University of Regina students will be recognized for a variety of achievements during the University's annual spring convocation June 5-7 at the Conexus Arts Centre.

Gold Medal in Engineering
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan
The 2006 Gold Medal in Engineering will be presented to Kate Meredith Rennie. This award is presented each year at spring convocation to a student graduating with a first degree who has shown leadership qualities and academic achievement.

Rennie attended Regina’s Campbell Collegiate and began her university studies in the fall of 2001. Recipient of numerous scholarships, she also graduates with co-operative education designation having completed successful work terms with Western Economic Diversification Canada (Saskatoon), Shell Canada Limited (Calgary), Industry Canada (Ottawa), and Research In Motion (Waterloo). Her last work term with Research In Motion helped establish the University of Regina as a school of choice.

Rennie served as the Engineering Students’ Society president after holding three vice-president positions. In addition, she was a student representative for the University of Regina Senate 2005-2006.

An accomplished singer and musician, her extracurricular activities include martial arts and recreational sports.

Gold Medal in Geoscience
Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan
Chelsey Jean Ebel – who is graduating with a bachelor of science honours in geology and has the highest mark among current graduates of that program – is the winner of the 2006 Gold Medal in Geoscience.

This award is presented each year at spring convocation to a student graduating with a first degree who has shown leadership qualities and academic achievement.

Ebel began her university studies in the fall of 2001. Active in the Don Kent Geology Club, she was chosen by her peers as winner of the Gerry Handford Memorial Award in 2005. She also won the L.W. Vigrass Prize in Geology this year (2006), and received the 2005 Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists SIFT (Student Industry Field Trip) award in 2005.

Ebel has been on the provincial ringette team and served as captain. She traveled to Montreal for the Canadian Ringette National Championship on the Saskatchewan Provincial team in April this year.

Leon Goldman Scholarship
Donated by Mr. and Mrs. Norman Gleiberman and Family
The Leon Goldman Scholarship is awarded to the most distinguished graduate of the Faculty of Business Administration receiving a first degree at the spring convocation. This scholarship is donated in honour of Mrs. Gleiberman’s father, Leon Goldman, on his 75th birthday.

The recipient at the 2006 spring convocation is Danielle Rebecca Wellman, who maintained an average of close to or more than 90 per cent in each semester of attendance. Wellman is receiving a bachelor of business administration with great distinction and the co-operative education designation, having achieved a grade point average in excess of 90 per cent. Currently she is employed with Farm Credit Canada and is pursuing a chartered financial analyst designation.

Wellman was raised on a farm outside Regina and commuted daily to both Luther High School and eventually to the University.

Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal
The Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal is awarded to the student deemed to have achieved the highest overall academic standing in a graduate degree program.

Christian Dave Frenopoulo convocated in October 2005 with a master of arts, majoring in anthropology. He graduated with an average of more than 94 per cent.

Frenopoulo’s thesis – titled, “Charity and Spirits in the Amazonian Navy: The Barquinha Mission of the Brazilian Amazon,” – was rated 10 on a 10-point scale, and his oral defence was rated at 9 on a 10-point scale.

Frenopoulo came to the University of Regina from Uruguay, where he graduated with a licenciate in anthropological sciences from the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay in 2000; and a bachelor in philosophy from Universidad Catülica del Uruguay in 1996. Completing his master of arts in a mere two academic years, he has been awarded numerous internal scholarships.

While maintaining his remarkable academic performance, Frenopoulo published a book review and an article in international peer-reviewed journals. He has presented four papers at conferences in Canada and Uruguay, and has also collaborated with a top Brazilian expert on Ayahuasca religions on a regular basis. More recently, Frenopoulo was elected to be the secretary of the Uruguayan Association of Anthropologists.

Upon completion of his master of arts, Frenopoulo commenced his Doctor of Philosophy program at the University of Pittsburgh with a three-year PhD scholarship in hand.

Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal
The Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal is awarded to the undergraduate student who achieves the highest academic standing in a bachelor’s degree program.

The 2006 recipient, David Conrad Roettger, is also the recipient of the University Prize in Science awarded to the most distinguished student graduating with a first degree from the Faculty of Science. Roettger is graduating with a BSc (Hon) degree with high honours in chemistry and minors in mathematics and biology.

Roettger enrolled in Campion College in 2001 after graduating from Campbell Collegiate in Regina. He received many awards including a Campion College entrance scholarship, three University of Regina academic scholarships, two academic gold and three academic silver scholarships, the Campion College Prize, two Campion College scholarships and chemistry awards. David has been on the dean’s honours list throughout his academic career.

James M. Minifie Award
Jamie Janine Komarnicki is the 2006 winner of the James M. Minifie Award, presented annually to the most outstanding graduate of the School of Journalism.

Komarnicki demonstrated both academic excellence and professionalism in the discipline of journalism. An award winner since she entered the school in 2004, she excelled in her two years of pre-journalism in the Faculty of Arts following home schooling in Estevan.

Like James Minifie, one of Canada’s most distinguished journalists famous for his incisive and restless mind, Komarnicki sought out opportunities to learn. This year, she competed with graduating students from schools of journalism in universities across Canada for a newly-created scholarship opportunity. She was awarded one of 12 Uniterra scholarships, in collaboration with the World University Service of Canada, enabling her to travel and write in rural Ghana during May and June of this year.

A volunteer worker with the Canadian Red Cross, Komarnicki prepared profiles on volunteers working in disaster relief during the past year. She took a leading role in the University of Regina chapter of Journalists for Human Rights, co-ordinating discussion sessions on international human rights issues and the responsibility of journalists to bring stories to the attention of those in a position to take action.

President’s Medal
The President’s Medal is awarded at each convocation to a student receiving a first degree with a minimum average of 80 per cent, and who has shown leadership in and commitment to extracurricular activities while at the University of Regina.

