Education students recognized for outstanding achievements

College of Education students enjoy the tradition of hearing the bell rung by the dean as freshman education majors and then ringing the bell themselves at graduation. | Download this photo.

By Patrice Scott

Kansas State University's College of Education is highlighting students who excelled in and out of the classroom with awards recognizing outstanding future teachers and excellent students.

Debbie Mercer, dean of K-State's College of Education, announced the spring 2025 student award winners.

The Outstanding Future Teacher Award recognizes two outstanding future teachers who demonstrate excellence during their professional clinical experiences, as supported and documented by their cooperating teachers, university supervisors and clinical instructors. The exemplary senior students are Tess Nearmyer, elementary education, Olathe, and Jerra Butterfield, secondary family and consumer science education, Osage City.

The Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award recognizes students whose scholarship and leadership left an indelible mark through their college, campus and community activities. The senior award recipients are Andrew Bergmeier, elementary education, Hutchinson; Madison Meis, elementary education, Manhattan; Alexis Minor, elementary education, Wichita; Richelle Reichenberger, K-12 physical education and health education, Independence; and Ainsley Trunkhill, secondary English education, Hutchinson.

The Outstanding Graduate Student in Education Award is presented to a master's graduate and a doctoral graduate for excellence in scholarship and outstanding service. The master’s awardee is Samantha Goldstein, curriculum and instruction, New Braunfels, Texas. The doctoral awardee is Chanh Bao Lam, doctoral student in curriculum and instruction, Tuy Hoa Phu Yen, Vietnam.

The Graduate Student Teaching Excellence Award recognizes a College of Education graduate student with teaching responsibilities at K-State during the academic year in which the award is presented. The successful candidate must demonstrate highly effective teaching. This year’s recipient is Katie Buhler, master’s in curriculum and instruction, Pratt.

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