Dear CC Community,
As we enter into an unusual commencement weekend, with six separate events, let’s pause to honor some of our outstanding seniors in Christ College who have been recognized in many ways by the Valpo campus community.
Two of the six Student Commencement Speakers are from Christ College: Jenna Rifai, for the College of Arts & Sciences, and Anna Raimondi, for the College of Engineering.
The Valparaiso University Alumni Association (VUAA) Distinguished Student Award recognizes graduating seniors from each of Valpo’s undergraduate colleges who model scholarly achievement, leadership, and character. Jenna Rifai and Jenna Johnston were selected to represent Christ College. Another dual citizen of CC, Jacob Nadolsky, was chosen to represent the College of Arts & Sciences.
The Student Affairs Outstanding Leadership and Service Award recognizes the depth and breadth of the leadership and service provided to the university and/or local community. CC awardees are Brennan Dettmann, Jacob Nadolsky, and Taylor Nesselroad.
The Calling & Character Student Essay Prize, sponsored by the Institute for Leadership and Service, was awarded to Miranda Engholm, with Jacob Nadolsky earning an honorable mention.
The Calling and Purpose in Society (CAPS) Fellow Award recognizes students’ commitment to service in community and understanding their vocation as a way to better the world. Miranda Engholm and Jacob Nadolsky are CC senior awardees, who will do reflective summer internships with service organizations.
Finally, many CC students were selected for the most respected national honor societies—one technology focused and the other humanities:
Tau Beta Pi
Founded in 1885, Tau Beta Pi is recognized as the preeminent, national engineering honor society and the only one representing all engineering fields and disciplines. Christ College senior inductees include Anna Raimondi, Lindsey Tryban, and Drew Witte.
Phi Beta Kappa
As America's most prestigious academic honor society, Phi Beta Kappa has celebrated excellence in the liberal arts & sciences and championed free thought since 1776. Senior CC inductees are Anna Bedalov, Grace Biermann, Sarah Bortz, Noelle Canty, Brennan Dettmann, Miranda Engholm, Jenna Johnston, Monique Le Donne, Maria Marzullo, Jacob Nadolsky, Marie Dix, Emily Friedman, Lexi Gault, and Ella Speckhard.
Please join me in congratulating these members of our CC community, along with every graduating Christ College senior! Well done.
Dean VanZanten
