SMU recognizes outstanding achievement at 2015-16 Hilltop Excellence Awards, Honors Convocation

SMU Mothers’ and Dads’ Clubs
Recognize 2016 Outstanding
Senior Women and Men

DALLAS (SMU) — The Mothers’ and Dads’ Clubs of Southern Methodist University recently recognized 20 candidates for the 2016 Outstanding Senior Woman & Man Awards and announced this year’s winners during April 18 recognition events.

Candidates for the annual awards are selected by the deans of each of SMU’s five colleges based on the nominee’s high academic achievement, leadership, character, community service and campus involvement. Candidates then conduct personal interviews with members of the SMU Mothers’ and Dads’ Clubs, who determine the Outstanding Senior Woman and Outstanding Senior Man Award winners. Award winners are given a $1,000 honorarium in connection with the distinction.

All nominees and their families were honored at an April 18 afternoon reception at the home of SMU President and Mrs. R. Gerald Turner. At the Hilltop Excellence Awards ceremony later that evening, Mothers’ Club President Julie Edwards and Vice President-Scholarship Michelle Allums announced Emily Towler, as the 2016 SMU Outstanding Senior Woman. Dads’ Club President Ken Davis and President-Elect Jay Miller announced Max Agadoni as the 2016 SMU Outstanding Senior Man.

Following are biographical highlights of the 2016 Outstanding Senior Woman and Outstanding Senior candidates (listed alphabetically by nominee’s school):

Cox School of Business

Kimberly Beers, a finance major from Los Altos, Calif., is a Provost Scholar and member of the SMU women’s golf team and Chi Omega sorority. Beers previously was named an American Athletic Conference Honors Award recipient for her performance in the classroom as well as her sport.

Sabrina Janski, an accounting major from Centennial, Colo., is a BBA and Founders’ Scholar and is in the University Honors Program at SMU. She has been a Resident Assistant (RA) for three years, as well as serving as an officer for both the National Residence Hall Honorary and her Gamma Phi Beta sorority.

Paul Nork, a financial consulting major from Lafayette, Calif., has served as president of the Boulevard Investment Group while at SMU and is a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Nork previously received the Don Jackson Fellowship.

JB Stockslager, a finance major from Paradise Valley, Ariz., is a recognized scholar in the BBA, Provost and New Century Scholar programs at SMU. He has been a student representative on the SMU Board of Trustees, a student senator and has supplemented his studies with internships with the Bush Institute, Ernst & Young, Aspen Healthcare and the SMU Athletic Department. He previously served as president of his Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.

Dedman College of Humanities & Sciences

Matthew Anderson, a bachelor’s candidate in both English and music from San Antonio, Texas, is a Hunt Leadership Scholar, a Dedman College Scholar and also served as an RA for three years. Anderson also was a founding member of SMU’s Residential Commons Leadership Corps. Anderson also studied abroad in the SMU-in-South Africa program.

Emily Dombrowski, a history major from Flower Mound, Texas, is a member of the University Honors Program and served as a student representative on SMU’s Board of Trustees on the Academic Affairs Committee. Dombrowski also served as Chief of Staff of the SMU Student Senate and student senator for Dedman College, while also serving as an RA and officer in her Alpha Chi Omega sorority.

Justin Hicks, a bachelor’s candidate in both biological sciences and Spanish from McKinney, Texas, is a President’s Scholar and participated in the Embrey Human Rights Program through which he studied human rights abroad in El Salvador, Costa Rica and Chile. Hicks also is an Eagle Scout.

Emily Towler, a bachelor’s candidate in Spanish, economics and secondary education from Tulsa, Okla., is a Hunt Scholar, a Dedman Scholar and is in the University Honors Program. During her time at SMU, she has been involved in the Mustang Heroes service organization, a singer in the Belle Tones A Cappella Choir and served as philanthropy chair for her Chi Omega sorority

Lyle School of Engineering

Max Agadoni from Leawood, Kan., will receive both his bachelor’s degree in management science and his master’s degree in operations research from SMU this May. Agadoni is a scholar in the Provost, Hilltop and Engineering Fellows programs and a member of Omega Rho honor society. While at SMU, Agadoni has served as a student representative to the Board of Trustees, as well as serving as an officer in Student Foundation. As part of his studies, he has worked on projects for American Airlines, AT&T and Engineers Without Borders.

