UWS alumnus, administrator, students receive TRiO awards

A University of Wisconsin-Superior graduate who’s working to preserve the Ojibwe language and a UWS administrator who served as a program advocate were honored with TRiO awards from the federal education support programs.

Michael Sullivan of Hayward received a TRiO Achiever Award in recognition of his success in using the McNair Scholars Program as a steppingstone to post-graduate study. He is pursuing a doctorate degree in linguistics at the University of Minnesota.

Provost Faith Hensrud received a TRiO Champion Award to honor her work in keeping the TriO programs fully funded at UWS.

Both awards were presented April 17 in Duluth during a meeting of approximately 210 TRiO educators from Wisconsin and Minnesota. Nationally, TRiO includes eight federal outreach and support programs that help disadvantaged students progress from middle school to graduate programs. At UWS, these programs include the McNair Scholars Program, Student Support Services and Upward Bound.

Sullivan is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe who majored in sociology at UWS. He participated in the McNair Scholars Program, which helped him prepare to meet the requirements for graduate school. His preparation included a research project titled “Giga-wanishinimin ina? Will We Be Lost? The Status of the Ojibwe Language at Lac Courte Oreilles.”

After graduating in 2009, Sullivan was accepted into the doctoral program in linguistics at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He continues to build on his McNair research project about the revitalization of the Ojibwe language. He also is among those working with the University of Minnesota’s Department of American Indian Studies to create the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary, a searchable, talking online Ojibwe-English dictionary.

Sullivan has started giving back to the Lac Courte Oreilles community by providing useful Ojibwe language tools such as websites, books and recordings of elders’ stories. Between his education and his own cultural and language knowledge, he will be able to teach younger generations in the community how to speak the Ojibwe language so it does not become extinct.

Sullivan was chosen to receive the award from among nominees from Wisconsin based on his perseverance to obtain a degree, determination to overcome obstacles, community involvement, educational attainment level and the impact TRiO programs have had on his life.

Hensrud was honored for her willingness to work with the TRiO staff to develop solutions to financial challenges that enabled the university to continue offering its current slate of programs.

Hensrud was recently appointed UWS’ interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. She previously served as the university’s associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and outreach and as director for its Center for Continuing Education/Extension and Distance Learning Center.

Outstanding students and tutors in student support programs were honored April 27 at the university’s annual TRiO Award Day.

Those receiving awards this year include:

Outstanding Tutor, Academic Support Center: David Hammersborg of Superior for his work over the past two years: His ability to assist students in a variety of subjects and his engaging personality enabled him to help many students succeed in their studies.

Outstanding Student, Academic Support Center: Stephen Larson II for the time and effort he has put into his studies at the Academic Support Center: He is majoring in art.

Outstanding Tutor, Mathematics Lab: Amarachi Okorigbo of Nigeria was honored for her commitment to professionalism and her outstanding ability to take initiative.

Outstanding Student, Mathematics Lab: Kali Kelleher of Superior was recognized for her numerous hours spent in the tutoring lab, strong work ethic and willingness to help others with math on her own time has made her noteworthy.

McNair Scholars Program, Researcher of the Year: Alison Gondik, a biology major from South Range, Wis., will be applying to graduate school after graduating. Her McNair Research was titled, “Knowledge and Perception of Health and Its Correlation to Actual Health,” and was mentored by Dr. Michelle Arnhold-Davies.

McNair Scholars Program, Outstanding Scholar of the Year: Abdi Mohamud, a student at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, for his McNair Research titled, “Efficiency of Solar Water Heating in Duluth, Minnesota,”

McNair Scholars Program, Outstanding Scholar of the Year: Chnice Watson, a student at UMD for her McNair Research titled, “Effectiveness of Breast Self-Exams and Their Relationship to Breast Cancer.”

Upward Bound Tutor of the Year: Sarah Johnson of Cloquet, Minn.

UWS Foundation Gulland Scholarship Recipient: Iashia Bolton of Superior.

Upward Bound Student of the Year: Taylor Burn of Superior High School.

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