Lakeland awards 55th annual Koehler Campus Senior Award
Lakeland University senior Shyanne Koski, an education major from Random Lake, Wis., has been named the winner of the 55th annual Clarence H. Koehler Campus Senior Award, the university's top award for undergraduate students.
The Koehler Award is presented each year to a Lakeland senior who best exemplifies "The Lakeland Spirit" by his or her participation in and support of the university's programs and activities. To be eligible, graduates must complete all their undergraduate years at Lakeland and maintain a high level of academic achievement.
The other finalists for the 2020 Koehler Award were Cailyn Branback, Neil Rohde, Molly Schwibinger and Dante Williams.
Koski assembled an impressive resume of leadership, connecting Lakeland to the community and service to the institution during her four years.
For three years, she led STEAM Girls Rock, which focuses on Lakeland students mentoring girls at Plymouth middle school and high school in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. Koski arranged meetings in Plymouth and at Lakeland with the girls to participate in fun STEAM-related activities and projects.
Koski led the creation of a partnership between Lakeland and Pawsitism, a local nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for children with Autism. She helped recruit student volunteer trainers for the upcoming year, and helped to train the dogs by bringing them to Lakeland's campus and other public locations.
Koski came to Lakeland as part of the Sheboygan County Scholars program, and she gained entry into Lakeland's honors program, which challenges students to design their own research project. Her work focused on the education of students with Autism in an inclusive classroom.
She served as president of the Student Activities Foundation Board and the Pi Kappa Gamma sorority, and she was actively involved with the Lakeland band and math club. She served as a resident assistant, an academic tutor, a Blue and Gold Champion and a campus ambassador. She was also a community volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Junior Achievement and Aurora Memorial Hospital.
Her love for Lakeland has become a family affair, as her mother is also enrolled at Lakeland as a student.
The Koehler award is named for the Rev. Clarence Koehler, who graduated from the college in 1937 and from the seminary in 1939. He later became a member of the college's board of trustees and was chairman of the board in 1957 when he passed away at age 48.
The Rev. Koehler was an outstanding student and participated in numerous activities on campus, including music, athletics, student publications and managing the campus bookstore. He maximized his college experience, and this award honors that spirit.
Other winners of academic awards this year include:
