2015 ExCEL Award winners announced at Homecoming game

Sat, 10/31/2015

Jennifer Jackson Sanner

LAWRENCE — Two University of Kansas seniors received the 25th annual Excellence in Community, Education and Leadership Awards during halftime of the KU-Oklahoma Homecoming football game Oct. 31 in Memorial Stadium.

The 2015 ExCEL award winners are Hannah Reinhart of Parkville, Missouri, and Evan Traylor of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Hannah Reinhart, who is majoring in journalism and political science, is the daughter of Michele and Tony Reinhart of Parkville. She 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.

Evan Traylor, a political science and Jewish studies major with a minor in leadership studies, is the son of Eddie and Ann Baumgarten Traylor of Edmond. He 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.

The ExCEL Award provides an annual $500 award to two students. The winners will plan the Blueprints Leadership Conference next spring in conjunction with KU’s Student Involvement and Leadership Center.

The winners were selected from among 10 finalists 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 established in 1991 to recognize one male and one female student for achievement and to add student interest to annual Homecoming festivities. 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.