KU News Release

2006 Ex.C.E.L. Awards finalists to be recognized at homecoming game

LAWRENCE — Ten finalists for the 15th annual Excellence in Community Education and Leadership Awards have been selected by the University of Kansas’ Student Union Activities, Board of Class Officers and homecoming steering committee.

The finalists will be recognized during a private homecoming reception Friday, Oct. 6, in the Kansas Union and will participate in the homecoming parade at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, in downtown Lawrence.

Two winners, a man and a woman, will be announced and recognized during halftime of the KU-Texas A&M University homecoming game Oct. 7 in Memorial Stadium. Kick-off time is 11 a.m.

Ex.C.E.L. Awards provide annual $500 scholarships to a male student and a female student for achievement and leadership. Winners also must work on a leadership conference during the school year in conjunction with KU’s Student Involvement and Leadership Center.

A selection committee with representatives from SUA, the Board of Class Officers and the homecoming steering committee chose finalists on the basis of leadership, effective communication skills, involvement in the KU community, academic scholarship and ability to work with a variety of students and organizations. The award was established in 1991.

To be eligible, applicants must be full-time undergraduate students with an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Each student completed an application and participated in an interview, and 10 finalists were selected.

The finalists are listed below by their hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names and high school (if available).

ATCHISON COUNTY
From Effingham
Nathan Lee Ladd, senior, business management and international studies, son of Ray and Cindy Ladd; Atchison Community High School. Ladd is the president and a founding member of Kansas Connections, an organization serving students from small Kansas communities. This is his second year as a student senator. Last summer, Ladd had an internship in Singapore working for a food distributor doing market research.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66209
Scott R. Ferguson, senior in business administration, son of Lisa Ferguson; Rockhurst High School. Ferguson is the Interfraternity Council president, a member of Mortar Board and the Alpha Nu chapter of Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

Michael Thomas Raupp, senior, business finance, son of Tom and Karla Raupp; Blue Valley North High School. Raupp is president of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and is the Interfraternity Council Judicial Board chief justice. This is his second year as the promotions coordinator for Rock Chalk Revue. Raupp coaches fifth- and sixth-grade boys basketball in the Salvation Army Basketball League. He plans to pursue a career in finance following graduation in May.

From Overland Park 66210
Dena K. Neuenschwander (pronounced Noy-en-sh-won-der), senior, journalism (strategic communications), daughter of Jim and CeeAnn Neuenschwander; Blue Valley Northwest High School. Neuenschwander is an account executive at the University Daily Kansan and vice chair of Student Senate’s University Affairs Committee. She was vice president of the National Residence Hall honorary and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She plans to attend graduate school to earn a master’s in business administration.

From Prairie Village 66207
Lauren Burdette Pierson, senior, English, daughter of Jo and George Pierson; Shawnee Mission East High School. Pierson has been involved with Student Senate boards and committee work and is a member of the Lambda chapter of the Chi Omega sorority. Last spring, she interned with U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kan., in Washington, D.C. She is an intern with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ office. Pierson plans to attend law school.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Derby
Michelle Tran, senior, Slavic languages and literatures and journalism (news and information), daughter of Chinh and Lan Tran; Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, N.H. Last year, Tran was president of Dennis E. Rieger Scholarship Hall and cultural arts coordinator for Student Union Activities. She is a 2006 Truman scholar and a 2005 Pickering Foreign Affairs fellow. She is active in Lawrence Fair Trade and a 2005 Oxfam change initiatives leader.

From Wichita 67203
Viet Minh Hoang Vo, senior, biology, daughter of Quy Thi Vu; Wichita High School East. Vo is proctor of Watkins Scholarship Hall, a member of the Vietnamese Student Association and has done chemistry research under Paul R. Hanson. She has volunteered locally and abroad and plans to attend medical school after volunteering in the Peace Corps.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Tecumseh 66542
Michelle L. Rissky, senior, biology, daughter of Roy and Lorraine Rissky; Shawnee Heights Senior High School. Rissky plans to attend medical school. This is her second year as a KU housing resident assistant, this year in Oliver Hall. She has also lived in GSP-Corbin as a peer educator for the Women in American Society Learning Community and is the president of National Residence Hall honorary. Rissky was director of public relations for Student Union Activities during her junior year.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City 66112
Keyarash “Key” Jahanian, senior, business administration, son of Daryoush and Mahin Jahanian; The Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Mo. Jahanian is vice president of Student Union Activities. He was president of Battenfeld Scholarship Hall, a student senator and the Hawk Nights coordinator for Student Union Activities. He has been on the honor roll every semester at KU.

MISSOURI
From Kansas City 64151
Zak McKibbon Beasley, senior, journalism (news and information), son of Mark and Rebecca Beasley; Saint Pius X High School. Beasley is station manager for 90.7 KJHK, the KU Crew men’s captain, journalism student senator and a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He plans to attend law school.

-30-

The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.