Ten KU seniors named finalists for 25th annual Ex.C.E.L. Awards

LAWRENCE — Ten finalists have been selected for the 25th annual Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership Awards at the University of Kansas. The finalists, all seniors, will participate in the Homecoming parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, along Massachusetts Street in downtown Lawrence. Two winners, one male and one female, will be announced during halftime of the KU-Oklahoma homecoming football game Oct. 31 at Memorial Stadium.

The Ex.C.E.L. Award provides an annual $500 scholarship to two students. The winners will plan the Blueprints Leadership Conference next spring in conjunction with KU’s Student Involvement and Leadership Center. Nominees were selected on the basis of leadership, effective communication skills, involvement at KU and in the Lawrence community, academic scholarship and ability to work with a variety of students and organizations. The selection committee included representatives from Student Union Activities, the Board of Class Officers, the Student Involvement and Leadership Center and the Homecoming Steering Committee.

The award was first given in 1991 to recognize one male and one female student for achievement. Names of winners are listed on a plaque on the fifth level of the Kansas Union. To be eligible, applicants must be full-time undergraduate students with an overall grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. Each finalist completed an application and participated in an interview. The finalists and their academic majors are listed below, along with highlights of their campus achievements.

DOUGLAS COUNTY

From Lawrence

Alex Kong, pharmaceutical studies with a minor in creative writing, serves Mortar Board as president and is founder and president of the KU Society of Scientists. He is an advisory board member for the School of Pharmacy peer mentor program and volunteers at the Lawrence Community Shelter and Kansas Audio Reader.

JOHNSON COUNTY

From Overland Park

Elliott Brady, biology, is on the executive board of the Jayhawk Health Initiative and a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He is the drum major for the Marching Jayhawks and also served as rank leader. He volunteers at the Heartland Community Health Center and has been a children’s camp counselor for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Camille Douglas, marketing, is a multicultural recruitment student ambassador for KU admissions and president of the National Panhellenic Council. She served as vice president and secretary of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and is a member of the Black Student Union. She is a Sunday school teacher and a Christian youth camp counselor.

Michael Schugart, finance with a minor in psychology, is president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and also served as chaplain and historian. He is a student ambassador for KU Admissions and the University Honors Program and is a sponsorship committee member for KU Dance Marathon. He volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence.

Alvaro Papa Silva, mechanical engineering, is president of the Engineering Student Council and service chair for Mortar Board. He serves as vice president of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and is a member of the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Class of 2016. He is a University Honors Program student and studied abroad in India.

From Prairie Village

Madeline Sniezek, finance and accounting, is treasurer of Student Senate and a justice for the Panhellenic Association Judicial Board. She is a member of Kappa Delta sorority and serves as the leadership and involvement chair. She is a founding member and past fundraising director of Hawks Helping Hawks, and she volunteers for the Girl Scouts of America and KU’s Big Event.

From Stillwell

Lauren Arney, biology with a minor in public policy, chairs the Student Health Advisory Board and is a member of Student Senate. She is president of the KU Memorial Unions Corporation Board and a member of Chi Omega sorority, where she has served as director of outreach cabinets, chapter secretary and community service chair.

MISSOURI

From Parkville

Hannah Reinhart, journalism and political science, is president of the Panhellenic Association and previously served as the director of interfraternal relations and membership development. She directed fundraising for Rock Chalk Revue and served on Student Senate. She was a recruitment committee coordinator for the Big Event and volunteers at Kansas Audio Reader, Natural Ties and Service for Sight.

NEBRASKA

From Swanton

Angela Bass, elementary education, is vice president of membership for the Student Alumni Leadership Board and a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority, where she served as vice president of membership programming. She is on the family relations committee for KU Dance Marathon and co-founded KU Students Together Against Cancer.

OKLAHOMA

From Edmond

Evan Traylor, political science and Jewish studies with a minor in leadership studies, is an intern at KU Hillel and a board trustee for the Union for Reform Judaism, where he also served as a Kutz Camp co-program coordinator. He is a KU peer leadership consultant and a LeaderShape graduate. He participates in the Mortar Board Honor Society.