The May 2008 Commencement Honors Reception will be held Friday, May 16 from 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m in the Second Floor Ballroom, IMU.

This reception provides an opportunity for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to recognize the 296 students graduating with honors, one of the three levels of distinction, or both honors and distinction.

Graduating with Honors

Students who go beyond the requirements of their major and seek a deeper level of mastery of their subject area graduate with honors.  Requirements vary with each department but typically include:

• Maintaining a specific GPA in both UI and major area course work
• Successful completion of an honors project (usually original research or a creative work) under the supervision of a faculty member
• Specified honors course work in your major (such as an honors seminar)

In May 2008, CLAS has 195 students graduating with honors.

At Commencement, honors is designated by white cordons draped over the shoulders of the graduate.

Graduating with Distinction

To be eligible to graduate with distinction, the graduate must complete a minimum of 60 semester hours in residence in the CLAS and at least 45 of the final 60 semester hours must have been completed prior to the final semester of registration, i.e., spring 2008.

• Graduating with highest distinction represents a grade point average in the top 2% of the graduating class.
• Graduating with high distinction represents a grade point average in the next highest 3% of the graduating class.
• Graduating with distinction represents a grade point average in the next highest 5% of the graduating class.

In May 2008, CLAS has 184 students graduating with distinction.

At Commencement, distinction is designated by gold stars worn on the left sleeve of the graduate. Three stars indicate graduating with highest distinction, two stars with high distinction, and one star indicates graduating with distinction.

American Studies

• Matthew Lee Hauge – With Highest Distinction

Anthropology

• Heather Morgan Hendricks – With Distinction
• Ryan Louis Kaduce – With Highest Distinction
• Claire Louise Koestner – With High Distinction
• Andrew James McDowell – With Honors and High Distinction
• Brent Michael Pelton – With Honors
• Kathryn Margaret Schmidt – With Honors and Distinction
• Alissa N. Witzke – With Distinction

School of Art & Art History

• Melinda A. Brocka – With Honors in Art History
• Songwei Chen – With Honors in Art
• Courtney L. Clark – With Honors in Art and Highest Distinction
• Audrey M. Cropp – With Honors in Art
• Nelle O. Dunlap – With Honors in Art
• Carrie L. Eldredge – With High Distinction
• Matthew James Janechek – With High Distinction
• Beth A. Johnson – With Distinction
• Lee Patrick Johnson – With Honors in Art
• Ju Li Khaw – With Honors in Art
• Jill E. Lauer – With Distinction
• Alyssa R. Madison – With Honors in Art
• Christina Mae McClelland – with Honors in Art and High Distinction
• Meagan Anne McCollum – With Honors in Art History
• Kathryn Eliza McWhorter – With Highest Distinction
• Brittany Lynn Piehl – With Honors in Art History
• James Patrick Reed – With Honors in Art and Distinction
• Dylan Field Salisbury – with Honors in Art
• Brittany Rose Leigh Savolainen – with Honors in Art
• Carli M. Schultz – With Honors in Art
• Rachel Ann Senger – With Honors in Art
• Danielle Geneve Sigler – with Honors in Art
• Elizabeth Kristen Skogen – With Honors in Art
• Leslie A. Smith – With Honors in Art History
• Nicole Anna Zrostlik – with Honors in Art

Asian and Slavic Languages & Literature

• Lee William Langdon – With Honors in Russian
• Nathan Luthur Munsterman – With Distinction

Biochemistry

• Emily Louise Alden – With Highest Distinction
• Samuel Collins Dvorak – With Honors and High Distinction
• Sean Xiang Gu – With Highest Distinction
• Kyle William Harpole – With Honors
• Mohammad Taajwar Khan – With Honors
• Yu Fei Li – With Honors
• Stephanie N. Perkins – With Honors
• Matthew Michael Restko – With Honors
• Jason Timothy Rogers – With Honors and Distinction
• Garth William Strohbehn – With Honors and Highest Distinction

