Kellogg Community College is pleased to announce the recipients of KCC’s annual Outstanding Bruin Awards, recognizing the College’s top students for outstanding achievement in their field of study or leadership area.
Award winners are a listed below and can also be viewed on the KCC website at www.kellogg.edu/student-award-winners.
To qualify for an academic Outstanding Bruin Award, students must major or exhibit interest in their award area; earn a 3.5 or higher GPA in their award area; evidence significant creative growth; and exhibit a high degree of participation in and/or contributions to the department activities in one or more capacities.
Awards are also given to the overall outstanding full- and part-time graduates in each of the College’s two academic divisions. Winners are selected by faculty and administrators from the department that corresponds with each award.
In addition to academic departmental honors, KCC also awards the following for outstanding leadership beyond the classroom:
- Catalyst Award: The Catalyst Award honors a student who has sparked positive change at the College and is deeply engaged in campus activities such as Student Life programs, athletic events and/or volunteering at College events. The winner is very school spirited and has a never-ending bucket of positivity.
- Emerging Leader Award: The Emerging Leader Award recognizes a first-year student who demonstrates promising leadership talent and has exhibited initiative on campus through engaging in campus activities.
- Golden Hammer Award: The Golden Hammer Award honors a student that has faced many obstacles and barriers but always find a way to persist onward. This student is resilient and known for busting barriers.
- Level Up Award: The Level Up Award recognizes a student employee at KCC who has demonstrated significant personal growth while excelling in their job at the College. This type of personal growth and on-the-job excellence is what will help this student “level up” professionally.
- Registered Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award: The Registered Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award is given to an advisor nominated by their students. Advisors have made outstanding contributions to the success and development of the organization as well as its individual student members.
- Registered Student Organization of the Year Award: The Registered Student Organization of the Year Award recognizes an organization that stands out among other student organizations based on its programming, spirit and overall contributions to the College.
- Registered Student Organization Officer of the Year Award: The Registered Student Organization Officer of the Year Award recognizes a student RSO officer who stands out from other officers through leadership and going above and beyond the scope of their position, often handling the “in between” tasks that do not align with any specific position.
- Student Veteran Award: The Student Veteran Award honors a student who has served in a branch of the military and continues to demonstrate service beyond their service to our country by engaging on campus and/or in the community.
This year’s award winners are listed below.
INSTRUCTIONAL DIVISION AWARDS
Arts & Sciences Awards
Integrative Learning
- Lynn Bland, of Battle Creek, Service-Learning Commitment
Art, Education & Social Science
- Ren Jones, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Achievement in Creative Writing
- Amy Powers, of Portage, Outstanding Early Childhood Education Program Graduate
- Sarah Smith, of Nashville, Outstanding Education Major Graduate
- Isabella Proulx, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Achievement in English
- Gaylene Rowland, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Human Services Graduate
- Cholé Harris, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Achievement in Photography & Multimedia
- Isabella Proulx, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Student in Social Sciences
Mathematics & Science
- Yareli Beltran, of Coldwater, Outstanding Achievement in Biology
- Wyatt Waterbury, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Achievement in Chemistry
- Gregory Redlon, of Scotts, Outstanding Achievement in Mathematics
Fine Arts & Communication
- Ellie Aldrich, of Battle Creek, Excellence in Art – Binda Award
- Madilyn Thurtle, of Augusta, Excellence in Communication – Binda Award
- Juan Carlos Sanchez, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Achievement in Art
- Brent Runyon, of Tekonsha, Outstanding Achievement in Communication
Career & Occupational Education Awards
Business & Information Technology
- Joseph Popovich, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Business Management Graduate
- Andrew Maurer, of Delton, Outstanding Computer-Aided Drafting and Design Technology Graduate
- Kristopher Heldt, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Computer Engineering Technology Graduate
- Lexi Davis, of Springfield, Outstanding Graphic Design Graduate
- Catherine Gillihan, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Office Information Technology Graduate
Health
- Sarah Miller, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Dental Hygiene Graduate
- Emily Shepard, of Delton, Outstanding Medical Assistant Student
- Dana Klecker, of Kalamazoo, Outstanding Physical Therapist Assistant Graduate
- Jacob Janofski, of Marshall, Outstanding Associate Degree Full-Time Nursing Graduate
- Robert Essex, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Associate Degree Part-Time Nursing Graduate
Industrial Skilled Trades
- Jeremy Bogart, of Plainwell, Outstanding Industrial Skilled Trades Student
Public Safety Education
- Benjamin Gerth, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Criminal Justice Graduate
- Adam White, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Emergency Medical Services Student
STUDENT & COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION AWARDS
- Payton Espolon, of Battle Creek, All-Michigan Academic Team
- Sarah Smith, of Nashville, All-Michigan Academic Team
- Payton Espolon, of Battle Creek, Catalyst Award
- Jessica Petto, of Battle Creek, Emerging Leader Award
- Lynn Bland, of Battle Creek, Golden Hammer Award
- Brandy Toler, of Coldwater, Level Up Award
- Emma Berning, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Female Scholar Athlete
- Kyle Van Liere, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Male Scholar Athlete
- Rebekah Love, of Battle Creek, Registered Student Organization Advisor of the Year
- Payton Espolon (president), of Battle Creek; Sarah Smith (vice president), of Nashville; Amiee Ayers, of Battle Creek; Ava Cooney, of Athens; Monica Feldpausch, of Hastings; Megan Heath, of Athens; Abigail Jaconette, of Battle Creek; Ellie Nowak, of Charlotte; and Brent Runyon, of Tekonsha, Kampus Activities Board, Registered Student Organization of the Year
- Mallory Gallivan, of Woodland, Registered Student Organization Officer of the Year
- Olivia Johnson, Student Veteran Award
OUTSTANDING DIVISION GRADUATE AWARDS
- Gaylene Rowland, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Arts & Sciences Graduate – Part-Time Student
- Isabella Proulx, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Arts & Sciences Graduate – Full-Time Student
- Robert Essex, of Battle Creek, Outstanding Career & Occupational Education Graduate – Part-Time Student
- Jacob Janofski, of Marshall, Outstanding Career & Occupational Education Graduate – Full-Time Student
- Sarah Smith, of Nashville, Outstanding Student & Community Services Division Graduate – Trailblazer Award
Outstanding Bruin Award winners are usually recognized during an annual awards ceremony on campus in April. This year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, and recipients were recognized during a virtual announcement April 30.
Pictured above: The 2021 Outstanding Division Graduates accept their awards. From left to right are Dr. Adrien Bennings, president of KCC; Gaylene Rowland; Jacob Janofski; Isabella Proulx; and Dr. Paul Watson, vice president for Instruction at KCC. Not pictured are student award winners Robert Essex and Sarah Smith. Photo by Terah Zaremba.
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