deserving of the
award.
Winner:
Rusty Leonard
The Torchbearer Award recognizes students who will be graduating in the next year.
Nominees must meet eligibility requirements and exhibit outstanding leadership skills
during their career at Ferris. Torchbearer recipients are leaders on campus, in the
classroom, and in the community
Winners:
Maria Rogers, Lucy Reigle, Jonathan Stevens, Anna Bron, Andrew Kapanowski, April Wilson, Tess
Strasser, Amber Hubbard, Joseph Rockwell, and Mariah Gaither.
Torchbearer 2018 Award Winners
Winners:
Bobby Gill, Allyson Faulkner, Joseph Osborn, Nicholas Hadley, Erica Foote, and Gregory
Brunner
Winners:
Logan Bixman, Lauren Burkhardt, Justine Chaplinsky, Emily Faltin, Melony Federspiel,
Channing Gulick, Cynthia Horn, Cassandra Kolka, Paige Kramer, Megan Liede, Arianna
Lozano, Miranda Maitland, Cerria Makielski, Megan Meerman, Jacklyn Merillat, Katie
Nimtz, Joseph Rockwell, Taylor Shepeard, Kayle Stenthal, Mari Suokko, Drue Thornton,
Taylor VanderLaan, Stephanie Weller, Alysha West, Lindsey Winslow, and Erica Foote.
Winners:
Emily Falitn served 356 hours
Cassandra Kolka served 389 hours
Arianna Lozano served 392.5 hours
Winner: Cassandra Kolka
Winner: Daniel Rivera
Winners:
Da'Meea Taylor
Ziahni Davis
Gregory Brewster
Lashai Watson
Jeffery Carodine
Honored:
Emily Rose Hackbart, Cassandra Kolka, Melissa Fairchild, and Kelsey Diamond
Fraternity Member of the Year Winner: Kevin Hartwig
Sorority Member of the Year Winner: Sarah Scorpio
Outstanding Program of the Year Winner: Sigma Phi Epsilon
Winners:
Mari Alvarado, Jackie Calzada, Julia Castilho, Taylor Flannigan, Christian Gomez-Canchola,
Melissa Hernandez, Marisol Martinez, Sayra Moore, Rogelio Nino-Vasquez, David Perez,
Sandra Ramirez Espinoza, Juan Ramirez-Diaz Jr., Daniel Rivera, Lezley Rodriguez, Marco
Rojas-Garcia, Bryan Salinas, Amanda Sanchez, and Samantha Sanchez-Rivera
Winners:
American Marketing Association
Bulldog Sustainability
Public Reltaions Student Society of America
Social Work Association
Winner:
Clay Dedeaux
Winners:
Cindy Tran, Benjamin Letherer, Cortney Wernette, Megan Leide, Sarah Pirrami, Lotte
Halm, Katie Nimtz, Paige Kramer, Patrick Maloney, Sean Williams, Marley Tucker, and
Adam Jandura
Congratulations to all of our Nominees and Winners. We hope to see you at next years
Torchbearer.
