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Ashley Goetze, (Morton, IL) Convocation Speaker
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Luke McIntyre (Gilman, IL) College of Arts and Sciences Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and CAS Dean Inessa Levi
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Kimberly Hughes (Pecatonica, IL) College of Business and Technology Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and CBT Dean Fred Ebeid
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Donna Thompson (LaHarpe, IL) College of Education and Human Services Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and COEHS Associate Dean P. Lance Ternasky
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Jonathan Zeng (Lansing, IL) College of Fine Arts and Communication Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and COFAC Dean Paul Kreider
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Jeffrey Kaufman (Morrison, IL) School of Extended Studies Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and School of Extended Studies administrator Associate Provost Jeanne Clerc
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Nichol Smith (Galva, IL) Centennial Honors College Scholar with President Al Goldfarb and Honors College Director Tom Helm
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WIU College, Departmental, Honors Scholars Named

November 28, 2005

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MACOMB, IL - - Seven students participating in Western Illinois UniversityÂ’s Fall 2005 Commencement Weekend Ceremonies Dec. 16-17 have received the highest recognition from their college faculty for their overall academic excellence by being named College Scholars and the Academic Honors Convocation Speaker.

The 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16 Academic Honors Convocation in Western Hall will honor College Scholars, Departmental Scholars, Honors Scholars and graduate candidates who have earned academic distinction throughout their Western Illinois undergraduate career. Students receive a medallion for each honor, which they wear at Commencement ceremonies. In addition, College Scholars received a $150 cash award from the WIU Foundation.

Academic Convocation Speaker
Ashley Goetze (Morton, IL), a communication major and marketing minor, is the Academic Convocation Speaker. Also named the Communication Departmental Scholar and Honors Scholar, Goetze will talk to her classmates about “Numbered Days.”

“I will briefly reflect on all that we’ve been through as students at WIU over the past four years. It’s easy to get caught up in all that’s going on around us and not appreciate what we’re leaving behind, as well as what we’ve got to look forward to,” Goetze said.

She received the department of communicationÂ’s Thompson Undergraduate Honors Scholar Award in Spring 2005; served as president of the Western Advertising Federation Fall 2004 and Spring 2005; and served as secretary and treasurer of Lambda Pi Eta national communication honor society. Goetze has also been an active member of the Communication Student Society and is a student member of the National Communication Association.

Her undergraduate honors thesis involves the expectations of conflict management styles in romantic relationships and the possible effect on relationship satisfaction. Throughout her Western career, Goetze has extensively researched communication topics including self-disclosure, romantic love and marriage and gender differences.

“I definitely plan on returning to Western to pursue a master’s degree in communication; however, I want to get some ‘real-life’ work experience before I do that,” Goetze said. “I am also thinking about eventually pursuing my Ph.D. and becoming a college professor. I’m not entirely sure where life will take me, but I think that I’m ready for anything, and I completely credit that to my education and to the family, friends, professors and faculty who have helped me along the way.”

Ashley, who will graduate with high academic honors, is the daughter of Pamela Goetze of Morton, IL, and a 2002 graduate of East Peoria High School.

College of Arts and Sciences Scholar
Luke McIntyre (Gilman, IL), a psychology major and sociology minor, is the College of Arts and Sciences Scholar, the Psychology Departmental Scholar and an Honors Scholar. He will graduate with high academic honors.

McIntyre has worked in and conducted research in Associate Professor Kristine KellyÂ’s Interpersonal Relationships Lab. This has included collecting and entering data, conducting library research, writing research reports, planning and designing experiments and presenting research at conferences. McIntyre is part of two research papers accepted for poster presentations at the annual meeting of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Palm Springs, CA (January 2006) and at the Midwestern Psychological Association Conference, Chicago (May 2006).

His undergraduate honors thesis is on “Promoting the Cultural Worldview: Reminders of Death and Endorsement of Religious Values.”

McIntyre, a member of Western Psychology Club, was the recipient of an American Legion Bronze Academic Excellence Medal (Fall 2003). Other honors include membership in Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, Gold Key National Honor Society and Psi Chi National Honor Society for psychology students. He has also been active in intramural sports.

“My goal is to pursue an academic career. I would like to be a professor at a university as my eventual career,” McIntyre said. “Western definitely helped prepare me for graduate school through the Honors College, and this will help me to move on to the next step in achieving my career goals.”

Luke is the son of Jeff and Melinda McIntyre of Gilman, IL, and a 2002 graduate of Iroquois West High School.

College of Business and Technology Scholar
Kimberly Hughes (Pecatonica, IL), an accountancy and finance double major, is the College of Business and Technology Scholar and the Accountancy Departmental Scholar. She will graduate with highest academic honors.

Hughes has been active in such academic societies as Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for international college schools of business; Sigma Iota Epsilon, a management honorary; Rho Epsilon, a national real estate fraternity; and Phi Kappa Phi. She has also participated in WesternÂ’s Finance Club and Bank Management Simulation, served as a Student Ambassador and worked three years as a desk assistant in a residence hall.

