On May 8, 2015, Brooke Ballou of Wilsonville, Nebraska, and Sierra Walker of Gering, Nebraska, were named the 2015 Bronco Award recipient at Hastings College’s annual Honors Convocation.
Established in 1924, the Bronco Award is the College’s highest non-academic award granted to students. Nominees for the Bronco Award and the Who’s Who list are determined through a vote of their peers. They must be graduating seniors who have made outstanding campus contributions during their college careers. The list and award winners are then selected by a secret student-faculty committee.
Bios for Ballou, Walker and other Who’s Who honorees are below:
Brooke Ballou is an agribusiness and marketing major from Wilsonville, Nebraska. She is the founder and president of Hastings College [AG]vocates and has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout college. She served as co-chair of the Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee, chief financial officer for Phi Beta Lambda business honorary, promotional director for Food4Thought, student representative on the Future of Residence Halls Committee, resident assistant at Taylor Hall, director of newspaper advertising for the student-run Collegian newspaper and Campus Tour Guide. A member of Alpha Chi academic honorary and Omicron Delta Kappa, she was named a Creigh Weyer Scholar and Alpha Chi Outstanding First-Year Student.
Blake Bowland is a marketing major from Tekamah, Nebraska. He has served as co-chair of the Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee, parliamentarian of the Student Association Cabinet and chief executive officer of the Professional Business Leaders. He has maintained a 4.0 grade point average during his collegiate career and was named Mr. Bronco. Bowland has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary, Alpha Chi academic honorary, the Student Senate, the Student Association Executive Council, HC Media Online, Pi Rho Sigma fraternity and the Bronco Men’s Golf team.
Matthew Brooks of Hastings, Nebraska, is majoring in English and German education and German. A dean’s list student, he has served as Student Association representative to the Faculty Senate and a commentator for HC Media Online’s soccer broadcasts. Brooks organized the HC Fall Festival and played for the Bronco Men’s Soccer and Bronco Men’s Tennis teams.
Hayley Buckman is a communication studies and English major from Strasburg, Colorado. She has served as president of Chi Omega Psi sorority, secretary of the Student Education Association, chair of the Student Judiciary Council, social chair for the Inter-Greek Council and a campus tour guide. A dean’s list student, Buckman has been a member of the Bronco Women’s Basketball team, the Student Alumni Association, Sigma Tau Delta English honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary. She was an Irish Fellow and the 2015 May Fete Queen.
Jocelyn Delgado is a psychology major from Brighton, Colorado. A dean’s list student, she is a member of Sigma Tau Delta English honorary, the Student Association Executive Council, Chi Omega Psi sorority, the Hastings College Choir and the Multicultural Union. Delgado also has been active with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.
Theresa Droege is a history and psychology major from Aurora, Colorado. She has served as vice president of the Student Association; co-president of Active Minds; resident assistant, student senator and food representative for Altman Hall; photographer for the Bronco Yearbook; co-president, secretary and social chair for Alpha Omega sorority; secretary of the Inter-Greek Council, tournament director assistant for the Bronco Forensic team and alternate anchor for the student-run Bronco News Now (BNN). She has been a member of Psi Alpha Theta history honorary, Order of Omega, Student Health Advisory Council, BACCHUS, A Catholic Thing, the Student Environmental Action Coalition and Habitat for Humanity. Named the Alpha Chi Sophomore Female Student, she helped plan the Fall Fest, presented at Academic Showcase and the Active Minds 10th Annual Conference, and assisted with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week and Food4Thought.
Alex Eisele is a computer science major from Greeley, Colorado. A dean’s list student, he has served as president of the Student Association, co-chair for the Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee, co-president and co-founder of Pi Rho Sigma leadership fraternity and student senator. He has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Order of Omega, the Inter-Greek Council and the Bronco Men’s Golf team. He was named the Alpha Chi Outstanding Sophomore Male of the Year.
Kyler Goodwin is a construction management major from Omaha, Nebraska. A dean’s list student and founding member of Mu Chi Phi fraternity, he has been a member of the Bronco Football team, Chapel Band, Revive Worship Team, Food Service Committee and Habitat for Humanity. He also has helped with Food4Thought and served as the head desk sitter at Weyer Hall.
Joel Holmquist is a biology major from Burwell, Nebraska. A dean’s list student, he has served as secretary for the Student Association, chair of the Special Events Committee, leader of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a campus tour guide. Additionally, he has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, the Hastings Bell Choir, the Student Health Advisory Council and Revive.
Michael Hull of Hastings, Nebraska, is a music education and trumpet performance major. A dean’s list student who was named the Alpha Chi Outstanding First Year Male Student, he has served as president of the Order of Omega; president, vice president and secretary of the Music Teachers National Association; community service director for Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity and the Student Education Association; president, vice president and fraternal education officer for Phi Mu Alpha; resident assistant in Altman Hall; and entertainment chair for the Student Association Executive Council. He has been a member of Alpha Chi academic honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, the Inter-Greek Council, the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, the HC Band, the HC Choir, HC Jazz, the National Association for Music Educators and the HC Musical Pit Band. Hull was named Mr. Bronco.
McKay Inman is a business administration and economics major from Colorado Springs, Colorado. A dean’s list student and the first Great Plains Athletic Conference Men’s Tennis player to be named an All-American, he has served as Student Association representative to the Faculty Affairs Committee, a resident assistant in Altman Hall, the social science representative in the Student Senate, a campus tour guide and an apartment resident assistant in the Bronco Apartments. He has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary, the Professional Business Leaders, Student Alumni Ambassadors, the Residence Hall Association and the Bronco Men’s Tennis team.