Biology

• Adam Benjamin Althaus - With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Jean Amy Caliguri – With Honors
• Drew Tyler Gripentrog – With Honors
• Alison Nichole Hanson – With Honors
• Timothy Hopkins Helms – With Honors
• Amy Ruth Hertz – With Honors
• Sandra Renae Imoehl – With Honors and High Distinction
• Lindsey Jo Loban – With Honors and Distinction
• Bryan Charles Leppert – With Distinction
• Ning Lu – With Honors
• Dhwani ArvindKumar Patel – With Honors
• Charles Michael Saul – With Honors
• Brett Joseph Weiss – With Honors
• Jaime Marie Williams – With Honors and Distinction

Chemistry

• Christina Marie Edwards – With High Distinction
• Hyunok Jo – With Honors
• Namhoon Lee – With Honors
• Dmytro O. Nikolayenko – With High Distinction
• Mark Vincent Riofski – With Honors
• Garth William Strohbehn – With Highest Distinction

Cinema & Comparative Literature

• Liam Dale – With Honors in Cinema
• Andrew P. Dehner – With Distinction
• Logan Costello Joseph – With Distinction
• Scott Steven Mores – With Distinction
• Noah B. Richter – With Honors in Cinema
• Matthew Benjamin Roberts – With Honors in Comparative Literature
• Kenneth Casey Swoyer – With Honors in Cinema
• William H. Templin – With Honors in Cinema and Distinction

Classics

• Gillian Leigh Grady – With Distinction

Communication Sciences and Disorders

• Tiffany Ann Engelbrecht – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• Jennifer Renee Fowler – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• Lea Ashley Greiner – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology and Distinction
• Lyndi Mauree Hill – With High Distinction
• Megan Danielle Jones – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• Tracie Lynne Machetti – With Highest Distinction
• Erika A Mekies – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology and Distinction
• Laura Louise Metz – With Highest Distinction
• Renee Kathleen Petlicki – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• Elizabeth Ann Twohig – With Honors in Speech Pathology and Audiology and Distinction

Communication Studies

• Meghan Kathleen Corbin – With Honors
• Kevin Mark Courtois – With Distinction
• Ashley A. Davis – With High Distinction
• Bridget M. Kemps – With High Distinction
• Katharine Elizabeth Lensing – With High Distinction
• Lindsey A. Negaard – With Distinction
• Heather Anne Parker – With Honors
• Kimberly Anne Sanders – With Distinction

Computer Science

• Victor Kevin Ondego – With Honors in Informatics

Dance

• Jenna Marie Ely – With Distinction
• Jennifer Anne Kelzenberg – With Highest Distinction
• Holly Rebecca Schipper – With Honors

English

• Craig M. Barnes – With Distinction
• Sara Elizabeth Batkie – With Distinction
• Amanda Grace Campney – With Distinction
• Drew Allen Cumings – With High Distinction
• Amy Elizabeth Domeyer – With Honors and High Distinction
• Julie A. Eslick – With Honors and High Distinction
• Robert A. Fritzsche – With Distinction
• Kimn Swenson Gollnick – With High Distinction
• Abby Elise Harvey – With High Distinction
• Kinzy Suzanne Janssen – With Highest Distinction
• Jordan Paul Jones – With Honors and Distinction
• John Christopher Kerpan – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Benjamin Matthew Kirbach – With Honors
• Tara Marie Kramer – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Claire Else Miller – With High Distinction
• Ashley Marie Oehlerking – With Honors
• Kaitlin Pals – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Matthew Michael Rinker – With Honors
• Cory Alan Sanderson – With Honors and Distinction
• Margot Beth Satow – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Bartholomew James Scagnelli – With Honors
• Margaret Anne Schafer – With Honors and High Distinction
• Lauren A. Scotto – With Distinction
• Paul Joseph Sorenson – With Honors and Distinction
• Kelly Elaine Stavnes – With Distinction
• Alyssa Jo Varner – With Honors
• Adam Charles Wehr – With Honors
• Scott Bender Wilson – With Distinction
• Candice Lee Wuehle – With Honors
• Emily A. Zaentz – With Honors

