Graduating students who have excelled in both academic achievement and service may be nominated as a Dean of Students Honor Recipient.

Every semester, exceptional graduating students are recognized as Dean of Students Honor Recipients. These students maintain excellent scholastic performance while actively participating in university activities and community service outside of the classroom.

“These students represent what it truly means to be a Roo with their dedication to learning and service,” said Michele Smith, dean of students. “I’m proud to recognize them and I have no doubt they all have successful careers ahead of them.”

Students shared their memories of their college years at a special breakfast celebration in their honor. Some excerpts:

Avleen Bhandal: “UMKC has inspired me through many ways, but particularly the people I have met here. From my best friends and family to my professors and mentors, I have been honored to work with some wonderful people who inspire me every day and who have kept me motivated throughout this journey. This journey has not been without its struggles, but I am lucky to have so many people standing behind me and wishing me success through those challenges.”

Michael Brancato: “When I think of UMKC students or faculty, I think of compassion and humanitarianism.  The students and faculty who take it upon themselves to teach and volunteer make me want to do more for the community. I am most proud of the student-run free clinic we have worked to establish here in Kansas City.  I find inspiration through the people who are a part of the UMKC community and who choose to give of themselves to make our community better.“

Eric Honea: “UMKC has given me the opportunity to learn, grow and excel. While this may be the end of my educational journey at UMKC, it is only the beginning of my journey of being a voice for others. “

Tim Nguyen: “I’ll remember two lessons which I have learned over the past two years.  First, rejection is redirection, and second, when you fail or fall, stay down for as long as you need to in order to both understand and to learn, before you immediately jump back up.”

Dev Patel: “My proudest accomplishment while at UMKC has been my work achieving this goal of reaching underserved populations. The JayDoc Free Dental Clinic is a biweekly free dental clinic that provides treatment for patients with dental pain who cannot afford treatment elsewhere. For two years I worked as an Executive Director of the clinic. Right as I started this position, the COVID pandemic hit, and we were forced to close down. I’m most proud of the months of work our executive board did to reopen the clinic in a way where we could prioritize the safety of our volunteers while providing much needed dental care to the community.”

Congratulations to the Spring 2022 Dean of Students Honor Recipients!

• Samar Azzaidani - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Julie Banderas
• Allison Baker - School of Pharmacy
  • Nominated by Roger Sommi
• Avleen Bhandal - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Brent McCoy
• Winston Bowles - College of Arts & Sciences
  • Nominated by Katie Garey
• Michael Brancato - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Alison Scholes
• Abigail Castle - College of Arts & Sciences
  • Nominated by Ken Novak
• Alyssa Corley - School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
  • Nominated by Katie Garey and Jeff Price
• Anna Davis - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Betsy Hendrick and Kathleen Moburg
• Samantha Hays - College of Arts & Sciences
  • Nominated by Katie Garey
• Eric Honea - School of Law
  • Nominated by Barbara Glesner Fines, Nancy Levit, Lauren Butler, Timothy Lynch, and Meg Reuter
• Anna Hwang -  School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Brent McCoy
• Amanda Malone - College of Arts & Sciences
  • Nominated by Becky Bergman and Misty Campbell
• Abigail Murphy - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Brent McCoy
• Tim Nguyen - School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
  • Nominated by Kathleen Kilway, Katie Garey, and Joe Constantino
• Toluwanimi Olatunde-Salawu - School of Computing & Engineering
  • Nominated by Julie Myer
• Caroline Olson - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Peter Koulen
• Dakota Owens - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Krisana West
• Dev Patel - School of Dentistry
  • Nominated by Richie Bigham
• Kyle Potts - Bloch School of Management
  • Nominated by Jeina Stoumbaugh
• Casey Rose - School of Medicine
  • Nominated by Krisana West
• Marcus Thieu - School of Biological & Chemical Sciences
  • Nominated by Tammy Welchert, Rachel Hughes, and Todd Wells
• Genesis Zuniga - School of Education
  • Nominated by Lynne O’Dell