Hannah Jensen is a piano performance and music education major from Hastings, Nebraska. A dean’s list student named the Alpha Chi First Year Female Student and the Outstanding Music Freshman, she has served as parliamentarian for the Student Association; president and vice president for membership of Sigma Alpha Iota women’s music sorority; drum major for the Hastings College Bronco Marching Band; and an accompanist for the Hastings College Department of Music. She has been a member of Alpha Chi academic honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Alpha Omega, the HC Jazz Band, the HC Bell Choir, the HC Choir and the Hastings College Bronco Marching Band.
Miranda Klugesherz is a communication studies and sociology major from Colorado Springs, Colorado. A dean’s list student, she has been a member of the Bronco Forensics team, earning All-American honors; Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary; Pi Kappa Delta forensics honorary; Alpha Omega sorority; and Peer HIV Educators Organization (PHIVE-O). Additionally, she has served as director of Food4Thought and presented at the No Limits Undergraduate Research Conference.
Creighton Leif is a computer science major from Concordia, Kansas. He has served as co-chair of the Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee; pledge president and vice president of finance for Pi Rho Sigma fraternity; capital improvements and special events chair for the Student Association Executive Council; and resident assistant for Altman Hall. Leif has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and the Bronco Baseball team. He helped develop the Hastings College IOS Mobile Application and was named Outstanding Executive Council Member.
Margaret Meisinger is an advertising and public relations major from Littleton, Colorado. She has served as assistant managing director, advertising director and advertising account manager for HC Media; anchor and technical crew member for Bronco News Now (BNN); news writer for KFKX, the student-run radio station; reporter for the student-run Collegian newspaper; crew member for HC MediaOnline’s streaming sports broadcasts and the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Tournament broadcast team; and as a student senator. She has been a member of Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary and the Society of Collegiate Journalists.
Isaac Mertens is an accounting major from Juniata, Nebraska. A dean’s list student, he has served as treasurer for the Student Association, resident assistant in Altman Hall and apartment resident assistant at the Bronco Apartments. He has been a member of Pi Rho Sigma fraternity, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Bronco Men’s Tennis team.
Rachel Miller is a biology and Spanish major from Greeley, Colorado. She has served as leader of Revive, laboratory aide for the Hastings College Physics Department, tutor for the Hastings College Biology and Chemistry Departments and resident assistant for Babcock Hall. She has been a member of Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, the Spanish Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week Planning Committee. Miller has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout college.
Sallie Myers is a psychology major from Custer, South Dakota. A dean’s list student, she has served as volunteer coordinator for Food4Thought and been actively involved in many aspects of Hastings College Theatre Department productions throughout her college career. She earned the department’s coveted Red Mask Award. Additionally, she has been a member of Alpha Chi academic honorary, Psi Chi psychology honorary, Alpha Psi Omega theatre honorary, HC Democrats, Radical Notion and the Student Environmental Action Coalition. She presented at the Nebraska Psychological Society NPS/PERK Conference.
Lauren Sawyer is a broadcasting major from Gretna, Nebraska. She has served as anchor and producer of Bronco News Now (BNN); station manager for the student-run radio station, KFKX; front page editor for the Collegian newspaper; historian and parliamentarian for Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary; founder and blogger for HopeinHastings, director of HC Media Online and vice president of the Society for Collegiate Journalists. Sawyer has maintained a 4.0 GPA and been a member of the following organizations: Alpha Chi academic honorary, Pi Kappa Delta forensics honorary and the Hastings College Bronco Forensics team.
Brooke Snyder is a biology major from Mitchell, Nebraska. She has served as president and historian of Beta Beta Beta biology honorary; lab assistant for the Biology and Physics Departments; and co-chair of the Student Association’s Special Events Committee. She has been a member of the Student Health Advisory Council and the Student Ambassadors Association.
Sara Beth Swift is a human resource management and psychology major from Grand Island, Nebraska. She has served as treasurer of the Student Association and a student senator. She has been a member of the HC Choir, Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Revive, Alpha Chi academic honorary, Food4Thought and the Big event. Swift has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout her college career.
Sierra Walker is a communication studies and political science major from Gering, Nebraska. She has served as a member of the Student Association Executive Council, Pi Kappa Delta forensics honorary, Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary; Alpha Chi academic honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Kappa Rho Upsilon, HC Singers, HC Bell Choir, HC Alliance, the Peer Umbrella Network and Radical Notion. A member of the Bronco Forensics team who earned All-American honors in the activity, Walker has maintained a 4.0 GPA during her college career. She has also presented at Academic Showcase and at the Nebraska Communication Undergraduate Research Conference.
Sarah Wolf is an English education, English, flute performance and music education major from Hastings, Nebraska. She has served as president and vice president of selections for Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and on the organization’s National Research and Curriculum Development Committee and its National Student Advisory Board. Additionally, Wolf has served as sergeant-at-arms and vice president of ritual for Sigma Alpha Iota women’s music sorority; vice president and treasurer of Sigma Tau Delta English honorary; vice president and treasurer of Hastings College Republicans; vice president and public relations officer for Hastings College Campus Conservatives; and historian for the National Association for Music Education. She has been a member of the HC Choir, HC Marching Band, HC Bell Choir and Hastings Symphony Orchestra. Wolf has maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout college and presented at Academic Showcase.
Jennifer Zarek is an economics and Spanish major from Wood River, Nebraska. A dean’s list student, she has served as vice president of programming for Omicron Delta Kappa and earned an Excelsior Scholar Award. She has been a member of Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honorary, Alpha Chi academic honorary, HC Band, HC Bell Choir and Quartet, and the Hastings Symphony Orchestra. She has presented academic papers at Academic Showcase, the Alpha Chi National Convention, the Missouri Valley Economic Association Annual Conference and the Great Plains Economics and Business Conference.