French & Italian

• James Ray Boucher – With Distinction
• Leah Anne Miller – With Honors in French and Distinction
• Tessa Marie Ruddy – With Honors in French
• Margaret Anne Schafer – With Honors in French and High Distinction
• William Lucas Wilkinson – With Honors in French and Distinction

Geography

• Kyle R. Sieck – With Honors

Health & Sport Studies

• Julie Lee Grobe – With Honors
• Angela Jo Hammer – With Honors and High Distinction
• Renae Michelle Knox – With Honors

History

• Eliza Katherine Ahrens – With Distinction
• Craig M. Barnes – With Distinction
• Samantha T. Funk – With Honors
• Jonathan Edward Gates – With Honors
• Ryan David Gerling – With Honors
• Jonathan Michael Harshman – With Distinction
• Jeffrey Joseph Krugler – With Honors
• Seo-Young Lee – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• John Sherwood McCluskey – with Honors
• Claire Else Miller – With High Distinction
• Kevin Michael McCrea – With High Distinction
• Jessica M. Nelson – With Honors
• Shannon Marie Wenck – With Honors and Highest Distinction

Integrative Physiology

• Manish Aggarwal – With Honors and High Distinction
• Rachel L. Alt – With Honors and High Distinction
• Patrick Leon Bockenstedt – With Highest Distinction
• Fiona Clare Cummins – With Honors
• Ben Cody Dexter – With Honors
• Jaclyn Elise Donmyer – With Honors and Distinction
• Jill Ranae Ferris – With Honors and High Distinction
• Jaclyn Marie Grotewold – With High Distinction
• Jonathon R. Geisinger – With Distinction
• Jordan Robert Gross – With Distinction
• Ashlyn Brooke Hachmeister – With Distinction
• Michael Larson Haugsdal – With Highest Distinction
• Tracy J. Hundertmark – With Distinction
• David L. Jennings – With Honors in Athletic Training and Distinction
• Christee Ann Joesten – With High Distinction
• Jessica Lea Johnson – With Honors in Athletic Training
• Nathan William Kugler – With Honors
• Michael John Lersten – With Honors
• Nathan Allan Nicholson – With Honors and High Distinction
• Timothy James Porter – With Highest Distinction
• Nicholas Alan Rasmussen – With Honors
• Gautam Kumar Reddy – With Honors
• Kristin Allison Sprock – With Honors and Distinction
• Jessica Lynn Stagg – With Honors
• Sarah Katherine Storm – With Highest Distinction
• Lydia Ann Wester – With Honors and Distinction
• Allyson Kay Zipse – With Distinction

Interdepartmental Studies

• Emily Louise Alden – With Highest Distinction
• Cherie Anne Senger – With High Distinction

Division of Interdisciplinary Programs

• Sean M. Brady – With High Distinction in Literature, Science & the Arts

International Studies

• Shajia Ahmad – With Honors and Distinction
• Cara Catherine Bader – With High Distinction
• Mariel Kareen Bryden – With Honors
• Blake Michael Carpenter – With Honors and Distinction
• Songwei Chen – With Honors
• Lindsay Patricia Clement – With Honors
• Chelsea Faye Cox – With Honors
• Vivian Paula Fritzler – With Honors
• Tomer Gal – With Distinction
• Andrew Jason Henning – With Honors
• Jennifer L. Howard – With Honors
• Lee William Langdon – With Honors
• Kerry Anne Lao – With Honors and Distinction
• Eishita Manjrekar – With Honors and High Distinction
• Dana Michelle Merrick – With Honors and Distinction
• Carole Marie Peterson – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Margaret Ellen Poe – With Distinction
• Tamara Ann Rassman – With Honors
• Beth Ann Rochford – With Honors
• Rachel Ann Segner – With Honors
• Susan Ilene Ullrich – With Honors

