Six undergraduate students and one graduate student with areas of study in the College of Arts and Sciences received Student Luminary Awards to recognize their exceptional leadership and commitment to improving the campus and community.
Those selected create a positive campus environment, advocate for change, demonstrate a significant and active commitment to inclusion and model academic excellence inside and outside the classroom.
Each student was nominated by a faculty or staff member on campus and received $1,000.
Jamieson Batistella
Psychology
Melbourne, Australia
Batistella was honored as a Student Luminary for her commitment to welcoming and supporting international students through the New Student Enrollment Welcome Team as well as her community engagement and leadership as a peer mentor through the Athlete2Athlete program.
“Jamieson is an exceptional individual who dedicates herself body and soul to her endeavors,” Natalie Baskin, nominator, said. “She gives nothing but her best to everything she does.”
Taylor Daum
English
Emerson, Nebraska
Daum was honored as a Student Luminary for her positive influence on campus and campus involvement as a resident assistant, orientation leader and First Husker peer mentor, and her commitment to improving the campus through participation in the Executive Vice Chancellor’s Student Advisory Board. She had the unique opportunity of leading a group of students who worked to support students as they tested positive for COVID-19 this past spring.
“I can think of nobody who has single-handedly impacted as many lives directly as Taylor has,” Jordan Foreman-Black, nominator, said. “She exemplifies a commitment to helping others and ensuring they feel connected and engaged with the community.”
Saddiq Dzukogi
English
Lincoln, Nebraska
Dzukogi was honored as a Student Luminary for his personal commitments to creating a positive campus environment and actions toward making every person feel valued. While pursuing his own education and raising three young children, he mentors international students, serves as a compassionate undergraduate instructor, coaches high school poets and works with incarcerated community members.
“He has managed, in all of [his] struggles, to establish himself as a brilliant scholar, a hugely successful poet, a community-engaged teacher, a skillful, compassionate instructor to our undergraduates, and a mentor to local youth, other international students and incarcerated individuals,” Stacey Waite, nominator, said.
Leigh Jahnke
Biological sciences, Spanish
West Point, Nebraska
Jahnke was honored as a Student Luminary for her collaborative and civic minded spirit as well as her academic excellence and ability to make others feel valued. She has demonstrated her commitment as a Senior Resident Assistant and through leadership roles in the Nebraska Human Resources Institute, Honors Program and Alpha Omicron Pi sorority.
“She meets people where they are and with a genuine enthusiasm to get to know them,” Ann Koopman, nominator, said. “It is this kind of servant leadership that she brings to all her involvements and to her aspirations of a career in medicine.”
Natalia Koval
Mathematics, actuarial science (COB)
Palatine, Illinois
Koval was honored as a Student Luminary for cocurricular leadership, academic breadth and commitment to furthering opportunities and belongingness for first generation students. Her leadership accolades include serving as a First Husker peer mentor, multiple roles for Gamma Iota Sigma (international business fraternity) and as the current treasurer for First Generation Student Organization.
“Natalia’s positive attitude is infectious, always helping people feel welcome and included,” Amy Goodburn, nominator, said. “She is always looking for opportunities to leverage university opportunities so that first gen students can experience new opportunities.”
Marielena Moreno
Sociology
Lincoln, Nebraska
Moreno was honored as a Student Luminary for her commitment to inclusion and ability to positively contribute the campus community through peer leadership roles in TRIO, the William H. Thompson program, and the Explore Center. Additionally, she serves as a Catechist teacher for a local church.
“She quickly stood out to me as a leader who helps provide a positive campus environment,” Selma De Anda, nominator, said. “As a WHT mentor she served as a great leader and through her mentorship and event planning made Huskers in the program feel cared for and valued.”
Clarice Santos
Sociology, economics
Omaha, Nebraska
Santos was honored as a Student Luminary for her commitment to serving others, community involvement and dedication to advocating for positive change. She is an active member of the Combs Honor Scholars and the Sociology Undergraduate Advisory Board and has led several service-learning projects.
“Her dedication, resilience, and high standards have allowed her to thrive with positivity and a genuine smile,” Moises Padilla, nominator, said. “Through all involvement, Clarice exhibits trust, respect for others’ views and responsibility.”
