During its day-long Celebration of Excellence April 27, Hastings College announced three Bronco Award recipients during its annual Honors Convocation — Jackie Gilbert of Chandler, Arizona; DaeRon Jones of Kansas City, Missouri; and Julia Reimer of Hastings, Nebraska.
Established in 1924, the Bronco Award is the College’s highest non-academic award granted to students. Recipients of the Bronco Award and the accompanying Who’s Who list are determined through a vote of their peers and a student-faculty committee.
Who’s Who honorees are recognized for having made outstanding campus contributions during their college careers. Up to 10 percent of the graduating seniors may be named to the Who’s Who list.
Bios for the Bronco Award recipients and the other Who’s Who honorees are listed below.
Taylor Beacom is a biology major from Papillion, Nebraska. The Dean’s List student is a member of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honorary, and Chi Omega Psi. A member of the women’s basketball team, Beacom received GPAC second team all-conference honors and was an all-GPAC honorable mention selection.
Holly Bosley of Longmont, Colorado, is a biology major and a member of the Beta Beta Beta biology honorary. A Dean’s List student, Bosley played on the women’s soccer team and was also a member of Alpha Chi, a resident assistant, part of Hope120 and a Homecoming silver court selection.
Brianna Cobb is an elementary education and special education major from York, Nebraska. A Dean’s List student, she is a member of the Hastings College dance team, Food4Thought and the Student Education Association.
Kaitlyn Chavira from Lakewood, Colorado, is a biology major and a Dean’s List student. A member of the women’s soccer team, Chavira was a GPAC honorable mention selection and has also been involved with Beta Beta Beta biology honorary, Food4Thought, Human Performance and CORE 100.
Lyette Darville of Nassau, The Bahamas, is an English and publishing major, and a Dean’s List student. Darville is a member of Alpha Chi, and has also been actively involved with Sigma Tau Delta, Alpha Delta Alpha, Black Student Alliance, Multicultural Student Union, the Hastings College Lecture Series Student Symposium committee and the Spectrum journal staff, and served as a campus tour guide.
Jeremiah De Irish is a business administration major from Fairhope, Alabama. He has been a member of the Dean’s List, the Hastings College football team and a head resident assistant.
Jackie Gilbert from Chandler, Arizona, is a biochemistry major. The Dean’s List student is a member of Beta Beta Beta, the biology honorary. She is also the Student Association vice president and has been involved with the student senate and served as a resident assistant and campus tour guide. Gilbert played on the women’s soccer team and was honored as the GPAC offensive player of the week, as well as a second team GPAC selection. She also was a Homecoming gold court selection and involved with Hope120.
Alianna Higgins is a biochemistry major from Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a member of the Dean’s List, Alpha Chi, Beta Beta Beta biology honorary and Phi Alpha Theta. Higgins was co-creator of the HC Wanderlust series and founder of Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring (DREAM). A resident assistant, Higgins also was involved with the Peer HIV Education Organization, Peer Umbrella Network, Student Health Advisory Council and Local Global.
DaeRon Jones of Kansas City, Missouri, is a communication studies major and a member of the Dean’s List, executive council and Student Senate, serving as both the Student Association vice president and president. Jones was a member of the Broncos football team and was a GPAC second team defensive selection. He also was active in student media, the Black Student Alliance and was a resident assistant and Homecoming gold court selection.
Madison Jagels is a marketing and digital design and development double major from Omaha, Nebraska. The Dean’s List student is also a member of the cheerleading team and Kappa Pi, and served as a resident assistant and as a campus tour guide. She was active in art and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, and on the 2021 homecoming court.
Brendan Kachnowski from Rock Springs, Wyoming, is an English major and a member of the Dean’s List and Alpha Chi. A member and national qualifier on the forensics team, Kachnowski was also active in Phi Kappa Delta, served on the Hastings College Lecture Series Student Symposium committee, and was a GLBT advocate.
Kennedy Kriewald is a business administration major from Scottsbluff, Nebraska. The Dean’s List student participated on the dance team and served as a resident assistant and head programming for the Bronco Village Apartments. She has also been a peer career coach for career services and a member of the Thrive leadership program and senior class gift committee.
Julia Reimer is a biochemistry major from Hastings, Nebraska. The Dean’s List student is a member of Alpha Chi and Beta Beta Beta, the biology honorary. A member of the softball team, Reimer was a GPAC second team selection and was on the Homecoming court. She was also active in Chi Omega Psi, Food4Thought and the Student Alumni Ambassadors.
Lauren Tamayo from Wahoo, Nebraska, is an exercise science major. The Dean’s List student was a national qualifier on the track and field team. Tamayo also set the school record in the pentathlon and was named the outstanding female athlete during the GPAC meet, and received GPAC athlete of the week and All-American honors.
Blake Tyrell is an international relations major from Parker, Colorado, and a member of Alpha Chi. Tyrell is a member of the baseball team, College Republicans, Model United Nations, Political Science Club, Spanish Club and Human Performance.
Austin Uhlig of Omaha, Nebraska, is a digital design and development major. A member of the Dean’s List and Alpha Chi, Uhlig has also served as a resident assistant and on the student senate, and has been active in student media and Hope120, as well as providing photography support for the Office of Marketing and Communication.
Justin “Rooster” Villars is a business administration and wildlife biology major from Minden, Nebraska. He has been on the Dean’s List and is a member of Alpha Chi and Beta Beta Beta, the biology honorary. Villars is also a national qualifier in track and field.
Darci Wax of Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a theater major and member of Alpha Chi, and was named Alpha Chi’s outstanding sophomore. The Dean’s List student has been named Player of the Year in theater and received the white mask. She has also been involved with Alpha Psi Omega and has served as a resident assistant and campus tour guide.
Julyah Wilson is an exercise science major from Aurora, Colorado. The Dean’s List student is a member of the track and field team, and has been named GPAC track athlete of the week and has qualified for nationals. She is also a member of the Black Student Alliance.
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Hastings’ student-centered initiatives include providing books, an iPad and a two-week study away experience at no additional cost. A block-style semester schedule allows professors and students to focus on fewer classes at a time and promotes hands-on experiences. Discover more at hastings.edu.
