Students in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications were honored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at its annual Ivy Day ceremonies on April 2.
The event, co-sponsored by Mortar Board and the Innocents Society, recognized the outstanding contributions of students selected to serve in the two senior honorary organizations, as well as the achievements of current members and notable underclassmen and seniors.
Ceremonies took place at Sheldon Museum of Art and concluded with the traditional planting of the ivy by the 2022-23 presidents of the societies — Grace Farson of Papillion for Mortar Board and Bhagya Pushkaran of Lincoln for the Innocents Society.
Aaron Davis, motivational speaker, coach, trainer and attitude expert, delivered the keynote address. Davis is a Husker alumnus and was a member of the 1994 national championship Nebraska football team. As a young boy helping his father work in the evenings as a janitor, he learned the importance of having a “champion attitude” no matter one’s role or title. He is the president of Aaron Davis Presentations, a consulting and coaching firm, and a partner in two software companies. He has also authored three books and co-authored two others.
An honorary Mortar Board membership was presented to Randy Hawthorne, product manager at Nelnet and a nonprofit leader. Hawthorne is a 1992 graduate of the college and currently serves as a professional-in-residence in the Experience Lab.
The Innocents Society inducts 13 new members each spring. Meyri Ibrahim, a political science and journalism double major from Eagan, Minnesota, was inducted from CoJMC.
Selection was based on leadership, academic achievement and service to the university and greater community. The Innocents Society was founded in 1903 to promote the spirit of the university and is the chancellor’s senior honorary. It is uniquely Nebraskan.
New members of Mortar Board are tapped into the Black Masque Chapter each spring by Mortar Boarders wearing black masks and robes. Of the 26 new members, Kloee Sander, a broadcasting major from Lincoln, Quin Sleddens, an advertising and public relations, and journalism major from Lincoln and Regan Vaccaro, a sports media and communication, and advertising and public relations double major from Overland Park, Kansas, were inducted.
They were selected on the basis of advancing scholarship, leadership and service.