School of Journalism & Mass Communication

• Shajia Ahmad – With Honors and Distinction
• Margaret Ann Boyd – With Distinction
• Kate Robin Casper – With Honors and Distinction
• Jenna Marie Ely – With Distinction
• Nawaar Binte Farooq – With Honors
• Katie L. Goldensoph – With Honors
• Kimn Swenson Gollnick – With High Distinction
• Abby Elise Harvey – With High Distinction
• Matthew Lee Hauge – With Highest Distinction
• Kelly Anna Hejlik – With Honors
• Mason Kyle Kerns – With Honors and Distinction
• Andrew Joseph Lenze – With Highest Distinction
• Brigid Elizabeth Marshall – With Honors
• Paige Michael McManigal – With Distinction
• Scott Steven Mores – With Distinction
• Margaret Ellen Poe – With Distinction
• Kimberly Anne Sanders – With Distinction
• Elizabeth Ann Skarin – With Distinction
• Kelly Elaine Stavnes – With Distinction
• Marit Marie Sivertson – With Honors
• Elizabeth Kristen Skogen – With Honors
• Elizabeth L. Stoycheff – With Distinction
• Shelby A. Strommer – With Distinction
• Kasie Lynn Ver Schuure – With Distinction
• Louis Sebastian Virtel – With Honors and High Distinction

Linguistics

• Matthew John Becker – With Honors and High Distinction
• Ryan Louis Kaduce – With Highest Distinction
• Alissa N. Witzke – With Distinction

Mathematics

• Dana Michelle Bates – With Honors
• Benjamin J. Lischwe – With High Distinction
• Kent Stephen Schrad – With Highest Distinction
• Catherine Ann Whiting – With High Distinction

Microbiology

• Julie Ann Coyne – With Honors
• Courtney Jo Fleenor – With Honors
• Radhika Shehani Ratnabalasuriar – With Honors
• Zachary Gerald Ries – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Mckaylee M. Robertson – With Honors
• Chun-Shu Wong – With Honors

School of Music

• Rosalind Beach Buda – With Distinction
• Jeremy Seth Crawford – With High Distinction
• Alissa Ann Coussens – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Samuel Lindahl Gold – With High Distinction
• Jennifer Lynn Heacock – With High Distinction
• Laura Elise Hirschey – With Honors and High Distinction
• Robert E. Kemp – With High Distinction
• Christopher Matthew Sande – With Honors and Distinction
• Allison Anne Schmidt – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Karl Martin Zelle – With Distinction

Philosophy

• Steven W. Flores – With Honors
• Andrew Robert Ketterer – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Benjamin Matthew Kirbach – With Honors
• Stephen D. Klemm – With Honors
• Kurt Ludwig Sylvan – With Honors and Highest Distinction

Physics & Astronomy

• Thomas Felton Brantseg – With Distinction
• Matthew Scott Eagles – With Highest Distinction
• Nathan Luthur Munsterman – With Distinction
• Catherine Ann Whiting – With High Distinction

Political Science

• Robert Reza Asaadi – With Highest Distinction
• Barrett James Anderson – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Abigail Marie Bartine – With High Distinction
• Brian Patrick Donnelly – With High Distinction
• Patrick Joseph Friedel – With Honors
• Ann Christine Gronlund – With High Distinction
• Benjamin William Harringa – With Honors
• Timothy Mark Hau – With Honors
• Belema Opubo Idoniboye – With Honors
• Mason Kyle Kerns – With Honors and Distinction
• Kelsey Lyn Larsen – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Jacqueline Margaret Leonard – With Honors and Distinction
• Adam Christopher Matheson – With Honors and Distinction
• Lindsey A. Negaard – With Distinction
• Sarah E. Porter – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Dane Jay Schumann – With Honors
• Elizabeth Ann Skarin – With Distinction
• Kasey Lynn Slaby – With Distinction
• Louis S. Sloven – With High Distinction
• Adam Christopher Stoddard – With Honors and Distinction
• Elizabeth L. Stoycheff – With Distinction
• Joseph Charles Traw – With Honors and High Distinction

