Bethany College Awards Outstanding Students During Annual Honors Day Ceremony 

BETHANY, W.Va. (April 7, 2025) – Bethany College honored its high-achieving students with its annual Honors Day ceremony on Thursday, April 3.   

Amelia R. Scott, Annabella M. Kovach, Joseph T. Koval, Emilie L. Butler, and Sophia E. Botak were the winners of the all-campus awards.  

Amelia R. Scott, an interdisciplinary studies major from Ellworth, Pa., received the John R. Taylor Memorial Award in Liberal Arts. This award is presented to the student who demonstrates exceptional scholastic achievement; service to the College in terms of cross-disciplinary extracurricular activity; and a deep understanding of, and abiding commitment to, the core liberal arts values expressed in the Mission documents of Bethany College. The award is named in memory of John R. Taylor ’44, professor emeritus of English.  

Annabella M. Kovach, an environmental science major from East Canton, OH, received the Pittsburgh Bethany College Club Award as Outstanding Junior Woman. The award is based on the qualities of leadership, character, conduct, and scholarship. The club, comprised of Bethany alumni in the Pittsburgh area, has placed a plaque in Phillips Hall upon which the names of the winners are engraved.   

Joseph T. Koval, a biology major from Amelia Court House, Va., received the W.F. Kennedy Prize as Outstanding Junior Man. The prize, established by Kennedy of Wheeling, W.Va., is awarded based on the student’s contribution to the College community life through leadership in activities, personal character, and scholarship. Academic departments and programs also recognized students with individual awards.   

Emilie L. Butler, a visual arts and English double major from Belmont, Ohio, received the Bethany 2000 Prize, which recognizes the senior who has best demonstrated loyalty and commitment to Bethany College in a wide range of activities over the course of their studies. The recipient must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate the characteristics of enthusiasm, dependability, and dedication.  

Sophia E. Botak, a social work major from Canfield Ohio, received the Francis O. Carfer Prize. This prize is presented to the senior, who in the judgment of the Honors Committee, has made the most outstanding contribution to the College. The recipient must exhibit sound academic accomplishments along with characteristics of loyalty, service, and devotion to Bethany.    

BIOLOGY   

Emma L. Fleckenstein and Leah J. Dunmire received the Beta Beta Beta Prize, which recognizes the students who have received the highest grade in the initial courses in biology.   

Michael D. Hines received the B.R. Weimer Award, which recognizes a senior in biology who attained the highest academic rank in the major.  

BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS  

McKena L. Cowden received the Accountancy Award for excellence in the field.   

Alessandra M. Ferrazzano received the Ernest L. & Dorothy Miller Korb Entrepreneurial Spirit Award for excellence in entrepreneurship.   

McKena L. Cowden received the Business Award in Finance, which is presented annually to an outstanding senior majoring in the field.   

Cameron J. Melita and Santino A. Fox received the Business Award in Management, which is presented annually to the outstanding seniors majoring in the field.   

Troy C. Hixson and Quinn A. Phillippi received the Business Award in Marketing, which is presented annually to an outstanding senior majoring in the field.   

CHEMISTRY   

Emma L. Fleckenstein received the Freshman Chemistry Award, which is presented each year to the student who attains the highest grade-point average in a freshman-level chemistry course.   

Ava C. Lee and Nataley R. Kemmer received the Jerry R. Allison Award, which is granted to the seniors concentrating in chemistry who have achieved the highest cumulative grade point average in the department.   

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA ARTS   

Alexis L. Holden-Kendra received the Charlotte Manion Yurko Award, which is presented to the communications senior with the highest scholastic average in the major.   

Massimo Favetto received the James Keegan Prize in International Communications, which is presented to a student whose academic achievement reflects an appreciation for the role communication plays in international affairs.  

Walker C. Mosley received the Sarah M. Cannon Award, which is presented to an outstanding student who excels in work with the campus broadcast media systems.  

Carley M. Street received the James W. Carty Award, which is presented to an outstanding student who excels in work with the campus print media.  

Talia R. Gallagher received the E. E. Roberts Distinguished Prize in Campus Media, which is presented to outstanding students who excel in work with one of the student media, in academic work in communications and media arts, or both.   

COMPUTER SCIENCE  

Joseph (J.T.) Hubert received the David Brown Prize, which is given in honor of the founder of the computer science program at Bethany College.  

ECONOMICS  

Karley B. Trinidad received the W. Randolph Cooey Value Added Award, which is presented to the graduating senior in the department of economics and business who gained the most value added from their time at Bethany College.  

EDUCATION

Bekah R. Ulery received the Caldwell Award for Leadership in the Art and Science of Teaching, which is awarded to the outstanding senior elementary education major who has demonstrated exceptional academic accomplishment.   

Rebecca L. Zupko received the Exceptional Secondary Education Award, which recognizes a senior who has demonstrated exemplary performance in scholarship and teaching, overall professional disposition, and pedagogical strength in instructional strategies and respective field of study.   

ENGLISH   

Rebecca L. Zupko received the Florence Hoagland Memorial Award, which is presented to the outstanding senior English major.    

Emilie L. Butler received the Christine Burleson Memorial Award, which is presented to a senior English major who has attained excellence in the field.   

Marz Evans and Chloe J. Riggs received the W.W. Eaton Award, which supports and encourages outstanding Bethany English majors.  

Andie R. Clark received the Helen Louise McGuffie Award, which recognizes excellence in research-based, literary critical analysis.   

Halle Jacks and Katelyn Q. Ziems received the Cammie Pendleton, which is presented to the outstanding English majors.  

