2023-2024 Golden Bishop Awards
Ohio Wesleyan Honors Students for Leadership, Community Service, Campus Involvement
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University is honoring students with Golden Bishop Awards in recognition of their outstanding achievements in leadership, community service, and campus involvement during the current academic year.
The awards were presented April 17 with WCSA President Justice Clark and Vice President Giorgi Bediashvili serving as the event's hosts.
"We come together tonight to celebrate and recognize the outstanding achievements of students and staff at Ohio Wesleyan," Clark said. "We have been impressed by your many accomplishments and abilities and your biggest fans surround you today – faculty, staff, your family and friends. These are the people who have closely followed your collegiate careers and have supported you in many ways. They have watched you grow and are excited to celebrate your success!"
Members of the Ohio Wesleyan community recognized at the 2023-2024 Golden Bishop Awards and their honors are as follows:
Service Awards
The Patricia G. Young Award for Leadership in Service to Children and Youth
- Nuri Craig of Mount Vernon, Ohio, for service including his Chess Initiative that involves spending time mentoring children and teaching them to play chess.
The Sara Paullin Casto Student Humanitarian Award, recognizing exemplary dedication and leadership in public service
- Karli Walsh of Massillon, Ohio, for her work with the Parole Illinois and Young Democratic Socialists of America organizations.
The Bridge Builder Award, recognizing exemplary service within and beyond the campus community
- Madison Cartnal of Newark, Ohio, for her work as the current moderator and a two-year member of SEAL, the Service, Engagement, and Leadership small living unit.
- Mason Ramsey of Columbus, Ohio, for his work in observation, animal care, and outreach/education at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
- Bishop Scholars Team Leads, acknowledging the work of OWU's Bishop Scholars to tutor children in grades K-8 in seven area school districts as they work to recover learning lost during the pandemic.
- Tiwa Adediran of Columbus, Ohio
- Oyindoubra Akika of Delaware, Ohio
- Tim Alexander of Noblesville, Indiana
- Shannon Barr of Galena, Ohio
- Emerson Freas of Oberlin, Ohio
- Marquel Henry of Dayton, Ohio
- Avery Krause of North Royalton, Ohio
- Preston Pethtel of Heath, Ohio
- Allyson Reich of Wadsworth, Ohio
- Lily Rekow of Columbus, Ohio
- Hayley Sanders of Reedsville, Ohio
- Morgan Scott of Delaware, Ohio
- Morgan Vaughn of Belleville, Michigan
- Service in Nature: Urban and Elsewhere Spring Break Service Team, acknowledging the team's work to center Black students in a space of belonging as they worked improve trails at a state park and prepare urban garden spaces in South Carolina
- Kaylen Brandt of Chicago, Illinois
- Justice Clark of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Faith Deschamps of East Orange, New Jersey
- Zachary Donley of Galloway, Ohio
- Marquel Henry of Dayton, Ohio
- Marquis Henry of Dayton, Ohio
- Tymir Hill of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Mila Noel of Delray Beach, Florida
- Dillon Shelton of Solon, Ohio
- Alhaji Sidibe of Canal Winchester, Ohio
- Christopher Mickens, faculty-staff adviser
- Adrian Moran, OWU Class of 2023, faculty-staff adviser
Residential Life Awards
Recognizing student leaders for their work to help fellow students connect with one another and find spaces where they feel they belong within OWU's residential communities.
Outstanding Resident Assistant/Moderator Award
- Pedro Oliveira Figueiredo of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, for his work with the Smith Hall first-year community.
- Mylah Morris of Seville, Ohio, for their contributions to the Interfaith House small living unit as well as the surrounding Delaware and OWU faith communities.
- Veronica Tai Padron of Dorchester, Massachusetts, for her work with the Panhellenic community.
Heart of the Community Award
- Tree House small living unit, for its continuous commitment to making Ohio Wesleyan and Delaware a greener place.
Student Involvement Awards
Student Organization Community Impact Recognition
- Horizons
- Model United Nations
- VIVA
Student Organization Advisor Recognition
- Dede Shine, Horizons adviser
New Student Organization Recognition
- Athlete Alliance
- Bishops Make Tech
- Computer Science & Programming Club
- Friends of MSF (supporting Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders)
- In the Loop (crocheters and knitters)
- National Society of Black Engineers
- Photo & AV
- Rafiki Wa Afrika
- UniConsult
- Women in Entrepreneurship
Nancy Bihl Rutkowski Leadership Fellowship, honoring students who successfully completed the fellowship, engaging in a curriculum centered on the Social Change Model of Leadership.
- Claire Coleman of Cincinnati, Ohio
- Marvella Kurniawan of West Jakarta, Indonesia
- Mason Ramsey of Columbus, Ohio
- Vincent Sack of North Olmsted, Ohio
Fraternity & Sorority Life Awards
Recognition of Academic Excellence
- Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority
- Phi Delta Theta Fraternity
Fraternity & Sorority Emerging Leaders of the Year
- Hayden Kelner of Ashtabula, Ohio, a member of Chi Phi
- Juliana Kifus of Madison, Ohio, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta
Fraternity & Sorority Members of the Year
- Eva Birk-Petri of Columbus, Ohio, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta
- Bobby Frankfort of Westfield, New Jersey, a member of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji)
WCSA Awards
Recognizing the work of OWU's student government
WCSA Best Overall Member
- Giorgi Bediashvili of Tbilisi, Georgia
WCSA Best New Member
- Brady West of Dublin, Ohio
WCSA Social Justice Steward
- Saharla Loyan of Westerville, Ohio
Donald G. Chenoweth Friend of WCSA Award
- Kolby Brock, President's Office postgraduate intern
Meek Leadership Awards
Recognizing seniors for exceptional leadership while at Ohio Wesleyan and for demonstrating the promise of exceptional leadership in the future.
- Katie Chittum of Hebron, Ohio
- Sophie Gipson of Dayton, Ohio
- Siarra Hoover of Frazeysburg, Ohio
- Marvella Kurniawan of West Jakarta, Indonesia
- Elliot Spicer of Newark, Ohio
- Karli Walsh of Massillon, Ohio
Watch the 2023-2024 Golden Bishop Awards online and learn more about the annual celebration of excellence at owu.edu/GoldenBishopAwards.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.