 "Photo: Jami Bonner")
SUUSA’s Student Activity Board announced the 70 finalists for the 2010 Thunderbird Awards.
The Thunderbird Award is the most prestigious award a student can receive from SUU, said SUUSA Activities Vice President Amy Shupe.
Finalists must first go through an interview process March 30, Shupe said. The winners will be announced April 17.
Shupe said there will be a panel of five judges made up of students, faculty, staff and community members to interview the finalists.
There will be separate panels for each of the different awards. The finalists are divided into 14 separate award categories, five students qualifying in each category.
Awards include Adviser of the Year, Commitment to Excellence Award, Performer of the Year, Male Contributor of the Year, Male Athlete of the Year, Female Contributor of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Organization of the Year, Professor of the Year, Personality of the Year and Scholar of the Year.
Other awards include the Sterling R. Church Award, the R. Kenneth Benson Award, and the Elaine C. Southwick Award.
“The finalists were chosen by people who voted online and at our booths in the halls in the Sharwan Smith Center,” Shupe said.
Finalists for Adviser of the Year are Lynne Brown, Emily Dean, Mark Stickney, Carl Templin and Toa Tawa.
Finalists for the Commitment to Excellence Award are Dina Nilsen, Tina Calamity, Juliann Smith, Pam Branin and Lindsey Brown.
Finalists for Performer of the Year are Shandra Worthen, Payden Adams, Kiki Thompson, Amanda Bullock, and Theora Hansen.
Adams said he is excited to go through the process.
“What struck me most was that someone, somewhere, had noticed the hard work and dedication I have been devoting to my art,” Adams said. “I believe that performing should not be about what I get out of it, but rather, what I give to people through doing it.”
Adams also said that it was nice to know that he was making some sort of positive difference in the world.
Finalists for Male Contributor of the Year are Mark Taylor, Michael Reid Bowes, Colby Presley, Jeff Kinsel and Justin Nelson.
Finalists for Male Athlete of the Year are Tysson Poots, Davis Baker, Bucky Aona, Cameron Levins and Austin Hill.
Finalists for Female Contributor of the Year are Timian Yoshimoto, Danielle Schiller, Jessica Brooks and Alyssa Sanders.
Finalists for Female Athlete of the Year are Elise Wheeler, Challis Pascucci, Sharla Manuele, Kirrily Burden and Melissa Johnson.
Finalists for Organizations of the Year are Presidential Ambassadors, LDSSA, Student Alumni Association, Power 91 and Delta Psi Omega.
Finalists for Professor of the Year are Todd Peterson, Randy Allen, John Taylor, Robin Boneck and Kevin Stein.
Finalists for Personality of the Year are Dennis Busch, Jami Bonner, Ian Wright, Kate Montoya and Russell Kennedy.
Finalists for Scholar of the Year are Jamie N. Nelson, Amanda Utzman, Devin Wiggins, Whitney Lee Swallow, Molly Wunderli and Graham Cheever.
Finalists for the Sterling R. Church Award are Nicholas Leibhardt, Raquel Roldan, Jesse Maher, Ashley Flestead and Ryan Bowler.
Finalists for the R. Kenneth Benson Award are Darren Dillard, Brandon Godfrey, Cheever, Michael Hunter and Cody Alderson.
“It is a great honor to be nominated for the R. Kenneth Benson Award and Scholar of the Year Award,” Cheever said. “I’m grateful to be included among that elite group.”
Cheever said winning would be an excellent thing to include on a resume and could open doors for him later in life.
Alderson was nominated for the award last year as well; however, he said because he didn’t know much about it, he didn’t fill out application for it.
“I’m honored beyond words,” Alderson said. “It’s a really cool award and I’m excited to be able to get another chance at it.”
Finalists for the Elain C. Southwick Award are Andrea Thatcher, Maria Yates, Chelsea Chaney, Alayna Ferrin and Brenna Hall.
“I’m really excited,” Ferrin said. “I feel really good that people would think that I’ve done a good enough job for this award.”
Ferrin also said that in order to be eligible for the award, she was expected to have a 3.6 or higher GPA and be involved in student activities.
“For some of these awards, students have to have really good grades and be outstanding students,” Shupe said.
Shupe said by winning these awards, students would benefit by adding it to their resume.
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