Senior Liz Zalla wins Fr. Finn Award

Mar 31, 2019

By Ryan Clark

Liz Zalla says she put her heart and soul into her career at Xavier.

This spring, she was rewarded for that, as she was named the winner of the Fr. Finn Award on All Honors Day.

Named for a remarkable Jesuit priest, who, during the 1920s, served as pastor of St. Xavier Church and was a member of the Xavier Board of Trustees, Fr. Francis Finn was a noted author of books for young Catholics. This award is presented by the Xavier National Alumni Association to a member of the graduating class who best exemplifies the qualities of Fr. Finn’s fictional heroes: strong spiritual values, leadership, and breadth of interest.

“Winning the Fr. Finn Award was one of the greatest honors I could have imagined to receive during my time at Xavier,” said the communication studies and advertising major. “A man who embodied spiritual virtues, leadership, and a variety of interests, Fr. Finn was just the type of model we, as students at Xavier, are meant to follow.”

Zalla did all this while also serving as the 2017-18 president of the Student Activities Council. 

“Our student commitment calls us to learn, serve and change the world together, and Fr. Finn was a man who aimed to do just that,” Zalla said. “I was humbled to receive this award amidst so many other talented, passionate and inspiring individuals this All Honors Day, and I know I could not have done it without the amazing community surrounding me at Xavier.”

More about All Honors Day:

Each spring the Xavier community comes together to celebrate Xavier’s top students during the annual All Honors Day ceremonies.

Students are recognized for their academic achievements, their contributions to service and justice and their involvement and leadership within the Xavier community.

Read on for the full list of students honored during for their achievements during the 2018-19 academic school year.

Student Leadership Awards

The Student Leadership Awards honor students who display exceptional leadership in Xavier's student government, club activities or other organizations sponsored by the division of student life and leadership.

Students honored:

Emma A. Albertz- Student Employee of the Year

Lauren M. Bailey- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, Dorothy Day Award

Jasmine M. Cline-Bailey- Outstanding Contribution to Graduate Students

Alecia R. Conway- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Benmun H. Damul- Ambassador Award, Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award, President's Award for Excellence in Leadership

Anna E. DeHondt - Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students, Sally Watson Leadership Award

Lauren A. Dencker- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Samantha B. Dewey- Rev. Paul L. O'Connor, S.J. Award

Mary Elizabeth A. DeWitt- Zach Wood Award

Rhea A. Elcock- President's Award for Excellence in Leadership

Sierra C. Fields- Outstanding Contribution to Commuter Students

Donald J. Foley- Charles J. Ping Community Service Award

Jacqueline E. Fox- Kaela Alton Wellness Leadership Award, President's Award for Excellence in Leadership

Caitlin Fox- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Kate M. George- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Chrisopher B. Givin- Rev. Paul L. O'Connor, S.J. Award

Nicole E. Gratzer- Dorothy Day Award

Kara M. Horning- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Peter M. Korchak- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Jordan W. Lobsiger- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Danica M. Lombardi- Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students

Maryn S. McCarty- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Rachel R. McFadden- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Alfredo Mercedes- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Matthew K. Nguyen- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Sonia Pereira- Outstanding Contribution to Non-Traditional Students

Kara A. Petit- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Azl Saeed- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Allison M. Schroeder- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Kathryn Schuller- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, David Streicher Spirit of Xavier Award

Samson T. Sergi- Thomas E. Sedler Award

Ryan P. Spolar- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Colleen M. Spolar- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Megan R. Stewart- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Danielle N. Stone- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Desmond C. Varner, Jr.- Newman Civic Fellows Award

Tianna A. Vozar- Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award, Thomas E. Sedler Award

Ihsan A. Walker- Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Award

Brittany E. Wells- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Sophia R. Wilson- Sally Watson Leadership Award

Emily A. Witt- Outstanding Contribution to Residential Students, Gold X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Mah Noor Zahra- Silver X-Key Leadership Achievement Award

Elizabeth A. Zalla- Father Francis J. Finn, S.J. Award

Award Descriptions

Alpha Sigma Nu Induction

Induction into Alpha Sigma Nu is one of the highest honors that can be given on a Jesuit campus. Candidates must be outstanding in scholarship, in loyalty and in service to the University.

