During Hastings College’s day-long Celebration of Excellence April 19, Nicole Delphia of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, was named the 2016 Bronco Award recipient at 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 accompanying Who’s Who list are determined through a vote of their peers. Recipients must be graduating seniors who have made outstanding campus contributions during their college careers. The list and final award winners are then selected by a secret student-faculty committee.
Bios for Delphia and other Who’s Who honorees are below:
Brooke Appelhans is a chemistry major from Sterling, Colorado. She is the daughter of David and Brenda Appelhans. She is a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and the Beta Beta Beta biology honorary society. She has served on the Student Association Senate, the Student Association Executive Council, the Altman Hall Dorm Council, the Student Health Advisory Council and the Inter Greek Council. She is also a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma Sorority and Active Minds. Brooke has interned for Pediatric Dental Specialists of Greater Nebraska.
Justin Arends is a communications studies major from Grand Island, Nebraska. He is the son of Todd and Leonida Arends. He is active in the Hastings College Choir, Men’s Choir, Band, Jazz Band, Entertainment Arts Ensemble and National Association for Music Education (NAfME). He is a member of the Lambda Pi Eta communication society and Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society, and has served on the Student Senate as well as the Artist Lecture Series Student Committee. He is also the co-president of his fraternity, Pi Rho Sigma. Justin has completed an internship at Younes Hospitality.
Laura (Hurley) Arnold is a psychology major from Omaha, Nebraska. She is the daughter of Timothy and Julie Hurley. As a member of the Alpha Chi academic honorary and was named Alpha Chi Sophomore of the Year. She is also a member the Psi Chi psychology honorary, Order of Omega Greek life society and Alpha Omega Sorority. She served as secretary of the Student Association, a photography editor for the Collegian, as well as a photographer for both the Collegian and the Bronco Yearbook. Laura was a member of the Student Health Advisory Council (SHAC) and Active Minds, and completed an internship for Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab in the Fall of 2014.
Carson Blum is an accounting major from Hildreth, Nebraska. He is the son of Dale and Jacqueline Blum. He has been a member of the Hastings College Men’s Basketball Team since 2012 and was a resident hall assistant from 2013-2014. He served on the Student Association Senate and was co-chair on the New Student Days Committee.
Justin Burr, a biology major from Juniata, Nebraska, is the son of Mark and Marcy Burr. A dean’s list student, he has been active with Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, Peer HIV Educators Organization, Boost Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the Health of University Students, Alpha Chi academic honorary and Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary. In addition to receiving the Wendell V. Showalter Biology Scholarship, he has secured internships with Mary Lanning Healthcare and the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. Justinvolunteers with the Red Cross and is lead singer/guitarist for the band Ambur Lane.
Nicole Delphia is the daughter of Laurie and David Delphia. She is a mathematics and political science major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. A dean’s list student, Nicole has served as president of the Hastings College Model United Nations, Political Science Club, A Catholic Thing, Local Global Community and Hunger/Homelessness Awareness Week. She has been a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, the Student Association Senate, the Student Association Executive Council Community Relations Committee and Ignite: Servant Leadership Group. Nicole has presented research at Academic Showcase and gave the Evans-Storer Lecture in Political Science. She has also earned the Dennis Storer Scholarship in Political Science and C.G. Patterson Mathematics Scholarship. She has interned with the Denver Rescue Mission and APORVIDHA in Cusco, Peru.
Tyler Donovan, an advertising/public relations and theatre major from Thornton, Colorado, is the son of Terrance Donovan Jr. and Laura Donovan. He has represented the Fine Arts Division in the Student Association Senate, served as resident assistant in Weyer Hall and ad sales manager for HC Media and been a member of Alpha Psi Omega theatre honorary. Tyler has interned with the Theatre West Summer Repertory, Des Moines Metro Opera and Central City (Colorado) Opera.
Christopher Gousios of Elgin, Illinois, is the son of Euripides and Darlene Gousios. A computer science, economics and mathematics major, Chris has been a member of Alpha Chi academic honorary, Omicron Delta Epsilon economics honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and the Bronco men’s soccer team. Additionally, he has been a resident assistant in Bronc Hall, Student Association secretary and student senator.
Torey Kranau, a chemistry major from Blue Hill, Nebraska, is the daughter of Todd and Yvonne Kranau. Recognized as the Outstanding Student Association Senator, she also has served on the Student Association Student Affairs Committee, as president of the local American Chemical Society, on the Student Alumni Public Relations Leadership Team, on the Artist Lecture Series Student Symposium Committee, as a student tour guide and a resident assistant. Her community service includes volunteering with Big Brother/Big Sisters and Hastings Family Planning. Torey was an intern with the South Heartland District Health Department.
