Caitlyn Hayes of Hammond and formerly of Griffith received the Purdue University Northwest Calumet Campus Outstanding Student Leadership Award for the 2015-16 academic year, while Mary Skube of Chesterton was the Leadership Award recipient at PNW North Central.
The awards headlined a wide range of honors announced during a student recognition banquet held recently at each campus.
Outstanding PNW Leader
Hayes, who earned a baccalaureate degree this spring in accounting and begins a job this summer with the national accounting, consulting and technology firm, Crowe Horwath LLP, served as president of the Purdue Calumet chapter of the Finance and Accounting Club.
She also was secretary for the Women and Business Club, a peer mentor for the Student Advisory Counsel for the College of Business, chief financial officer and secretary of student engagement for the Student Government Association, and an English language mentor for the International Programs Office.
Additionally, Hayes and fellow Finance and Accounting Club members participated in the CPA Day of Service, during which students partnered with local CPA firms to perform community service. She also organized the Annual "Turkey Legs Contest," which raised funds to provide Thanksgiving meals for 500 families, and she led a student team that visited local high schools to promote the PNW Calumet College of Business and related accounting and finance programs.
Outstanding PNW North Central leader
Skube was president of the PNW North Central Campus’ American Sign Language (ASL) Club during the 2015-16 academic year. Under her leadership, the club held monthly coffeehouse events, a Fun Night, Game Night and a Silent Dinner at Culver’s. The ASL also hosted a Deaf Comedy Live event, featuring internationally recognized deaf comedian John Smith.
She also was instrumental forming an ASL intermediate club for fifth and sixth graders and led a collaborative effort between the PNW North Central ASL Club and the newly-formed intermediate club to hold a Game Night. Additionally, she was the driving force in the design and development of T-shirts as a fundraiser. What’s more, the PNW North Central ASL Club is providing sponsorship support for a deaf child to attend an Indiana deaf camp in July.
Skube, who previously taught as a licensed special education teacher, returned to college to improve her ASL skills. She served the past academic year as an Educational ASL interpreter. She hopes to resume her teaching career this fall as a special education or deaf education teacher.
Other PNW North Central honorees
Other PNW North Central award recipients are:
Student Government Awards: Club Member of the Year—Nicolaus Patterson of Lake Station; Club Advisor of the Year—Bennett Nott, Trail Creek; and Club of the Year—Accounting.
American Sign Language: Excellence Award—Mary Skube, Chesterton; Joshua Mann, La Porte; Nikki Anthony, Michigan City; Jessica McGuire, Rolling Prairie; and Michael Lafollette, La Porte.
Business Leadership Society / Society for Human Resources Management: Outstanding Leadership Award—Kimberly Franklin, Valparaiso; Leadership Service Award—Keenan Scutchfield, North Judson; Holly Harris, Chesterton; Hayley Miller, Hebron; and Tommy Watkins, Porter.
Circle K Outstanding Membership Award: Caitlyn Swan, La Porte; Tyler Brown, Valparaiso; Taylor Briel, Valparaiso; Rebecca Ordway, Portage; Kurt Urbanski, La Porte; Sam Richmond, Michigan City; Matt Migliorini, Sullivan; Alejandra Renteria, Plymouth; Cody Grzelak, Union Mills; and Virginia Ramos-Romero, Michigan City.
Dean’s Leadership Group Outgoing / Incoming Officer Recognition: Outgoing Officers—Ellyn Johansen, Valparaiso; Danielle Szymkowski, Michigan City; Samantha Lincoln, Medaryville; and Caroline Brown, Minooka, Ill. Incoming Officers—Riley Owens, Valparaiso; Morgan Bradley, Mishawaka; Lauren Georgeff, Valparaiso; and Kyleigh Werner, Westville.
Panther News Network (PNN) Writer and Broadcaster Recognition—Kristen Wozniak, La Porte; Maria Elena Miller, Michigan City; Scott Urbanski, La Porte; Riley Owens, Valparaiso; Ashley Taber, Valparaiso; and Trent Laughlin, La Porte.
