16 graduating seniors earn University Honors Program awards

Sixteen graduating seniors have earned awards from the University Honors Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The students, all May graduates, were selected from among 200-plus Honors graduates during the 2024-25 academic year.

The Outstanding Honors Leadership Award recognizes Honors graduates who made the most significant and lasting impact on the Honors Program through their leadership. This year, the award was given to two graduates: Rowan Havranek of Ravenna, Nebraska, and Hannah Scholen, of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The Honors Program collaborates each year with Nebraska’s undergraduate colleges to recognize an Outstanding Honors Graduate from each college. The eight students who earned this award were selected based on their contributions to, and involvement with, both the Honors Program and their respective colleges. 

Four students were also recognized for outstanding leadership within one of the Honors Program’s registered student organizations: Honors Ambassadors, Honors Program Student Advisory Board and Honors Peer Mentoring.

Finally, three students were recognized with the Honors Resilience Award, which acknowledges Honors graduates who have persisted and grown through adversity during their time at Nebraska to achieve at a high level both personally and academically.

Following is a list of Honors Program award winners by hometown. The information includes major(s) and the award won by each student. 

Nebraska

Kennard:

• Joshua Miller, biological sciences, Outstanding Honors Peer Mentor

Lincoln:

• Elizabeth Herbin, history, Honors Resilience Award
• Zachary Kozak, computer science, Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Engineering
• Hayley Moree, biological sciences, Outstanding Honors Peer Mentor Leader
• Emily Stoner, advertising and public relations, and sports media and communication, Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Journalism and Mass Communications

Omaha:

• Kayli Pham, speech-language pathology, Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Education and Human Sciences
• Carmela Rigatuso, criminology and criminal justice, Outstanding Honors Graduate: UNO College of Public Affairs and Community Service 

Papillion:

• Ruthi Zielinski, physics and mathematics, Honors Resilience Award

Ravenna:

• Rowan Havranek, English, Outstanding Honors Leadership Award and Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Arts and Sciences

Raymond:

• Connor Nichols, computer science, Honors Resilience Award

Elsewhere in the U.S.

Los Angeles, California:

• Claire Klein, insect science, Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources

Thornton, Colorado:

• Isabella Lucero, psychology, Outstanding Honors Ambassador

Courtland, Kansas:

• Carolina Barraza, accounting, Outstanding Honors Graduate: College of Business

Minneapolis, Minnesota:

• Hannah Scholen, political science and Spanish, Outstanding Honors Leadership Award

Sioux Falls, South Dakota:

• Alyssa Nielsen, biological sciences and Spanish, Outstanding Honors Program Student Advisory Board Member

League City, Texas:

• Nathaniel Brown, music, Outstanding Honors Graduate: Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts