Monday, March 29, 2010
2010 Trustees Distinguished Merit Award goes to Leah Weinzapfel
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Jennifer Theriot Administrative Associate News & Information Services 812/465-7005 Weinzapfel has stood out in both academic and extracurricular pursuits at USI. She serves as the S.A.C. (Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology) Club president, editor of the College of Liberal Arts' student journal Amalgam, a USI study abroad ambassador, and a representative to the Dean's Student Advisory Council. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the College Democrats, and the Political Science Society. Weinzapfel also works as a lab research assistant and student assistant for the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice Studies. An honors student, Weinzapfel has a 3.966 grade point average and has completed internships at United Way of Southwestern Indiana and USI's Office of Planning, Research, and Assessment (OPRA). During the 2008 presidential election, Weinzapfel completed a year-long undergraduate research project that analyzed the portrayal of women's issues by cable network affiliate web sites. This project was featured at last year's RISC Showcase and has been accepted for presentation this spring at the annual Pacific Sociological Association Conference in Oakland, California. Weinzapfel also has completed her senior honors project on the "Sewers before Stadiums" movement, which examines the inequalities in infrastructure in Evansville and the effects of inaction by the local government. In the summer of 2009, Weinzapfel traveled to Kolkata, India and taught at a school for low-income children. In an essay detailing her experiences at USI and her trip to India, she wrote she has learned "the importance of looking at issues through the lenses of both local and global realms." Ronda Priest, chair of the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice Studies, said , "Weinzapfel epitomizes the USI mission with her intellectual curiosity and continuous search for more diverse experiences." Patricia Aakhus, director of Interdisciplinary and International Studies, said, "She takes the lead in the classroom, setting the standard for excellent scholarship, displaying critical thinking skills, solid knowledge of the field, and articulate expression." A 2006 graduate of Mater Dei High School, Weinzapfel is the daughter of Tom and Marlene Weinzapfel of Mt. Vernon, Indiana. After graduating from USI, Weinzapfel will serve as a Teach for America 2010 Corps member in Houston, Texas, for one to two years. Her long-term goal is to obtain a doctorate degree in sociology with a concentration in international affairs. The Trustees Distinguished Merit Award, which includes a $1,000 stipend, recognizes outstanding achievement in not only a student's major, but also in the liberal arts and sciences that form the core of a university education. Selection is made by the Student Affairs Committee. |
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