Students honored:

Yasmin Alvarado-Rayo 

Rita Atalor

Emma Barry

Toni Bizzarro

Alec Bomske

Margot Bond

Sela Brazier

Noah Buettner

Katherine Burrows

Hannah Cascio

Mariah Edwards

Danielle Eilerman 

Ellie Esser

Julia Frabrizi

Erica Geers

Megan Hammond

Mary Pat Hamzik

Elizabeth Handley-

Samick Samuel Juszczyk

Molly Kidwell

Kelsey Kraft

Margaret Landry

Andrew Mack

Anjali Nelson

Kayde Nester

Sarah O’Shaughnessy

Brian Price

Margaret Purtell

Julia Reichley

Griffin Richardson

Jillian Satz

Gabriela Scott

Arianna Semilia

Margaret Tierney

Alexandria Tsenekos

Lauren Valentini

Camryn Yacks

Academic Honors Convocation

The Academic Honors Convocation recognizes those students who have excelled in the classroom and have qualified for a special award of honor.

Students honored:

Yasmin Alvarado-Rayo

Rebecca M. Anderson

Hannah M. Bailey

Kinzie A. Baker

Rachel V. Barth

Maggie E. Bartoletti

Alexis A. Baumgartner

Caroline E. Blandford

Stephen L. Bothwell

Daniel E. Bowling

Sela H. Brazier

Alexander E. Browne

Kathleen S. Buch

Laura L. Bundus 

Katherine B. Burrows

Benjamin Butler

Ryan P. Caliguri 

Hannah D. Cariati

Kevin J. Cekanor

Kelly M. Cline

Kaitlyn D. Clyne 

Miranda D. Cocca

Morgan S. Comerford

Matthew B. Crowe

Samantha B. Dabney

Benmun H. Damul

Anna E. DeHondt

Alexa P. Deutsch 

Robert D. Dewitt 

Nadia C. Di Marco

Zachary P. Dutro

John B. Dykema

Magdalene A. Eallonardo

Olivia C. Eck 

Nina E. Eisenberg

Rhea A. Elcock

Emilie K. Eros

Maria L. Fraulini

Valiant L. Freeman

Ryan J. Gallagher

Courtney E. Garside

Naomi G. Gebremariam

Brian C. Georg

Maria F. Gomez

Libby A. Grace

Elizabeth Guarasci

Megan E. Hammond

Mary P. Hamzik

Katherine J. Harrington

Jayson J. Heidemann

Jonathan M. Hesford

Rachel J. Hesse

David F. Hicks

Michael J. Hilvert 

Alexis M. Hogya

Karen L. Jackson

Cozia C. James

Joshua J. Jerabek

Jenna K. Kay

Payton B. Kelly-McNally

Andrea Kennard

Sherri M. King

Ashley M. Kingsley

Brennan H. Kizer Ball

Charlotte R. Knotts 

Tilen Kodrin

Rachel E. Kreutzjans

Rachel A. Krevh

Gavin P. Kyte

Margaret F. Landry

Hannah M. Lankswert

Brianna H. Ledsome

Sarah N. Lemay

Hannah M. Lodin

Alexander Lopez Valdiviseo

Mary G. Mahoney 

Shazia Malik

Evan C. Mallory

Andrew W. Marsden

Hannah M. Martin

Kristen L. Martin

Gabriella R. Martini

Anna C. Mayer 

Msendoo V. Mbachilin

Riley P. McDonald

Rachel R. McFadden

Sean P. McNamara

Anne M. Mesewicz

Sara E. Meuché

Hannah P. Michels 

Jessica A. Miller

Natalie R. Mitchell

Ayarri N. Moore

Kaitlyn R. Motel

Andrew J. Nelson

Anjali R. Nelson 

Katie E. Nichols 

Alexa R. Ollier

Molly K. Onders

Presley Owusu-Bonsu

Monica A. Papulak 

Emily M. Pausa

Sonia Pereira

Christina E. Peterman

Rachael M. Petranek

Julian D. Pullings 

Trevor J. Rahlfs 

Carson J. Rayhill 

Ty A. Richer 

Nicholas C. Rittenhouse

Eduardo Rivera

Kathryn M. Robertson 

Sophie Rogers 

Earl A. Rolley

Jillian R. Satz

Kara Schatz

Viktoria R. Schumacher

Matthew D. Shannon 

Daniel J. Shannon

Casey A. Smith

Michael L. Smith

Andrea P. Solis Canto

William M. Steuk 

Nicholas A. Stone

Nicholas J. Talbot

Matthew W. Tarka

Nick J. Tarnowski

Bethany C. Taylor

Madeline I. Teed

Kevin W. Thomas

Miles A. Tiemeyer

Patrick D. Tilden

Rebecca M. Titterton 

Clayton R. Traylor 

Madeline L. Valente

Allison M. Voelker

Brian A. Ward 

Brittany E. Wells

Arielle Wilson

Anthony M. Zajac

Elizabeth A. Zalla

Carolanne M. Zelis