MU faculty nominate outstanding graduates

The following students have been designated as the University of Missouri-Columbia’s most outstanding Spring 2005 graduates by faculty members.

College of Arts and Science

A Political Science and History major, Jason Nonnemaker is president of Mortar Board, an organization dedicated to promoting equal opportunities among all students. He also is a member of Mystical Seven, an honorary organization that selects the seven most outstanding men and women on campus based on community service and unselfish leadership ability. Nonnemaker serves as a Missouri Boys State counselor and was a Truman Scholar Finalist last year. He has served as an intern in Senator Kit Bond’s office in Washington, D.C. and currently works for Senator Matt Bartle. Nonnemaker, who will graduate with departmental and university honors, plans to further his education at Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C.

As Henry Pfulgradt prepares to graduate from MU, he also is training to become a leader in the U.S. Air Force, where he will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and Distinguished Graduate. He will attend jet pilot training after graduation. Pfulgradt has held numerous leadership positions within the Air Force ROTC that set him apart from his peers. He has been elected to the elite Golden Key International Honor Society and the MU Mortar Board, organizations that promote excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. Pfulgradt will graduate with degrees in Political Science and Aerospace Studies.

Elizabeth Donnelly will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Classical Languages. She will pursue a master’s degree in classics at Washington University in the fall. Donnelly recently was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society and the secret honor women’s society of LSV. She has worked as a YMCA tutor and as the lead teacher at the Grant Elementary School before-school Latin Program. She also has worked extensively with MU’s Residential Life program.

School of Journalism and College of Arts and Science

Rupa Rajagopalan will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor of Journalism degree in Advertising and a minor in English. Rupa’s parents were Indian immigrants and she spent her time at Mizzou gaining a diverse educational and cultural background. She has been active in the South Asian Student Association, helping to organize a National Gandhi Day of Service at local schools, a food drive and several cultural programs. Rupa has been involved in Students Advocating the Multicultural Experience, Amnesty International and was part of a team that won first place in the Arthur Page Society Case Study Competition for Corporate Communication. She speaks three languages and plans to serve in the AmeriCorps before pursuing a career in nonprofit work.

School of Health Professions

Mallory Wood is graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor of health science degree in Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) from the School of Health Professions (SHP). In addition to commuting to campus and working part time, Wood has committed 15 to 20 hours per week to undergraduate research. She was selected for the prestigious Undergraduate Research Scholars Program campus-wide research award for her project on language fluency in young children. She won the MU SHP Alumni Association award for Outstanding Undergraduate Student for 2005, and is one of two Alpha Eta recipients from the CSD department being recognized for excellence in health professions.

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