Hutton Honors College

Thirteen Students Honored for Contributions to Honors College Community

Women (seated, from left) Virginia Vasquez, Libby Lewis, Jessica Meyers. Men (standing, from left) Tyler Bond, John Scrofano, John Thephasdin, Brian Bullington, Jude Cooks, Pat Weitzel. Nicole Brassell, Grace Lin, Cindy McNair, and Dan Knecht are not pictured.

The Honors College recognized 13 students for their involvement and achievements on Sunday, May 2, at its annual Honors College Appreciation Ceremony. Sophomore John Thephasdin; juniors Tyler Bond, Brian Bullington, Jessica Meyers, and Virginia Vasquez; and seniors Jude Cooks, John Scrofano, Cindy McNair, Libby Lewis, Pat Weitzel, Nicole Brassell, Dan Knecht, and Grace Lin received awards for their contributions to the Honors College community. Dean Karen Hanson thanked the honorees and presented each student with a small awards package during the informal ceremony.

Cooks, who is graduating with a degree from the Kelley School of Business, has worked as the Honors Advisory Board (HAB) chair and has been accepted into the Kelley School's MBA program. He also applied to the IU School of Law and currently is considering a joint degree from the two programs.

Representing the Honors Residential Community were Scrofano, Bond, and Bullington, who have all served as resident assistants in the community. Scrofano, who also has been an HAB member, will work as the CFO for the Indianapolis-based Internet company 3G Upload after graduation. Bond, a philosophy and political science major, will serve as the HAB's executive secretary next year, while writing his thesis on existentialist philosophy and applying to graduate schools in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Bullington will finish his psychology major and classical studies, philosophy, and information technology minors. He plans to go to graduate school, but not immediately, and has been looking into the Teach for America program.

Meyers and Vasquez were recognized for their work as Volunteer Programming interns. Next year, Meyers will continue working with the Student Disabilities Office and in the marital violence research lab at the psychology department. Vasquez will complete a teaching internship and continue working with PALS (People and Animal Living Services). She will also serve as the fiction editor for The Fine Print, the English department's literary magazine.

Weitzel and Brassell represented the Honors College's student publications. Weitzel, who worked as the editor in chief of the Undergraduate Scholar, will attend graduate school next year at Case Western Reserve University in Clevelend, Ohio, where he will continue in the field of medical research. Brassell was recognized for her work as facilitator and staff member for the literary magazine Labyrinth. Upon graduation she will join the Teach for America program.

McNair and Lewis worked with extracurricular programming for the Honors College this school year, coordinating activities and speakers. Lewis will attend the IU School of Law.

Thephasdin, an accounting and finance major, served as a mentoring intern through the Honors College this year; this summer, he will complete an internship in the accounting department at Aon Insurance in Chicago. Grace Lin was recognized for her work as an Honors College Community Leader.

A reception with cookies and punch directly followed the concise proceedings. "These are kids who like to be engaged. I'm sure they'll be successful," Honors College Assistant Dean Lynn Cochran said. "As students who give so much, it's in their nature."

Photo & story by Sara Goble