EQUINE STUDIES   

Jennica M. Levermann received the MaryBeth Trout Horsemanship Award, which is awarded to an outstanding senior with an interest in equine studies who has demonstrated excellence in horsemanship, leadership, and coursework.   

HISTORY  

Kristie R. Baloga received the Frank Alfred Chapman Memorial Award, which is presented to the outstanding history student.   

Abigail M. Hollister received the Thomas R. Burns Award in History and Political Science, which is given to an outstanding student who has completed more than one full year of study as a major in either history or political science and has demonstrated great promise for scholarly achievement.   

INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES  

Roman Hulver received the Frank Roy Gay Award, given to a high-academic achieving interdisciplinary studies student who displays outstanding leadership qualities in the Bethany community.   

JAPANESE CULTURE  

Leah N. Crihfield received the Wheeling-Nisshin Japanese Culture Award, which is presented to a student who has shown excellence in the study of Japanese language and cultures and has significantly promoted interest in Japanese cultures in the College community.  

LEADERSHIP   

Tsi P. Fofang received the R. Darryl Ponton Student Leadership Award, which is given to students for dedication in implementing Bethany’s peer mentor program.   

MATHEMATICS  

Joseph (J.T.) Hubert received the W. H. Cramblet Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievements in mathematics.   

Nataley R. Kemmer and Sydney R. Sands received the James E. Allison Award, which is awarded annually to senior mathematics majors who have excelled in the field and best exhibit outstanding character and a giving spirit in all phases of life.   

POLITICAL SCIENCE   

Madison M. Buxton received the John G. Chernenko Award, which is presented to the junior political science major with the highest overall grade-point average.  

Abbie R. Carpenter received the International Relations Award, which is presented to the senior who maintains a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and demonstrates excellence in the study of world politics through coursework, travel, and study abroad.   

Blake J. Connelly received the Thomas Jefferson Prize, which is given to a student who has demonstrated outstanding performance in the field of political science through superior academic achievement and participation in the political life of the campus.   

PRE-MEDICAL STUDIES  

Michael D. Hines received the Leonard Emory Yurko Award, which is presented to the outstanding senior pre-medical student, as judged by the Health Professional Advisory Committee.   

PSYCHOLOGY   

Victoria Uva received the John H. Hull Student Research Award, which is given annually to the senior psychology majors, who in the judgment of the departmental faculty, show the greatest promise for advancing knowledge in the field of psychology through independent research.   

Emma R. Richmond and Victoria Uva received the Thomas R. Briggs Award, which is presented to the seniors in psychology who have maintained the highest academic average in the department.   

Jordan L. Haslacker received the Psychology Service Award, which is given annually to the senior psychology major, who in the judgment of the departmental faculty, has made the greatest contribution to advancing the mission of the department and supporting students of psychology at Bethany College.  

RELIGIOUS STUDIES   

Madison M. Buxton received the Osborne Booth Prize, which is given to a student who excels in the field of religious studies and the overall academic program.   

SOCIAL WORK  

Jazmin A. Gonzalez received the Lynn Frantz Adkins Award, which is presented to a senior who demonstrates outstanding achievement in social work by maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA in the major, active participation in the Social Awareness Club, outstanding achievement in field placement, community involvement outside of the social work curriculum and maintaining a good member standing in NASW. 

Sophia E. Botak received the Lester N. and Helen W. Frantz Award, which is presented to the senior who demonstrates outstanding achievement in social work by maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA in the major, active participation in the Social Awareness Club, outstanding achievement in field placement, community involvement outside of the social work curriculum, and maintaining a good member standing in National Association of Social Workers.   

SPORT STUDIES  

Tyler D. McKee received the John J. Knight Award, which is presented to the senior man in sport studies who displays outstanding scholarship and athletic participation during his four years at Bethany.   

Emma J. Garvey and Adriana D. Gilliam received the S. Elizabeth Reed Award, which is presented to senior female sport studies majors displaying outstanding scholarship and athletic participation during their four years at Bethany.  

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS   

Abigail M. Hollister received the A. Kenneth Stevenson Theatre Award, which is presented each year to the outstanding Bethany junior or senior of any discipline who has contributed most significantly to the Bethany College theatre activity.  

Kristie R. Baloga received the Charles H. Manion Award, which is presented to the outstanding senior in visual arts.  

Amelia R. Scott received the George K. Hauptfuehrer Award, which is presented to a Bethany student who has demonstrated musical excellence and has participated actively in campus musical organizations.    

Leah N. Crihfield received the Rush Carter Prize in music, which is presented to a member of the senior class in recognition of outstanding achievement in music. The prize honors the memory of the late Professor Carter, who was a member of the Bethany faculty from 1934 to 1945.  

Roman Hulver received the Wes Wagner Award, which is awarded to the student who has demonstrated academic accomplishment, outstanding artistic ability, and exceptional creativity.   

Roman Hulver received the David Judy Prize, which is presented to the senior who has achieved outstanding academic success as a major in the Visual and Performing Arts Department at Bethany.   

WORLD LANGUAGES AND CULTURE   

Gavin McAllister received the Shirley Morris Memorial Award, which is given to outstanding students in the field of modern languages.   

SOCIAL GROUP AWARDS  

Phi Mu received the Anna Ruth Bourne Award, presented each semester to the women’s social group maintaining the highest scholastic standing.   

Phi Kappa Tau received the W. Kirk Woolery Award, presented each semester to the men’s social group maintaining the highest scholastic standing.