Contact: Brette Ensz, UNK Alumni Association, 308-8655-8465, bensz@unkalumni.org
Kearney, Neb., May 1, 2013 – Seven University of Nebraska Kearney students have been chosen as recipients of the BlueGold BriGade Outstanding Senior Award.
The Outstanding Senior Award recognizes seniors for excellence in scholarship and leadership, as well as involvement and dedication to UNK and the Kearney community. The BlueGold BriGade, formerly known as Student Alumni Foundation, has been giving these awards since the group was founded in 1981.
The recipients were honored at the UNK Awarding Excellence Banquet on April 19.
Recipients are:
Andi Diediker of Wayne. Diediker has been president of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, student diplomat with the office of admissions, a member of Student Senate, a chancellor’s student ambassador, chair of Student Programming Board and a new student enrollment leader. He is a middle school education major with endorsements in math and physical education.
Ryan Grossnicklaus of Aurora. Grossnicklaus has been president of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, president of Beta Alpha Psi, treasurer of Mortar Board, secretary of the treasury of Student Senate, a chancellor’s student ambassador, and a member of the golf team and Beta Gamma Sigma. He was Order of Omega Greek man of the Year. He is a business administration comprehensive major with emphases in accounting and finance.
Candace Long of Hazard. Long has been vice president of the Speech Language Hearing Association, president of Ambassadors for International Study, and a member of Phi Eta Sigma honor society, Loper Programming and Activities Council and Mantor Hall executive council. She has also been active as a volunteer with ARC of Buffalo County and YMCA childcare staff. She is a communication disorders major.
Samantha Seina of Elkhorn. Seina has been a member of Mortar Board, Order of Omega, the Alumni Association’s Gold Torch Society, Association of Information Technology Professionals, American Marketing Society, Loper Liaisons and Loper Programming Activities Council. She also served as vice president of Alpha Phi sorority. She is a business administration comprehensive major with a marketing emphasis.
Courtney Smejdir of Lincoln. Smejdir has been philanthropy and alumni chair for Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, as well as a member of Speech, Hearing and Language Association and Order of Omega. She was president of Panhellenic Council, recruitment chair for BlueGold BriGade and a leader for Blue and Gold Welcome Week. She is a communication disorders major.
Lauren Stehlik of Crete. Stehlik has been a student diplomat with the office of admissions, a chancellor’s student ambassador, a member of Student Senate and an assistant with the office of residence life. She has also been a member of Order of Omega, Loper Liaisons, Lambda Pi Eta and Golf Torch Society. She is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority and vice president of programming of Panhellenic Council. She is an organizational communication major.
Katie Swett of Ericson. Swett has been a student diplomat, a supervisor and referee with the intramural program and a new student enrollment leader. She was Loper Liaisons president, chancellors student ambassadors coordinator and deputy secretary of community relations for Student Senate. She has been a member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society and a Thompson Scholar recipient. She was 2011 Homecoming Queen. She is an organizational communication major with an emphasis in public relations.
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