KU recognizes 11 students with 2026 University Awards
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas has awarded 11 students with honors that recognize community engagement, leadership and academics. The University Awards, among the most prestigious awards presented at KU, were established to recognize students who embody service excellence, dedication or whose academic achievements are stellar.
Class of 1913 Award
These annual awards go to two graduating students who show evidence of intelligence, devotion to studies, personal character and promise of usefulness to society.
Abby Schneider
Abby Schneider received this award as a senior in community health with a minor in psychology from Latham, New York.
“KU challenged me academically, shaped my values and expanded my understanding of health through service, leadership and community engagement,” Schneider said. “I have embraced every opportunity to learn deeply and serve meaningfully. I hope to carry forward the values KU instilled in me, such as service, leadership, empathy and curiosity into my future career as an occupational therapist.”
Laia Terencia-Hernàndez
Laia Terencia-Hernàndez received this award as a senior in biochemistry from Sabadell, Spain.
"The University of Kansas gave me a place to grow into myself,” Terencia-Hernàndez said. “In return, I have tried to give KU my effort, my care and my commitment to others. I am deeply grateful for this community, and I (am) honored to be recognized alongside students who share the same dedication to serving the university and the people within it.”
The Donald K. Alderson Award
The award goes to a graduating senior who has demonstrated loyalty to and interest in the university and who has been active in events and services that benefit other students. This award was established in memory of Alderson, former dean of men and dean of student services.
Emmanuel Saama
Emmanuel Saama received this award as a senior in molecular, cellular & developmental biology from Overland Park.
“As my time at the university draws to a close, I find myself feeling a deep sense of gratitude and fulfillment,” Saama said. “KU will forever and always hold a special place in my heart.”
“This institution has invested immensely in me during my time here, and in return, I have been able to give back to the place that has given me so much. Although much of my academic journey still lies ahead, I know with certainty that KU has laid a strong foundation upon which future blessings will be built.”
The Rusty Leffel Concerned Student Award
This award annually goes to students who demonstrate a concern for furthering the ideals of the university and higher education. The award was established by a group of seniors in 1973 to honor their fellow student, Leffel.
Yessenia Rodriguez
Yessenia Rodriguez received this award as a graduate student in the master’s in higher education administration program from West Liberty, Iowa.
“When I started at (KU), my main priority was to (earn) my master’s degree and move on to the next chapter of my life,” Rodriguez said. “However, I became more connected to KU than I thought I would be.”
As president of the Higher Education Student Association, she said, “I know that even though I am helping lead the organization, it has also helped me prepare for my future career.”
Katherine Goodwin
Katherine Goodwin received this award as a junior in political science and women, gender & sexuality studies from Leawood.
“I aimed to create a space for student survivors to have a supportive community and work together on preventing sexual violence,” Goodwin said of founding Jayhawks Against Sexual Violence. “I am reminded through my work at KU that creating a safer world and campus for the next generation is possible, and collaborative community work is crucial to recognizing issues and solutions, and working towards them together to create social change.”
Nathan Binshtok
Nathan Binshtok received this award as a senior in economics and political science with a certificate in data science from Overland Park.
“At KU, I’ve embraced numerous opportunities to get involved in the KU community, provide educational opportunities and engage in leadership,” Binshtok said. “I plan to attend law school in the future to advocate for others, inform them of their legal rights and protect those rights in the court.”
“Whatever commitments I make will be guided by the same concern for others that has shaped my path and continues to motivate my future.”
The Alexis F. Dillard Award
This award goes to two graduating students who have unselfishly contributed to the university through campus involvement. It was established in 1993 by Dillard’s family and friends to remember and honor him.
Sloane Smith
Sloane Smith received this award as a senior in exercise science and dance from Littleton, Colorado.
“I have spent my time at KU creating the community I felt the first time I chanted ‘Rock Chalk,’ letting KU create impact in my life path while also giving me a platform to create powerful and meaningful experiences for all students on campus and beyond,” Smith said. “Everything I’ve done at KU, from dancing onstage, leading in the lab or organizing campuswide events, has had the same mission: to create echoes of connection, passion and purpose.”
Jay Patel
Jay Patel received this award as a senior in computer science from Gujarat, India.
“As I prepare to graduate, I think about everything KU has given me and sculpted me into,” Patel said. “I came searching for belonging. I leave committed to carrying that spirit forward and creating it for others. A journey, a legacy — I am honored to uphold and pass on. Rock Chalk.”
The Caryl K. Smith Student Leader Award
This award goes to a graduating sorority or fraternity member who has demonstrated commitment to the local chapter, the KU sorority and fraternity community, the university and the Lawrence community. It was established in 1993 to honor Smith, a former dean of student life.
Emily Sutter
Emily Sutter received this award as a senior in journalism & mass communications with a minor in Spanish from Omaha, Nebraska.
“KU has truly shown me that my personality, high energy and drive are never ‘too much,’” Sutter said. “Using my voice for good on campus through passionate leadership, academic rigor and community engagement is what I truly believe it means to be a Jayhawk.”
“Being at KU has truly allowed me to reach my full potential in all aspects of my life. I now have a proper response to someone who claims I am too energetic or happy— ‘Of course I am, I’m a Jayhawk.”
The Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle Student Scholar Award
This award is presented to a graduating senior scholarship hall student. Recipients have demonstrated academic focus, leadership in the scholarship hall and commitment to the KU and Lawrence communities.
Hanna Meeks
Hanna Meeks received this award as a senior in journalism & mass communications with a minor in sport management with a certificate in name, image & likeness from Colorado Springs, Colorado.
“Like many, I call the University of Kansas home,” Meeks said. “And not because I live here, but because it is a community that I am proud to be a part of. As I look ahead, I am eager to carry the lessons and ready to face the challenges with the same perseverance that defined my four years on the Hill.”
Campanile Award
The Campanile Award is given to a single graduating senior who has displayed remarkable leadership, character and respect for KU.
Deborah Onuosa
Deborah Onuosa received this award as a senior in computer science from Lekki, Nigeria.
“Excellence, to me, is not a single moment of success but a pattern of commitment sustained over time,” Onuosa said. “I have learned that the most meaningful contributions are often quiet, consistent and rooted in responsibility.”
“Whether in academic spaces, student leadership or service roles, I have approached my time at KU with the belief that showing up fully, especially when it is difficult or unseen, matters. University Awards represent the values I strive to uphold daily: dedication, excellence in action and a genuine commitment to leaving every space better than I found it.”
About KU Student Affairs
Led by Vice Provost Tammara Durham, KU Student Affairs engages the KU community in programs, services and spaces that make learning possible. This work is accomplished through building community, positively impacting the lives of students and prioritizing students’ well-being.