Commerce Bank Presidential Awards for Belonging

The Commerce Bank Presidential Faculty/Staff Award for Distinguished Services to Belonging was established in 1978 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to the development of quality education for students at Kansas State University.

The Commerce Bank Presidential Student Award for Distinguished Services in Belonging was established in the spring of 1997 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to enhancement within the student sector.

Commerce Bank Presidential Awards Selections committee members for 2025-2026 include:

• Dr. Mirta Rodriguez Chavez, Committee Chair, Assistant Vice President, Student Belonging
• Dr. Tamara Bauer, Director, Institute for Community Health & Well-being.
• Dr. Maria Teresa DePaoli, Professor, Department of Modern Languages.
• Mariya Vaughn, Assistant Director, K-State First.
• Mitzi Farmer, Director of Academic Services, College of Architecture, Planning & Design.
• Shana Bender, Director of Retention and Persistence, Academic and Career Engagement.

Award Applications:

Applications and nominations are now open for the 2026 to 2027 Commerce Bank Presidential Awards for Student Belonging.

The deadline to submit a complete application or nomination packet is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026.

Please download the appropriate application below for complete eligibility requirements, nomination criteria, and submission instructions.

Faculty and Staff Award Application

Student Award Application

Submission Instructions

All required materials must be combined and submitted as one PDF file. Multiple PDF files will not be accepted.

Completed packets should be emailed to Ana Guanes at anaguanes@ksu.edu, with belonging@k-state.edu copied on the email.

For the Faculty and Staff Award, use:

Email subject: [Nominee Name] Commerce Bank Faculty/Staff Award Nomination
File name: NomineeLastName_NomineeFirstName_CommerceBank_FacultyStaff_Nomination.pdf

The packet must include:

• Completed nomination form
• Nomination summary
• Three letters of support, and
• Nominee's résumé or curriculum vitae.

For the Student Award, use:

Email subject: [Nominee Name] Commerce Bank Student Award Nomination
File name: NomineeLastName_NomineeFirstName_CommerceBank_Student_Nomination.pdf

The packet must include:

• Completed nomination form
• Letter of nomination
• One additional letter of reference
• Résumé, and
• Student issued university transcript, either official or unofficial.

There will be no exceptions to the application deadline.

2025-2026 Award Winners:

Faculty & Staff: Dr. Natasha Rozhkovskaya, Professor of Mathematics - Mathematics Department

Student: Endy Lopes Kailer, Ph.D. Candidate - Agronomy Department