She has served two summer internships with State Farm Insurance, one in the financial report and analysis department and one in the internal audit department. After graduation, Hughes will move to Madison, WI to begin her career with McGladrey & Pullen, LLP, where she will start as an audit associate in the general services department and specialize in financial institutions.

“My short-term goal is to pass the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) exam in Spring 2006,” Hughes said. “My long-term career goals include running my own audit engagements and obtaining promotions to management level positions.

“Western’s smaller class sizes also increased my ability to learn. I knew the majority of my professors on a personal basis, which made it easier for me to ask questions and to participate in class,” Hughes added. “Western’s accounting department has been extremely helpful and supportive of my goal to the CPA exam. Numerous other classes have challenged me and helped me to prepare for working with and supervising others, which will help me achieve my other career goals.”

Kimberly is the daughter of Karyl and Gary Hughes of Pecatonica, IL, and a 2001 graduate of Pecatonica High School, where she was ranked first in her class.

College of Education and Human Services
Donna Thompson (LaHarpe, IL), a recreation, park and tourism administration (RPTA) major with religious studies minor, is the College of Education and Human Services Scholar; and she will walk through Commencement Ceremonies on her 49th birthday, Saturday, Dec. 17.

She is also the recipient of the Fall 2005 Outstanding Nontradtional Student Award presented by the UniversityÂ’s Organization of Adult Students for Interaction and Support (OASIS), and she is the first recipient of the RPTA departmentÂ’s Anita H. Magafas Nontraditional Student Award and Scholarship.

Thompson, a wife and mother of four, has been active in the RPTA honors fraternity Rho Phi Lambda, serving as treasurer; and was initiated into the Golden Key International Honour Society.

She is a tireless volunteer, having founded and directed the pee-wee soccer league and a senior exercise and Tai Chi program in La Harpe; as well as leading faith-based programs including marriage seminars, junior high youth groups and programming activities for the LaMoine Christian Camp (Tennessee, IL).

“My son, Caleb, transferred to WIU in Fall 2002, solely for the RPTA major, and when he was home he would talk extensively about his classes and what he was learning,” Thompson said. “I know from what Caleb said that I had found my major. I was looking for a vocation that I would enjoy for the rest of my professional career and I found that in RPTA at WIU.”

Thompson said she hopes to work with a park district, YMCA or other recreation organization; but her next move after graduation is to Ocala, FL, where her husband, Robin, recently relocated to for his employment.

Thompson is the daughter of Rachel Morrison and the late Clyde Morrison of Santa Monica, CA.

College of Fine Arts and Communication Scholar
Jonathan Zeng (Lansing, IL), a music education major, is the College of Fine Arts and Communication College Scholar and the Music Departmental Scholar. He will graduate with high academic honors.

Zeng has served as president and vice president of WesternÂ’s student chapter of the Illinois Collegiate Music Educators Association (ICMEA) and has been active in numerous musical ensembles including the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, University Singers, Madrigal Singers, University Opera Theatre and chamber ensembles. He also served as a four-year intern with the Wesley United Methodist Chancel Choir (Macomb) and was a member of the WIU Wesley Foundation summer ministry musical touring group Aldersgate.

A tenor, Zeng was a three-time regional and tri-state winner in the National Association of Teachers in Singing (NATS) competition and was the winner of the WIU Fall 2004 Concerto/Aria competition. He was a selected participant in a master class with operatic baritone Sherrill Milnes, and was a member of the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center (NC) in Summer 2005. Zeng was a trombone teaching assistant at Birch Creek Performance Center in Door County, WI in Summer 2003.

Academic superlatives include initiation into Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key honor societies.

“I am passionate about music, music education and performance specifically,” Zeng said. “I am especially interested in secondary instrumental education and vocal performance. I have found while at WIU that the better I become as a musician/performer, the better I become as a music teacher. It is important for all music educators, especially ensemble directors, to be able to communicate the intangible, aesthetic values of music.”

Following graduation, Zeng will audition in vocal performance at graduate schools, hoping to begin graduate studies in Fall 2006. He plans to substitute teach Spring 2006 and audition for summer opera programs.

Jonathan is the son of Robert and Barbara Zeng of Lansing, IL, and a graduate of Illiana Christian High School.

School of Extended Studies Scholar
Jeffrey Kaufman (Morrison, IL) will earn WesternÂ’s Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts (BOT/BA) degree and graduate with high academic honors as the Fall 2005 School of Extended Studies Scholar.

“I decided to attend Western based on two factors: cost and location,” Kaufman said. “Not the most glamorous of reasons, but for a nontraditional student who owns his own small business and has a wife and child, they were paramount on my list of priorities. In addition, the BOT/BA program was perfect for attaining my degree without a lot of scheduling conflicts due to its flexibility of course selections.”

Kaufman, a licensed Illinois home inspector, has balanced his professional and family life with his academic life the past two and one-half years.

“The BOT/BA program provided me the opportunity to sample a lot of different courses and investigate various interests,” Kaufman said. “This variety has helped me to hone in on what my true aspirations are to help me to know how best to pursue them.

