By Marilyn Baer
Transcript Reporter
Students were rewarded last Saturday for their hard work and dedication to Ohio Wesleyan at the Golden Bishop Awards. The theme of this year’s ceremony was “Leaders Who Rock!” The Benes Rooms in Hamilton-Williams Campus Center (HWCC) were decorated with old vinyl records on the tables to match the theme.
The ceremony’s assistants—sophomore Lauren Holler, sophomore Memme Onwudiwe and junior Rachel Vinviguerra—wore 1950s-style outfits. Each winner named a song that “motivates” them to keep with the theme. The ceremony celebrated excellence in leadership and service. Over 20 awards were given.
Director of Service Learning Sally Leber won Adviser of the Year award for her significant assistance to Rafiki Wa Afrika (Rafiki).
The nominator sang high praises for Leber, thanking her for her motherly support and mediation during disputes between club members.
Senior Alisa Nammavong, Rafiki president, said she was happy for her club advisor.
“Sally has been such an amazing help to me and the rest of my cabinet,” she said. “I can’t thank her enough for everything she did for us. I owe so much of our success to Sally.”
Program of the Year went to Culture Fest, sponsored by Horizons International. Presenter Nancy Rutkowski, assistant director of Student Involvement, said the award was earned for the hard work the club put into it and the international food.
Club/Organization of the Year went to the Environment and Wildlife Club (E&W).
The recipient of this award needed to demonstrate strength in programming, membership recruitment and retention, and must have made a significant impact on campus.
Rutkowski said the club has impacted the OWU community through its members’ hard work in the OWU Free Store, digging through compost and installing “hydration stations” in HWCC.
The OWU Spirit Award went to senior Guanyi Yang for his ability to “make your day by interacting with him,” according to Dean of Students Kimberlie Goldsberry.
The Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA)awards for members and friends of WCSA were presented by senior Martin Clark, WCSA president.
Member awards were given to freshman Connor Latz and junior Timothy O’Keeffe; the “Friend of WCSA” award was given to sophomore Spenser Hickey, The Transcript’s assistant copy editor.
O’Keeffe, WCSA vice-president, won the Best Overall Member Award for his “huge personality and ability to flow from one friend group to another seamlessly,” Clark said at the ceremony.
O’Keeffe said he was honored to received the award.
“I have worked very hard in WCSA trying to uphold its values and contribute as much as possible,” he said.
In the program, O’Keeffe said his song, “In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett, signified his hard work because he has “spent countless nights up past the midnight hour to get things done.”
The ceremony ended with the Meek Leadership Awards, which went to seven graduating seniors.
The recipients were “OWU seniors who have demonstrated exceptional leadership service during their years at Ohio Wesleyan and show promise to sustain that commitment throughout their lives,” OWU President Rock Jones said.
The recipients were seniors Kamila Goldin, Andrea Kraus, Gene Sludge, Iftekhar Showpnil, Gregory White, Zeke Brechtel and Cali Cornacchia.