Emporia State’s Shepherd Scholars honored in ceremony

When a dozen Emporia State University students were honored as the 2009-10 class of Shepherd Scholars, the lengthy introductions for the seniors-to-be spoke not just to the past, but to the future.

“I congratulate you on your accomplishments to date – but also on your future accomplishments, not only next year as seniors, but beyond ESU in your careers,” said ESU President Michael Lane, as he welcomed students, family, friends and faculty members in the Sauder Alumni Center on Tuesday, April 21.

2009 Emporia State University Shepherd Scholars pose with the benefactor of the scholarship program, Augusta Shepherd. Left to right, Jasmine Puderbaugh, Caitlyn Eck, Karen Kroge, Jonathan Krueger, Frances Busby, Augusta Shepherd, Levi Short, Katie McClain, Melissa Swager, Jacob Kucza, Jill Farrell, Tamara Stimatze, and Paige Kinzie.

The Shepherd Scholars program was established at ESU in 1994 by Augusta Shepherd and her late husband, R. Hershel Shepherd, of Emporia. The scholarship provides generous support for ESU’s most accomplished upperclassmen in their senior years.

The 2009 Shepherd Scholars are:

• Frances Busby, Osage City, secondary English education
• Caitlin Eck, Bartlett, accounting
• Jill Ferrell, Hutchinson, secondary English education
• Paige Kinzie, Macksville, secondary English education
• Karen Kroge, Lawrence, secondary social sciences education
• Jonathan Krueger, Bentley, political science and public affairs
• Jacob Kucza, Lawrence, elementary education
• Katie McClain, Lawrence, secondary social sciences education
• Jasmine Puderbaugh, Topeka, secondary English and French education
• Levi Short, Hamilton, biochemistry and molecular biology
• Tamara Stimatze, Emporia, psychology and rehabilitation
• Melissa Swager, Goodland, mathematics

During the ceremony, professors introduced the students and spoke of their accomplishments and hard work. Students received a plaque in recognition of their selection. 

For Frances Busby, the ceremony held a special surprise – she was also recognized with the Roe R. Cross Scholar Award, presented by ESU professors named as Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professors. The Roe Cross award annually recognizes a professor who best demonstrates teaching excellence, professional activities, fostering of intellectual atmosphere, service to the university outside the classroom, and status as a student mentor. For the third year, the elite circle of professors honored one of the Shepherd Scholars with an additional scholarship.

“It’s great! It’s a wonderful honor,” Busby said afterward. “I wasn’t expecting the Roe Cross honor. I had no idea.”

Busby was pleased, for herself and fellow recipients, to be recognized beyond high academic marks. She said the scholarships support the creativity of students in all disciplines, and encourage future success. “It really makes you feel good, that you’re getting somewhere with what you’re doing,” she said. 

Busby, a secondary English education major from Osage City, was introduced by Dr. Cynthia Patton. Patton taught a course surveying world literature, and found Busby to be quite animated in her postings to the course’s online discussion boards – frequent postings, at all times of the day and night.

“At 3 a.m.!” Patton said, to elaborate. “Almost every day. Including weekends! I’m not saying there’s nothing to appreciate about ancient Egyptian love poetry. But there was definitely something refreshing in the joy Frances showed in expressing her views.”

Busby laughed afterward, saying she would post replies whenever ideas came to her, even if those ideas woke her up. “‘Let’s see what everybody else thinks. They can read it when they wake up,’” Busby said.

Similar evidence of excellence followed for each student, from the intellectual curiosity that led Karen Kroge to prepare for a teaching trip to China by reading four books on the nation, to Jonathan Krueger’s efforts to reestablish the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity on the ESU campus.

Among such an accomplished group, the future for these 12 Shepherd Scholars looks even brighter than the present.

Last Updated April 22, 2009>