Science Department Students Receive 2024 Honors

Concordia University, Nebraska’s natural sciences department recently held its annual banquet recognizing graduating seniors from the department and select students for their outstanding service and scholarship. 

Students and faculty enjoyed each other’s company, fellowship, prayer and the game, “Are you smarter than a middle schooler?” The banquet featured a presentation from Concordia Nebraska physics professor Dr. Robert Hermann highlighting the 2024 American total eclipse and a trip that he co-led with physics professor Dr. Brent Royuk to bring Concordia undergraduate students to Southern Missouri and into the path of totality. Ultimately successful, the memorable trip became a legitimate “star trek” as unforeseen traffic difficulties plagued the venture.  

“If we had stopped 15 seconds earlier, we would have missed totality,” said Hermann. “If we had driven 15 seconds longer, we would have missed the eclipse.” 

Concordia Nebraska’s Department of Science 2024 awards and scholarships include:  

The Faculty Science Scholarship is the department’s highest honor and is awarded to the most outstanding science student – both in the classroom and in terms of service to the department and the university – going into their final academic year. This scholarship is funded entirely by donations from current and past faculty members in the department. This year’s winner is Joshua Puelz. 

The Daenzer Scholarship is awarded to students who will be graduating in the coming year and who are outstanding students, helpful to the department and the university, and reflect the love and awe for creation exhibited by the scholarship’s namesake Gil Daenzer, who was a long-time physics faculty member at Concordia University, Nebraska. This year’s winners are Bradley Bennett, Hannah Callahan and Rebecca Gebhardt. 

Outstanding Lab Assistants included Jessica Ciezki (agriculture), Luke Johnson (biology), Creighton Taylor (biology), Madeline Wittstruck (biology), Avery Lewis (chemistry), Jenna Potratz (chemistry) and Joshua Palacios (physics). 

The Golden Scalpel is awarded to the most outstanding student in BIO 450 Advanced Human Dissection. This year’s winner is Sara Walford. 

New this year, the “Disposable Blue Inoculating Loop Award” is a just-for-fun award created by Connie Callahan to commemorate the unique frustrations inherent to microbiology lab. This award was bestowed on her lab assistants who, on a weekly basis, survived the outcome of this question, “What could possibly go wrong in micro lab today?”. Honorees included Rebecca Gebhardt, Avery Lewis, Sara Walford and Maddie Wittstruck. 

The science and math programs at Concordia University, Nebraska provide students with strong foundations in research, discovery and critical thinking to equip them for future career in science or math, as well as vocations serving the community, the church and the world. Concordia Nebraska is committed to providing experiences that promote scientific inquiry and intellectual, spiritual and emotional growth.