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 selected 28 outstanding recipients for the Kate Hevner Mueller Outstanding Senior Award. In this article, we’re congratulating Ryan Macharia, Niamh Monk, Aramide Ogunmekan, Kayla Oxley, Isabella Pastore, Xavier Ramirez, and Kennedy Reardon 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.
Ryan Macharia
Ryan Macharia is graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a Bachelor of Arts with an interdepartmental major in Philosophy and Political Science and a minor in business.
Ryan is a Provost’s Scholar, Hudson and Holland Scholar, and was recently elected for membership in the Gamma of Indiana chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He is the Vice President of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and the Community Outreach Chair for the Pre-Black Law Students Association. Ryan is also involved as a member of the Black Student Union and the African Students’ Association. Previously, he served as a new member educator for the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity.
Acknowledgments
“I want to send a special thank you to my family, first and foremost, for not only raising me but also teaching me how to navigate the world. I also wish to thank Professor Aurelian Craiutu, Professor Judith Failer, Ms. Jeanne Myers, and Mr. Jordan Davis for their generosity, kindness, and willingness to assist me in my academic pursuits. Lastly, thank you to my wonderful girlfriend, Danielle Dixon, for her amazing, unconditional support.”
Niamh Monk
Niamh Monk is graduating from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Science with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science.
Niamh received an athletic scholarship for rowing after being recruited from New Zealand. She has completed both regional and national competitions in the 1st Varsity 8 rowing boat for the IU women’s rowing team. She has also participated in Global Hoosiers, a group for international athletes at IU, working alongside other diversity, equity, and inclusion groups for the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
Acknowledgments
“I want to express my gratitude to Steve Peterson, IU Women’s Rowing head coach, for extending the opportunity to attend IU and compete on the Women’s Rowing team, as well as my family for supporting me throughout this experience. Thank you to Lisa Winters and JT Post for their unwavering support over the past four years. Above all, I would like to thank my IU rowing teammates; this experience would be incomplete without them.”
Aramide Ogunmekan
Aramide Ogunmekan is graduating from the Kelley School of Business with a Bachelor of Science in Business in Accounting with a co-major in International Business and a minor in Music.
Aramide is a William R. Fry Scholar and President of Mu Beta Lambda Business Fraternity, Inc., the first minority-based professional fraternity in the nation. Aramide has been heavily involved in music-based extracurriculars on campus and is in her third year as a vocalist in the IU Soul Revue, a band dedicated to preserving and performing black popular music. Aramide is also a vocalist in Yours Truly, a student-led Bloomington band that performs funk, pop, and R&B music.
Acknowledgments
“I truly appreciate all my mentors, advisors, friends, and family who’ve helped me throughout the last four years. I attribute all my accomplishments in my time at IU to my incredible support system.”
Kayla Oxley
Kayla Oxley is graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business in Marketing with a co-major in Business Analytics from the Kelley School of Business.
Kayla is a Kelley Scholar and was the 2022 team winner of the Kelley Impact Competition. She currently serves as the Lead Teaching Assistant for BUS-K 304: Honors Technology and Business Analytics. Within this position she represented IU at the 2022 Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge, placing seventh in the world. She has also been involved with the Business Honors and Kelley Scholars programs, Marching Hundred, Big Red Basketball Band, All-Campus Band, and is the Vice President of Kelley’s Dean’s Insight Board.
Acknowledgments
“I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to my family, friends, and faculty mentors, especially Anna Deeds, Sarah Sherry, and Shawna Meyer-Niederman, for their invaluable support. In addition, I am immensely grateful for the Kelley Scholars Program for believing in me and investing in my future.”
Isabella Pastore
Bell Pastore is graduating from the School of Public Health with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health and a minor in Public Management.
Bell is a Provost’s Scholar and received the Dean’s Medal of Commendation. Previously, she received a research grant through the Hutton Honors College to study the relationship between sex education curriculum and state legislation. Bell has held several leadership positions in IU Student Government, serving as the Student Body Vice President (2022-2023) and the First-Year Internship director (2021-2022). Within her current internship, she has researched sexual violence prevention programs and bystander intervention education. She is also the captain and co-founder of a new Little 500 Women’s team, Alpha Fasta Bika.
Acknowledgments
“Thank you to my parents and friends for helping me pursue a college education, pushing me to do my best, and always believing in me over the past four years. I would also like to thank countless University staff and faculty who supported me throughout my time at IU.”
Xavier Ramirez
Xavier Ramirez is graduating from the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs with a Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs in Law and Public Policy and Human Resource Management.
Xavier is a Herbert Presidential Scholar, Hudson and Holland Scholar, Civic Leaders Scholar, and Provost’s Scholar. He has participated in two study abroad programs through the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. During his sophomore year, he participated in a 3-week summer study abroad program in Greece with the Civic Leader Learning Center, exploring the origins of classical democracy firsthand. During the second semester of his junior year, Xavier spent a semester in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, at Erasmus University Honors College. He took classes regarding human rights, environmental and narrative law, the philosophy of media, and literature and politics.
Acknowledgments
“Thank you so much to my amazing friends, who always inspire me to strive for greater heights, to see the goodness in the world, and to love those around me. A special thank you to my mom and dad, who are not only the best parents in the world but also my greatest advocates and the reason for who I am today!”
Kennedy Reardon
Kennedy Reardon graduated in December 2023 from the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies with a Bachelor of Arts in International Law, from the O’Neill School of Environmental Affairs with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental and Sustainability Studies, and completed minors in Spanish and Criminal Justice.
Kennedy is a Dean’s Scholar and the recipient of an IU Athletics scholarship. She is a member and two-season captain of the Indiana University Field Hockey team. She has also served as a Community Impact leader within the Athletics department, where she helped develop relations between Bloomington and the athletics community. Kennedy also participated in Coach for College as a teacher and coach for children in Vietnam.
Acknowledgments
“I cannot thank IU Athletics enough for their ardent support of athletes not just as players, but as students and young professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge; specifically my coaches, Kayla Bashore and Dani Castro, Ali Crouch, and Lisa Winters, for pushing me past my comfort zone when I was a freshman and continuing to provide me with mentorship. Secondly, thank you to my professors who made my education at IU special and have encouraged me to do my best work, as well as those who have become mentors for me—Professor Lame, Professor Eskew, and Professor Popp.”
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