During the annual Honors Convocation on April 29, Hastings College presented Marissa Ruiz of Las Vegas, Nevada with the Bronco Award.
Established in 1924, the Bronco Award is the highest non-academic award granted to the College’s students. Recipients of the Bronco Award and the accompanying Who’s Who list are chosen through a vote of their peers and a student-faculty committee.
Who’s Who honorees are recognized for having made outstanding campus contributions during their college careers. Up to 10 percent of the graduating seniors may be named to the Who’s Who list.
Photos from the event, which are free to download, are here.
The livestream is here.
Bios for the Bronco Award recipient and Who’s Who honorees are listed below.
Angela Amaya of Hastings, Nebraska, a music education major, has been a member of Choral Union, the Hastings College Choir and Sigma Alpha Iota. The Dean’s List student has also participated in theatre productions, and has been involved on campus in Alpha Chi, as an Student Ambassador, a Studio 200 tutor and a Bronco Peer Mentor. Amaya also received the Millard Cates Choral Award and the James L. Loch Secondary Education Scholarship.
Donovan Andrews of Chappell, Nebraska, is a music composition major and has been an active member of the music program, performing in the Saxological quartet, the Hastings College Band and other ensembles. He showcased his original composition, “Pigs,” at Academic Showcase in 2025 and at the New Music on the Bayou festival in Louisiana last summer. Andrews also attended SPLICE Institute in Michigan for electronic music composition and frequently collaborates with friends to create music on campus. The Dean’s List student has served as a resident assistant in Babcock Hall since 2023 and was a member of the 2024 homecoming court.
Mariyah Avila of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, is an exercise science major, member of the Dean’s List and played on the women’s basketball team as a guard. The student-athlete also recently received the CSC Academic All-District honor.
Breanna Brennfoerder of Edgar, Nebraska, is an art education major who has participated in Bell Choir, Choral Union, the Hastings College Band, the Marching Broncos Band, Hastings College Choir, Sigma Alpha Iota and student media. The Dean’s List student is a resident assistant, a member of CRU, Nebraska Music Educators Association, collegiate chapter and the Nebraska State Education Association–Aspiring Educators and Kappa Pi. She has also been active in art and theatre.
Macy Bryant of Fremont, Nebraska, is a Spanish and political science double major who is a member of Alpha Chi, women’s basketball and the Dean’s List. The student-athlete also received the CSC Academic All-District honor. She is an intern at the Adams County attorney’s office.
Michaela Fox of Elkhorn, Nebraska, is a health systems major who is a member of the women’s soccer team, student senate, the Association of Student Athletes and the student insights panel. The Dean’s List student is also a campus tour guide and did a sports performance internship.
Kyla Humphreys of Broomfield, Colorado, is a biology and business double major who is a member of Alpha Chi, Beta Beta Beta, Chi Omega Psi, Student Association Programming Board and the softball team. She is also a Dean’s List student and Scott Scholar.
Madeline Kamler of Shickley, Nebraska, is a biology and theatre double major who has participated in Choral Union, the Hastings College Choir and was a member of the Career Services street team. She is also an active member of Alpha Psi Omega, Beta Beta Beta and College Democrats. She has worked on the Collegian and is also president of the Gender Sexuality Alliance.
Molly Kammerer of Sutherland, Nebraska, is a biology education major and part of the Scott Scholars program. She has participated in the Hastings College Choir and Hastings College Republicans, while being a Dean’s List student. She is a current intern for Platte Valley Youth For Christ, directing and leading high school campus ministries. She is active in First Presbyterian Church as a Sunday School teacher, and as part of the FPC Chancel Choir.
Larissa Kaz of Jim Falls, Wisconsin, is an exercise science major and Dean’s List student. She is also a tour guide, women’s wrestling student-athlete and resident assistant. Kaz was also selected for the Hastings College juried All-Student Art Show, and received Best of Show for a piece at the Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation Student Art Show.
Emma Morelli is a history major from Thornton, Colorado. She has participated in the Hastings College Choir and theatre. The Dean’s List student has also worked on the Collegian and completed an internship at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. She is a member of three honors societies, Theta Alpha Kappa; Phi Alpha Theta, where she is president; and Sigma Tau Delta. She has also worked at Perkins Library during her time on campus.
Brianna Narick of Bellevue, Nebraska, is an English major with previous experience on the forensics team, where she placed 6th in poetry at the national level. She has served on many student organizations, including student media, Student Senate and the student insights panel. The Dean’s List student has also worked on the Collegian, and is a member of Phi Alpha Theta and Sigma Tau Delta.
Edward Pallotto of Centennial, Colorado, is a business administration, marketing and Spanish triple major who has served as Student Association’s vice president. He also served on the executive council of the Student Association in previous years, alongside participation in the Student Senate. The Scott Scholar and Dean’s List student is also a track & field athlete and member of Alpha Chi, the interdisciplinary honor society.
Marissa Ruiz of Las Vegas, Nevada, is a wildlife biology major and Dean’s List student. The student-athlete was recently named for the All-KCAC 2nd team in women’s bowling. She has been an active individual across campus, having served on Student Senate, Student Environmental Action, the Latino Student Organization, the Association of Student Athletes and Student Association’s executive council. She has also worked as a resident assistant, a campus tutor and campus tour guide, and is a member of Alpha Chi and Beta Beta Beta.
Wyatt Ryan of Overton, Nebraska, is a business administration major and football student-athlete, who was recently awarded the CSC Academic All-District Honor. He was a part of the homecoming court in Fall 2024. He is also a Dean’s List student and Scott Scholar.
Story Talbert of Morrison, Colorado, is a chemistry major and Dean’s List student. The student-athlete played catcher for the baseball team. He participated in Hastings College’s Christmas pageant in Fall 2025. He has also served on the Student Senate and is a Scott Scholar.
Paige Willcoxon of Elkhorn, Nebraska, is a psychology and Spanish double major and active student on campus. She has served as a resident assistant and Student Association president, and had been on the executive council in previous years. She is a member of Bronco Catholic and the captain for the women’s tennis team. She is also a Dean’s List student and a member of Chi Omega Psi where she is an officer.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.