Psychology

• Alison Jaye Bahnsen – With Honors
• Lisa M. Bauer – With Honors
• Elaine Ardis Bossard – With Honors and High Distinction
• Heather Irene Brumm – With Distinction
• Bryce Ann Carithers – With Honors
• Rebecca Lynn Clausius – With Honors and High Distinction
• Ashley Ann Frank – With Honors
• Pamela Ann Gamrat – With Distinction
• Mary Ann Gannon – With Honors
• Nicholas William Gaspelin – With Honors and Distinction
• Sararh Roberts Hagle – With Distinction
• Scott Michael Hanneman – With Honors and Distinction
• Amanda Lynn Hollatz – With Honors and High Distinction
• Roxanne Rae Kimbell – With Distinction
• Megan M. Kingsbury – With Highest Distinction
• Lindsay Lea Klinkefus – With Distinction
• Grace H. Koong – With Distinction
• Whitney Suzanne Lester – With Honors and Distinction
• Eishita Manjrekar – With Honors and High Distinction
• Megan Marie Mathews – With Honors
• Emily Kaye Muff – With Highest Distinction
• Brittany Kay Neef – With Honors
• Chelsey Michele Patterson – With Honors
• Maria Martinova Robinson – With Honors
• Claire Marie Sabin – With Highest Distinction
• Whitney Leigh Schiller – With Distinction
• Jamie Ann Schuck – With Distinction
• Louis S. Sloven – With High Distinction
• Sally Ann Solberg – With Distinction
• Erin Lee Springer – With Honors
• Meagon Alyse Turner – With Honors and Distinction
• Paul Henry Westfall – With High Distinction
• Stephanie Rae Wille – With Distinction
• Shaun Michael Wilkinson – With Distinction
• Matthew Scott Yorek – With Honors

Religous Studies

• Eliza Katherine Ahrens – With Distinction
• Lindsay Lea Klinkefus – With Distinction
• Claire Louise Koestner – With High Distinction
• Courtney Lee Parker – With Honors
• Paul Joseph Sorenson – With Honors and Distinction
• Abigail Linn Struck-Marcell – With Honors and Distinction
• Shaun Michael Wilkinson – With Distinction
• Eli Edward Woodard – With Honors

School of Social Work

• Kari A. Dennler – With Highest Distinction
• Amanda Leigh Dugenske – With Highest Distinction
• Bethsaira Fregoso – With Highest Distinction
• Megan M. Kingsbury – With Highest Distinction
• Bethany Marie Murphy – With Honors and High Distinction

Sociology

• Ashley Marie Leyda – With Honors
• Ashlee Kai Swinton – With Honors

Spanish & Portuguese

• Matthew John Becker – With Honors and High Distinction
• Margaret Ann Boyd – With Distinction
• Drew Allen Cumings – With High Distinction
• Tomer Gal – With Distinction
• Jennifer Lynn Heacock – With Honors and High Distinction
• Andrew Michael McNeely – With Honors
• Elizabeth Anne Stemmler – With High Distinction

Statistics and Actuarial Science

• Kent Stephen Schrad – With Honors in Actuarial Science and Highest Distinction
• Lindsey Marie Scott – With Honors in Actuarial Science and High Distinction

Theatre Arts

• Danielle Miriam Karczewski – With Honors
• Alisa A. Rosenthal – With Honors and Distinction

Women's Studies

• Suzanne Joyce Hemphill – With Honors

Economics

• Barrett James Anderson – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Lindsay Patricia Clement – With Honors
• Cara Catherine Bader – With High Distinction
• Andrew Joseph Lenze – With Honors and Highest Distinction
• Benjamin Lewis Solow – With Honors

College of Education

• Carrie L. Eldredge – With High Distinction
• Jill Marie Folsom – With Distinction
• Melisas Ann Fortman – With Distinction
• Jennifer Anne Kelzenberg – With Highest Distinction
• Christine Ann Kotarba – With Honors
• Rachel Schroeder Manley – With Distinction
• Stasia Kalene Prater – With High Distinction
• Sally Ann Solberg – With Distinction
• Elizabeth Anne Stemmler – With High Distinction

Science Education

• Susan Diane Philos – With Distinction