Nastasha Gerlt, an electrical engineering major from Dallas, has been a teaching assistant in the Lyle School of Engineering for two years, while also serving the school as an administrative assistant. Gerlt served as conference chair for SMU’s Society of Women Engineers and also as a captain of the Mustang Mavericks country dance team.

Austin Wells from Slidell, La., will receive both his bachelor’s degree in computer science and master’s degree in design and innovation from SMU this May. He is a scholar in the National Science Foundation IDEAL and Lyle School of Engineering programs. Wells previously has served internships with Google and Microsoft and has been involved in research and development projects with the U.S. Marine Corps. He has been a teaching assistant for two years in engineering design and is the founder/executive director of Hack DFW, a student-led hackathon event with a $500,000 annual budget.

Alexandra Yauch, a civil engineering major from Grapevine, Texas, is a Lyle Scholar, Founders’ Scholar and IDEAL Engineering Fellows Scholar. She has been a four-year member and past president of the Lyle Ambassadors, as well as a research analyst in Lyle’s Innovation Gym and a teaching assistant for the engineering school. She has served as an RA for two years and was a captain of the Mustang Mavericks country dance team.

Meadows School of the Arts

Nicolas Gonzalez Morales, a studio arts major from Dallas, transferred to SMU after receiving his associate’s arts degree from Brookhaven College. His paintings and sculptures have been featured in numerous galleries and exhibitions throughout the Dallas area including three consecutive years as part of the annual Dallas Arboreteum and Botanical Gardens’ Hollywood Home and Garden Tours. He currently is working on a public mural project with local children Dallas’ Pike Park that chronicles the history of Dallas’ “Little Mexico” community.

Rebekah Tate, a journalism major from Plano, Texas, has combined her love for journalism and politics by serving internships with Glenn Beck’s The Blaze TV, KRLD News Radio Production and the Children’s Medical Center Seacrest Studios. A former member of the SMU rowing team, Tate has also served as executive director for SMU-TV’s Real Talk weekly political broadcast and Daily Update programs.

Chris Warley, a bachelor’s candidate in both journalism and business from Atlanta, Ga., is a scholar in SMU’s BBA, Meadows, Sewell Merit and William O’Neill Scholar programs. A Don Jackson Fellow and member of the Robert S. Hyer honor society, Warley has served as a student senator and is a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.

Jennifer Zotz, a bachelor’s candidate in both communications studies and international studies from McKinney, Texas, is a President’s Scholar and member of the Robert S. Hyer honor society. Zotz served as Student Foundation president and as a student representative to the Board of Trustees and Student Affairs Student Advisory Board. She is a member of Chi Omega sorority.

Simmons School of Education and Human Development

Ariana Dubelko, an applied physiology and health management major from Santa Monica, Calif., attended SMU on an athletic scholarship as a member of the SMU Equestrian Team. As part of her studies, she has served as a research assistant in SMU’s Integrated Physiology Lab working on multiple sclerosis research and as a medical coordinator for Dallas Pets Alive.

Sarah Hurley, a bachelor’s candidate in both English and educational studies from Mineola, Texas, is a Founders’ and Hilltop Scholar and a section/squad leader in SMU’s Mustang Band. Hurley also has served as a Dedman College Ambassador and communications director for the Mustang Band’s annual Homecoming event “Pigskin Revue.”

Brian Schoelzel, a sports management major from Englewood, Colo., has supplemented his studies with internships with the Denver-based Kroenke Sports and Entertainment and Mile High Sports and Dallas-based Learfield Sports and the Dallas Stars hockey team. Schoelzel, a member of SMU’s ice hockey club team, is a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.

Nate White, a bachelor’s candidate in both economics and education from Lexington, Ky., is a Provost and Mustang Scholar, as well as a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Lambda Theta and Omicron Delta Epsilon honor societies. White has broadened his studies through several international programs including SMU-in-Madrid and SMU-in-Oxford. He has served the SMU community as a Peruna (school mascot) handler and in a variety of leadership roles in his Beta Upsilon Chi fraternity.

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