MANHATTAN — More than 100 Kansas State University students are among the first class of scholars recently inducted into the university's chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha, or Tri-Alpha, the national first-generation college student honorary society, according to a media release from the university.
Tri-Alpha recognizes undergraduate first-generation students who have earned at least a 3.2 grade point average on 30 semester hours of academic work. These students must meet the definition of first-generation student, which is neither of the student's parents, step-parents or legal guardians completed a bachelor's degree.
The chapter is a registered departmental student organization and is sponsored by K-State's Office of First-generation Students.
The honorary society also inducts faculty and staff who were first-generation students and are willing to serve as mentors to current first-generation students; alumni who were first-generation students; and honorary inductees — who do not have to be first-generation students — who are donors or serve in a leadership capacity to advance first-generation student success.
The K-State chapter inducted two honorary members who have been champions of first-generation student success at K-State: Richard Myers, university president, and Ken Griffin, former business dean and professor emeritus at the University of Wyoming. Faculty inductees are Christy Craft, professor and chair of the special education, counseling and student affairs department in the College of Education, and William Richter, professor emeritus of political science and associate provost of international programs. The alumnus inductee is Jahvelle Rhone, a 2010 K-State graduate and information technology coordinator with the K-State Division of Information Technology.
The following K-State first-generation students are new members of Tri-Alpha:
Jasmine Bates, junior in music education, Alden; Madelyn Michaelis, junior in family and consumer science education, Alma; Skyler Bybee, junior in human development and family science, Andover; Brooke Mitchell, senior in elementary education, Baldwin City; Madison Schoemann, senior in civil engineering, Belvue; Anna Kitchen, senior in elementary education, Burlington; Sadie Wade, senior in elementary education, Caney; Savana Gorman, senior in secondary education-speech, and Steel Streeton, senior in political science, both from Chapman; Katie Burl, K-State Salina senior in applied business and technology, Cimarron; Caley Hartner, senior in sociology, Clay Center; Aaron Neises, senior in accounting, Clearwater; Carlos Herrera Jr., K-State Salina senior in applied business and technology, and Karla Lopez, senior in industrial engineering, both from Dodge City; Samantha Crawford, senior in management and pre-law, Ellis; Kaleb Ernst, junior in computer science, Emporia.
From Garden City: Marissa Hernandez, senior in chemical engineering; Duy Nguyen, senior in computer engineering; Tram Pham, junior in accounting and finance; Erik Ramirez-Chavez, junior in business administration; Esmeralda Rico Martinez, junior in integrative physiology, kinesiology and pre-physical therapy; Alonso Romero, senior in construction science and management; and Andy Su, senior in biochemistry and pre-medicine.
From Greater Kansas City: Tiffany Cervantes, junior in chemical engineering, and David Vasquez, K-State Salina junior in applied business and technology, both from Kansas City; Emmanuel Ugwuegbu, junior in biology and pre-law, Lenexa; Karisa Goss, senior in industrial engineering, Mckinley Jeanneret, senior in elementary education, and Caitlin Swope, junior in environmental engineering, all from Olathe; and Lexi Garcia, junior in mass communications, and Nhat Pham, senior in interior design, both from Overland Park.
Bradley Richards, senior in economics and pre-law, Haysville; Brittney Schrag, junior in elementary education, Hudson; Thomas Maldonado, senior in life sciences and pre-pharmacy, and Huy Nguyen, senior in mechanical engineering, both from Hutchinson; Colby Schweizer, junior in accounting, Johnson; Kristin Chaney, senior in social work and pre-law, Junction City; Victoria Harper, senior in accounting, La Cygne; Jovan Montoya, senior in accounting, Leavenworth; Emily Graham, senior in fine arts, Leonardville.
From Manhattan: Ellen Canine, senior in animal sciences and industry; Melissa Carson, senior in human development and family science; Sergio DePena, senior in human development and family science; Nicholas Divilbiss, junior in architectural engineering; Susan Ferkol, senior in marketing; Aida Garcia, junior in finance; Evelyn Guo, junior in animal sciences and industry; Robert Morris, senior in chemical engineering; Troy Nave, junior in elementary education; Miracle Russell, senior in human development and family science; Mercedes Trevino, junior in sociology and pre-law; Elizabeth VanZile, junior in nutrition and health; and Genevieve Zaharia, senior in bakery science and management.
