Kate Hevner Mueller served Indiana University from 1937 to 1969 as Dean of Women, Senior Counselor for Women, and Professor of Education. Dr. Mueller was a national pioneer for women professionals and developed the Master’s Program in College Student Personnel (Higher Education and Student Affairs) at Indiana University in the early 1950s. The Kate Hevner Mueller Senior Awards were established in 2013 to honor IU seniors who have proven leadership on campus both inside and outside of the classroom and who have improved the IU community through their presence.
This year, Indiana University has selected 27 outstanding recipients for the Kate Hevner Mueller Outstanding Senior Award. In this article, we congratulate Yahnea’ Gentry, Dhvani Ghael, Sarah Greenwell, Natalie Grubb, Jade Hart, and Maura Heneghan for their ability to represent Dr. Mueller’s essential goals of the university: to promote intellect, develop personality, and inspire citizenship and leadership to all students.
Andrea Garcia-Estrada
Yahnea’ Gentry
Dhvani Ghael
Sarah Greenwell
Natalie Grubb
Jade Hart
Maura Heneghan
Andrea Garcia-Estrada
Andrea Garcia-Estrada is graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. Andrea’s involvement stretches across campus, though she’s made her most significant impact through the Hutton Honors College’s student organizations. She has held many roles in the Honors College, including as an executive in the Hutton Honors Council Association and the Honors First-Generation Leaders Association, and as a CommUNITY Educator and Honors Residential Community Resident Assistant for three years. Andrea is also a member of the Hudson and Holland Scholars Program.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Andrea said:
I would first like to thank my parents and brother for being my greatest supporters throughout my academic and life journey; your support has been everything to me. Second, I want to thank all of my academic advisors, mentors, and supporters, as I have only been able to reach these accomplishments through their counsel and guidance. Third, I want to thank my friends and peers I have worked with for continuing to lift me up when I am down and for sharing wonderful memories with me. Finally, I want to thank the hundreds of children and adolescents who have come through my life, for being my “why”, and for teaching me as much as I have mentored them. Without any of these people, I wouldn’t be who I am today; thank you now and always.
Yahnea’ Gentry
Yahnea’ Gentry is graduating from the School of Education with a Bachelor of Sciences in Education degree with a focus in elementary education. A great deal of Yahnea’s campus involvements has been dedicated to student mentorship, guidance, and advocacy. A Groups Scholar and Hudson and Holland Scholar, Yahnea’ has served as President of Groups’s Peer Ambassadors & Advisors team, where she also received the Groups Ambassador of the Year Award for her exemplary student mentorship. Moreover, Yahnea’ has also served as a peer mentor in the School of Education, a member of the Community of Diverse Educators, a member of Sigma Gamma Rho, and a member of Chi Alpha Epsilon. She was elected to the 2023 Homecoming Court this past year and won both the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies’s Joe Russel Leadership Award and the Atkins LLC Outstanding Academic Achievement Award.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Yahnea’ said:
Thank you to everyone who has helped me during my college year. I have received a tremendous amount of support from every organization that I have been involved in. I had a great four years here at Indiana University Bloomington. I am so glad that I was able to leave an impact on the IU campus and I hope to inspire others to do so as well.
Dhvani Ghael
Dhvani Ghael is graduating from the Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Business degree in Marketing. She served as President of the IU Student Alumni Association (IUSAA) for two years, where she increased student participation in Homecoming activities after a lapse during the pandemic, bolstered IU Day, and celebrated seniors with Senior Sendoff. Outside of her role as President, she has served as a Career and Professional Development Fellow for the Alumni Association and as a teaching assistant in the Kelley School of Business.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Dhvani said:
I would like to take this moment of gratitude and thank all my professors at Kelley who believed in my academic potential. Thank you to IUSAA for pushing me to be the best version of myself. Thank you to my connections at DePuy Synthes for providing me such a unique professional experience anyone could ask for. Finally, thank you to all my friends and family, who have been my biggest pillar through my years at IU and given me the freedom to be whoever I want to be.
Sarah Greenwell
Sarah Greenwell is graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience. Sarah has made major research contributions in the Brain Networks and Behavior Lab during her four years at IU, publishing four academic papers with her colleagues. For her scholarly endeavors and dedication to promoting access to undergraduate research experiences, Sarah has received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and the Drs. Sidney and Becca Fleischer Science Fellowship. In addition to her research, she served as a teaching assistant and volunteered with Beacon, Inc. to support people experiencing homelessness in Monroe County, Indiana.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Sarah said:
Thank you to Dr. Richard Betzel, Dr. Rich Hardy, Dr. Heather Bradshaw, and Dr. Anne Krendl, who encouraged and taught me so much during my time at IU; to my parents, who have been endlessly supportive; and to IU and the Senior Awards Committee for this honor.
Natalie Grubb
Natalie Grubb is graduating from the Media School with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism. As President of the IU Student Athletic Board, Natalie spearheaded several volunteer initiatives to support the Bloomington community, such as running food and hygiene drives. She was a part of IU’s First Inaugural Women’s Symposium where she interviewed Kalen Irsay-Jackson – owner of the Indianapolis Colts – for the keynote session. Additionally, Natalie worked as a media relations intern for IU Athletics.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Natalie said:
I would like to say thank you to my family and friends, specifically my parents for all of their love, guidance, and continual support as I chase after my dreams. I would also like to thank Mike Wells, Jeremy Gray, Adam Day, Ashton Stewart, Judy Downey, Scott Dolson, and the many others who have challenged me and pushed me to become the student and young professional I am today. Lastly, I would like to thank God for His faithfulness and unfailing love.
Jade Hart
Jade Hart is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Recreation degree in Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management from the School of Public Health. As a Groups Scholar, she recently served as a Groups Residential Assistant in an effort to give back to the program that supported her. Jade provided a supportive and exciting welcome to thousands of students as they transitioned to college through her role as an Orientation Leader, a Student Coordinator, and a Program Assistant in the Office of First-Year Experience. Jade also served as the second Vice President and Communications Chair for the Delta Epsilon Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated.
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Jade said:
Thank you to everyone that supported me in my journey to college. Since I was a young girl, I knew that there was a bigger world out there and I was determined to see it. To all the people that have been there with me, I could not have done it without you and I am the woman I am today because of you all. I want to give a special thanks to my family, my high school and college mentors, and my line sisters. I love you all so much.
Maura Heneghan
Maura Heneghan is graduating from the Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Sciences in Business degree in Accounting. She was President of the Alternative Break Program, a service-learning organization within the Kelley Institute of Social impact that hosted nine week-long volunteering trips with IU students this year, including a sustainable farming trip in Puerto Rico, a food security trip in New York, and a water sustainability trip in Costa Rica. She also served as a member of Net Impact (a sustainable business organization that strives to apply business skills toward charitable causes, the IU Women’s Club Basketball team, and the Trockman Microfinance Initiative (which offers undergraduate students the opportunity to learn about microfinance and apply these insights to humanitarian efforts).
Acknowledgments
When reflecting on those that have impacted her most during her time at IU, Maura said:
I would like to thank everyone at the Alternative Break Program for helping me create such amazing opportunities for students to learn about social impact and make a difference through volunteering. I would also like to thank Courtney Bidwell, Brittany Lambert, and Matt Josefy for supporting me in this award process and through my entire academic journey. Finally, I want to thank my family and friends for supporting me through all my endeavors at Indiana University.
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