Anna Lichti of Shickley, Nebraska, is the daughter of Tim and Judy Lichti. She is majoring in advertising/public relations. Anna is a dean’s list student who has served as a student senator and co-chair of the Student Association Executive Council’s Banquet Committee. She has been a member of the Society of Collegiate Journalists, Taylor Hall Dorm Council, Bronco Yearbook and the Collegian staffs, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, Alpha Omega sorority, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and HC Singers. She has played intramural volleyball and interned with both the Farmington Country Club and the Hastings YMCA.
Gregory Mol is an accounting major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado. His parents are Ronald and Lisa Mol. A dean’s list student, he has served as president of Weyer Hall, treasurer of the Professional Business Leaders and treasurer of the Residence Hall Association. Greg was a member of the Bronco Men’s Tennis team and interned with the Adams County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Kelli Poplau, a biology major from Hastings, Nebraska. She is the daughter of Mike and Kim Poplau. She is a dean’s list student, who served as the New Student Days Planning Committee co-chair, the microbiology lab manager, an admissions tour guide, a member of Student Association Executive Council and a member of Alpha Omega sorority. Kelli was the resident hall assistant for Taylor Hall and served on the hall council. She is the recipient of the Alpha Chi Outstanding First Year Student Award and the Frederick H. Mattes Chemistry Achievement Award. Kelli is a member of the Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, Alpha Chi academic honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and the Senior Class Gift Committee. She has volunteered at Catholic Social Services. Kelli’s internships include the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program at the University of Houston, Mary Lanning Healthcare and Obstetricians and Gynecologists, P.C.
Mollie Strain,a psychology major from Rapid City, South Dakota, is the daughter of James and Debora Strain. Mollie has spent her time at Hastings College as a member of the Alpha Chi academic honorary society, the Psi Chi psychology society, the Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society, Order of Omega Greek life society and the Alpha Omega sorority. From 2013 to 2016, she served as co-chair of the Banquet Committee. She was a resident hall assistant in Altman Hall and served as chief copy editor of the Collegian in 2015. She was also involved in the Hastings College Wind Ensemble and Band, as well as a member of Active Minds. Mollie has served as a Special Olympics track volunteer and a SASA children’s group aide. She completed two internships: one at the Children’s Rehab Center and a second at Good Samaritan Village, where she shadowed a speech and language pathologist.
Brianna Turek, a web communication design major from Wood River, Nebraska, is the daughter of Timothy and Kila Turek. She has been on the dean’s list, Student Association Public Relations co-chair, a resident assistant at Taylor Hall, HC Media Online webmaster, Collegian design editor and Bronco Yearbook editor-in-chief. Brianna has served as an intern with TMC, Inc., and Open for Business Magazine.
Ian T. Tuttle, a physics major from Greeley, Colorado, is the son of Wes and Amy Tuttle. A dean’s list student, he has been active in campus Christian ministries including the Chapel Committee, Chapel Band, Revive, the Christian Ministry Program and the Religious Organizations Committee. Named Alpha Chi Outstanding First Year Male Student, Ian helped found Mu Chi Phi fraternity, earned a physics awards, participated in the Hastings College Band and Hastings College Choir and served as a resident assistant in Weyer Hall. He is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary and College Acquaintance Rape Educators peer education group. His community service includes helping with youth and college groups at Lakeside Community Church in Hastings. Ian was an intern at Walt Disney World and named HC’s 2013 Greatest Athlete.
Maggie Vaughan is a dean’s list student majoring in marketing. She is from Hastings, Nebraska, and the daughter of Lori Hergott and William Vaughan. She has been a member of the Professional Business Leaders Marketing Leadership Team and interned with the Hastings Economic Development Corporation and McDermott & Miller, P.C.
McKenzie Wedel, a broadcasting and journalism major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the daughter of Robert and Susan Wedel. She has been a member of the dean’s list, Society of Collegiate Journalists, Lambda Pi Eta communication honorary and the Bronco Yearbook and Collegian newspaper staffs. She also served as managing director for HC Media. McKenzie interned with KOAA News5.
Christina Zarek, a biochemistry/molecular biology major from Grand Island, Nebraska, is the daughter of Douglas and Kimberly Zarek. A dean’s list student, she has served as president of Alpha Chi academic honorary and co-chair of the Artist Lecture Series Student Committee. Additionally, she has been a member of Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, Omicron Delta Kappa leadership honorary, the Hastings College Band and HC Singers. Christina has presented at Academic Showcase and completed internships in labs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center.
Hastings College is a private, four-year institution located in Hastings, Nebraska, that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. With 64 majors and 15 pre-professional programs, Hastings College has been named among “Great Schools, Great Prices” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review and a “Best Bang for the Buck” school by Washington Monthly. For more, go to hastings.edu.