Nathan Vontz, senior in computer engineering, McPherson; Dallas Gosselin, senior in communication studies, Norton; Kourtney Rumback, senior in biology, psychology and pre-medicine, Oakley; Cadence Ciesielski, senior in philosophy and Spanish, Park City; Katherine Ediger, senior in biology, Partridge; Kevin Johnson, senior in geology and geography, Pratt; Abria Fisher, senior in elementary education, Quinter.
From Salina: Mikayla Cook, junior in management; Cielo Lubaton, K-State Salina junior in aeronautical technology; Troy Pretzer, junior in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology; Andrew Wallace II, K-State Salina junior in engineering technology; and Stephen Wolfmane, K-State Salina junior in aeronautical technology.
Angela Sudbeck, senior in integrative physiology, kinesiology and pre-physician assistant, Seneca; T.J. Montes, junior in kinesiology, Syracuse.
From Topeka: Lucy Barker, senior in human development and family science; Anna Schnacker, senior in management; Madison Schnacker, senior in management; and Mickenzi VanSchaick, senior in elementary education.
Sabina Godinez, senior in nutrition and health and pre-physician assistant, and Arely Yáñez, senior in social work and pre-occupational therapy, both from Tribune; Payton Hybarger, senior in life sciences and pre-physical therapy, Wamego; Rachel Walker, senior in management, Wellington.
From Wichita: Evelyn Garcia, junior in English; Robianca Perry, senior in nutrition and health; Aidet Salazar, senior in psychology; and Brittany White, senior in human development and family science.
From out of state:
Jheovany Hernandez, senior in kinesiology and pre-physical health, Rogers, Arkansas; Michael Gomez, junior in nutrition and health, Stockton, California; Justin Klassen, K-State Salina senior in aeronautical technology, Elizabeth, Colorado; Kristen Roberts, senior in animal sciences and industry, Sedalia, Colorado; Cristhian Giraldo, K-State Salina senior in applied business and technology, Sun City Center, Florida; Priscilla Zertuche, junior in nutrition and health, Augusta, Georgia; Juliet Balducci, senior in social sciences, Cumming, Georgia; Maha Naurozi, junior in nutrition and health, Chicago, Illinois; Brandi Gail, senior in dietetics and nutrition and health, Evanston, Illinois; Nadia Freeman, junior in psychology and gender, women, and sexuality studies, Quincy, Illinois; Megan Montgomery, senior in animal sciences and industry, Duncombe, Iowa; Jared Heck, senior in general business administration, Sofia Leal Montoya, senior in marketing, and Ashlyn Bunch, senior in psychology and pre-medicine, all of Kansas City, Missouri; Alexandra Fisk, K-State Salina senior in applied business and technology, Lathrop, Missouri; Jesse Pinkley, junior in architecture, St. Genevieve, Missouri; Jordan Young, junior in industrial design, St. Louis, Missouri; Ashley Kragelund, senior in animal sciences and industry, Gothenberg, Nebraska; Siera Zoulias, junior in mass communications and sociology, Hudson, New Hampshire; Nicole Meikle, senior in dietetics, Smithville, New Jersey; Erica Perusse, senior in nutrition and health, Liverpool, New York; Ashleigh Robison, senior in dietetics and nutrition and health, El Reno, Oklahoma; Breige Greiss, senior in elementary education, Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania; Kara Baruti, junior in nutrition and health, Ashaway, Rhode Island; Carrie Green, senior in human development and family science, Hartsville, South Carolina; Nicole Beanblossom, senior in elementary education, Fort Hood, Texas; Diana Dominguez, senior in dietetics and nutrition and health, Seminole, Texas; Cahleigh Barnes, junior in nutrition and health, Charlottesville, Virginia; and Amy Dickerson, senior in dietetics and nutrition and health, King George, Virginia.
From out of country: Ahat Orazgeldiyev, senior in industrial engineering, Turkmenistan; and Meg Hein, junior in nutrition and health, Zimbabwe.