Ranting Llamas Improv Troupe: Commander in Chief Award—Rachel Rogers, Michigan City; Founding Member Award—Alex Strohmeyer, Valparaiso; and Andrew Holt, Long Beach.
Social Work Student Organization Awards: Officer Recognition—Jamie Dillon, La Porte; Kayla Shifley, Valparaiso; Mariel McElfresh, Chesterton; Jami Jackson, La Porte; Mark Lewis, Valparaiso; and Arlene Moore, Portage. Club Advisor Excellence Award—Bennett Nott, Trail Creek. Certificate of Appreciation—Robin Miller, Valparaiso and Pam Saylor, Valparaiso.
Student Activities Mini-Grant Recognition: Psi Chi and Social Work Student Organization
Career Center. Student Employee of the Year—Felicia Bell, Chicago, Ill. Diversity Initiative Mini-Grant—Social Work Student Organization. TRiO Student Support Services Student of the Year Award—Gregory Wireman, La Porte.
Student Government Association Recognition: President—Travis Ziegler; Vice President—Shane Hill; Secretary—Danielle Szymkowski, Michigan City; Treasurer—Matthew Migliorini, Sullivan; Representatives—Shawna DeGraff, La Porte; Tyler Feece, Walkerton; Ashley Starcevich, Lowell; Kurt Urbanski, La Porte; Jason Wray, Valparaiso; Nathaniel Kennedy, La Porte; Zachary Jakubowski, Chesterton; Anneliese Kieper, Hebron; and Lora Page, Michigan City.
Other PNW Calumet honorees
Other PNW Calumet award recipients are:
Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges: Leizel Acres, Schererville; Samantha Basar, Plainfield, Ill.; Abigail Bondi, Whiting; Jacalyn Brabbs, Hammond; Brittney Brack, Crown Point; Jessica Castro, Hammond; Nicole Cichocki, Hammond; Nicholas Ecsy, Highland; Lindsey Flagg, Crown Point; David Haddad, Dyer; Caitlyn Hayes, Hammond; Ayden Henderson-Vigil, Munster; Hannah Kelly, Peru; Bailey Lauritzen, Portage; Haley Loden, Crown Point; Karina Longfellow, Cedar Lake; Jessica Loy, Valparaiso; Seidu Mahama, Lake Station; Patrick Mudd, Crown Point; Zoe Rozich, Schererville; Haley Smith, Hammond; Yvette Thomas, Crown Point; Shelisa Thomas, Gary; Melissa Sida Diaz, Hammond; Jessica Van Kley, Dyer; Tongan Wang, Munster; and Jesenia Zendejas, Highland.
Above and Beyond Award recipients for leadership and service to student organizations: Sam Dangerfield, Crown Point; William D. Kroncke, Crown Point; Evan Laviolette, Griffith; Julie Hryniowiecki, Dyer; Amber Neyhart, Hammond; Brittany Brack, Crown Point; Jelena Marcic, Schererville; Erika Palmerin, East Chicago; Joseph Palma, Munster; Mike MacNeill, Hebron; Jovana Kobb, Mishawaka; Grace Wilk, Cedar Lake; Stephanie Hamilton, Highland; Caitlyn Hayes, Hammond; Nicole Cichocki, Hammond; Leizel Acres, Schererville; Gina McDonnell, St John; and Daniel King, Highland.
Dean of Students Student Organization Award: (co-recipients) InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and Finance and Accounting Club. Dean of Students Student Organization Advisor Award: Professor Edward Furticella, Munster (Finance and Accounting Club)
Purdue University Northwest
With recent approval by the Higher Learning Commission, Purdue University Calumet and Purdue University North Central have unified to become Purdue University Northwest (PNW), a comprehensive regional university within the Purdue University system. When it welcomes its first class this fall, PNW will become Indiana’s fifth largest public university with some 15,000 students and 70+ degree programs.