“After graduation I intend to continue into a master’s degree program or law school,” he added. “I am interested in white collar crime prevention and litigation if I pursue a legal degree, and family systems therapy and social work if I choose to go that route. I would eventually like to teach at the college level to hopefully offer the same knowledge, mentoring and support that I have been so blessed with from my own professors.”

Centennial Honors College Scholar
Nichol Smith (Galva, IL), a biological sciences major with a zoology option and forensic chemistry minor, is the Centennial Honors College Scholar and an Honors Scholar. She will graduate with high academic honors.

Honors students complete curricula in their major department beyond the requirements for traditional degree students. This typically includes a senior thesis or research project. Smith conducted a one-semester research project on the fish population at Spring Lake in Macomb to determine management strategies. She presented her research at WesternÂ’s Undergraduate Research Day in Spring 2005 and will present her results at the Honors Council of the Illinois Regional Research Conference in Spring 2006.

SmithÂ’s honors include induction into the Phi Eta Sigma freshman honors society, the Beta Beta Beta biology honors society and the Golden Key International Honour Society. She will also serve as a Marshal for Fall Commencement Ceremonies.

“Looking back, the biology degree program with a forensic chemistry minor at WIU was a good choice,” Smith said. “My ultimate goal is a career in forensic biology and DNA with a state police unit. I feel my professors and classes have given me the background for achieving this goal. My educational experience at WIU has given me the confidence to succeed in my future endeavors.”

Nichol is the daughter of Dorene Lay and Mark Smith of Galva, and 2002 graduate of Galva High School.

Departmental and Honors Scholars recognized at the Academic Honors Convocation include the following, by county and hometown:

ADAMS COUNTY
QUINCY – Sarah Ishmael, Economics Departmental Scholar; Jennifer Whicker, Graphic Communication Departmental Scholar

CARROLL COUNTY
LANARK – Zachary Noordhoff – Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration Departmental Scholar
MILLEDGEVILLE – Kali Landis, Mathematics Departmental Scholar and Honors Scholar

CLINTON COUNTY
AVISTON – Larissa Peters, Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Departmental Scholar
NEW BADEN – Diane Biekert, Kinesiology Departmental Scholar

COOK COUNTY
CHICAGO
60629 – Rebecca Jania (3450 block of W. 60th Place), Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration major, Honors Scholar
MOUNT PROSPECT – Melissa Norwick, Psychology major, Honors Scholar
RIVERSIDE – Rebecca Abbatiello, Family and Consumer Sciences Departmental Scholar

DUPAGE COUNTY
GLEN ELLYN – Elizabeth Edelstein, Journalism Departmental Scholar
WEST CHICAGO – Laura McQueen, Bilingual/Bicultural Education Departmental Scholar

FULTON COUNTY
AVON – Onie Rogers, Management Departmental Scholar; Breanna Bennett, Special Education Departmental Scholar
CUBA – Joel Hammond, Construction Management Departmental Scholar

HANCOCK COUNTY
CARTHAGE – Lisa Krieg, Interdisciplinary Studies Departmental Studies

HENRY COUNTY
KEWANEE – Tracey Dynes, Art (B.A.) Departmental Scholar

KANE COUNTY
SAINT CHARLES – Marcus Simmons, Law Enforcement and Justice Administration Departmental Scholar and Honors Scholar

LAKE COUNTY
GRAYSLAKE – Nicholas Quinn, Supply Chain Management Departmental Scholarship
LAKE ZURICH – Timothy Janowski, Finance Departmental Scholar

LIVINGSTON COUNTY
PONTIAC – Christie Eden, Human Resource Management Departmental Scholar
MASON COUNTY
HAVANA – Lindsay Bohn, Elementary Education, Departmental Scholar

OGLE COUNTY
BYRON – Carrie Helms, Political Science Departmental Scholar and Honors Scholar
MOUNT MORRIS – Frederick Guist, Marketing Departmental Scholar

ROCK ISLAND COUNTY
EAST MOLINE – Melette Pearce, Instructional Technology and Telecommunications Departmental Scholar
ROCK ISLAND – Daniel Griego, Information Management Departmental Scholar

SCHUYLER COUNTY
RUSHVILLE – Terry Lucas, Computer Science Departmental Scholar; Laura Black, English Departmental Scholar and Honors Scholar

TAZEWELL COUNTY
EAST PEORIA – Ashley Wang, Special Education major, Honors Scholar

WAYNE COUNTY
CISNE – Melissa Murineanu, Communication Sciences and Disorders Departmental Scholar

WILL COUNTY
BRAIDWOOD – Melissa King, Theatre Departmental Scholar
MANHATTAN – Todd Puthoff, Philosophy Departmental Scholar

WINNEBAGO COUNTY
ROCKFORD – Daniel Davis, African American Studies Departmental Scholar and Sociology Departmental Scholar

IOWA
DES MOINES – Jamie Danz, Management major, Honors Scholar
FORT MADISON – Neil Kirkhart, Agriculture Departmental Scholar
MORNING SUN – Angela Kerr, Biology Departmental Scholar

KOREA
SEOUL – Dong Hwa Kim – Art (B.F.A.) Departmental Scholar

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