The 2006 winner, Elaine Eva Linton, is graduating with a bachelor of business administration, great distinction, and achieved an average over 89 per cent.

Linton showed academic excellence and strong leadership qualities in activities within both the University and her community. As a student and a mother of three children – all of whom have recently received their degrees from the University of Regina – she has balanced her life as a student, mother, wife and daughter to aged parents. She has also coped with illness while she was enrolled in classes. Instead of being a deterrant, this fuelled her determination to complete her degree and achieve her long time educational goals.

In her community, Linton volunteered in many capacities. In Regina, she is a volunteer with the Chili for Children’s program and for seniors’ social events at Pioneer Village and Pioneer Manor. While at the U of R, she was a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society Regina Chapter, volunteered as a note taker for students through the Disability Resource Office and acted as a tutor in a variety of courses. She has taken a special interest in international students and helped familiarize them with our city, climate, language and customs.

Linton is presently employed by the City of Regina in their Human Resources department and is continuing her studies toward a master of human resource management degree at the University.

W. A. Riddell Award in Fine Arts
Angela Marie Beck is the recipient of the W. A. Riddell Award in Fine Arts, awarded to the most distinguished student graduating with a first degree from the Faculty of Fine Arts. She is graduating with great distinction from the Department of Visual Arts with a bachelor of fine arts (painting) and a minor in English. Beck graduated with high honours and bilingual certification from Dr. Martin Leboldus High School in Regina and entered the University of Regina in fall 2002 through Campion College.

Recipient of numerous prizes and scholarships, Beck was treasurer for both the fine arts and visual arts student associations, and acting president of the Visual Arts Student’s Association.

As a gallery facilitator at the MacKenzie Art Gallery, Beck was responsible for school and community tours and facilitated the weekend family programs. She was also the MacKenzie’s Registrar and Resource Centre Assistant performing a number of tasks related to the preservation and cataloguing of artwork from the permanent collection.

Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Prize
At each University of Regina convocation ceremony, the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF) awards a prize to a distinguished member of the graduating class in the Faculty of Education who does not hold a previous degree. Jennifer Catherine Kot is the spring, 2006 winner of the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation Prize.

Kot graduates with great distinction, with a program grade point average above 90 per cent in the bachelor of education degree, majoring in chemistry with a minor in mathematics.

Kot was on the dean’s honours list and has received numerous academic awards. In 2004, she was nominated for the YWCA Young Women of Distinction Award. Her main extracurricular involvement is with Applause Dance Academy studying the disciplines of tap, ballet, jazz, pointe, modern, musical theatre, and lyrical dance. She has taught dance since 2001 to students ranging from three to adult.

She has been a dedicated volunteer with the C.F.L. Saskatchewan Roughrider Trailblazers (cheerleaders) for the last three years and is a lector and teaches children’s liturgy at Christ the King Roman Catholic Parish.

S. E. Stewart Award in Arts
The S.E. Stewart Award is presented at each spring convocation to an outstanding student in the Faculty of Arts graduating with a first degree. In addition, the candidate may have demonstrated superior leadership qualities by being involved in campus life or by making special contributions to the University or the community.

Heather Christine Bell is graduating with a BA (Honours) in psychology, with a cumulative grade point average in excess of 88 per cent. She was on the dean’s list four times, and was the recipient of six other scholarships and awards.

Bell has dedicated herself to the field of behavioural neuroscience and intends to continue her investigation of human brain-behaviour relationships at the graduate level. While conducting her own research, Bell also worked as a teaching assistant and a research assistant in the Psychology Department.

University Medal
The University Medal is awarded to the most distinguished undergraduate student at the University of Regina, based on academic achievement in full-time studies during two terms of the previous 12 months.

The recipient is Samantha Ann King who will receive a bachelor of business administration with an accounting major. King began her undergraduate studies at the University of Regina in the fall of 2002, pursuing a bachelor of human justice degree in the Faculty of Arts. After two semesters, she transferred to a bachelor of arts program in psychology, and continued studies in that area until the Fall of 2005, when she transferred to the Faculty of Business Administration to pursue a bachelor of business administration.

During her time at the University of Regina, King was on the dean’s list seven times, scored 100 per cent in seven classes, achieved grades above 80 per cent in every class but one, and has been the recipient of 18 academic awards and scholarships

University Prize in Kinesiology and Health Studies
Jacqueline Sarah van Schie is winner of the University Prize in Kinesiology and Health Studies. Each convocation, this prize is awarded to the most distinguished student of the graduating class in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies. Van Schie is graduating with a bachelor of kinesiology with great distinction, specializing in adapted physical activity.

Van Schie graduated from Carpenter High School in Meadow Lake, and began her academic career at the University of Regina in the fall of 2001. In the fall of 2004 her studies took her to Louisiana State University as part of a foreign exchange program. Throughout her academic career at the University of Regina she has maintained an average above 86 per cent .

Van Schie completed the fieldwork portion of her program at the Phoenix Residential Society working with its Acquired Brain Injury Residential Program.

University Prize in Science
The University Prize in Science is awarded each convocation to the most distinguished student graduating with a first degree from the Faculty of Science. David Conrad Roettger is the recipient of this prize at the 2006 Spring Convocation as well as the Governor General’s Academic Silver Medal (see item above).

University Prize in Social Work
Karen Louise Mason is the 2006 recipient of the University Prize in Social Work. This prize is awarded to the most distinguished social work student achieving the highest grade point average among students graduating with a first degree in social work.

Mason has studied at the University of Regina’s Prince Albert Continuing Education Centre. As a mother to young children, a daughter aged seven and a son aged one, being able to study in Prince Albert made her degree an achievable goal. As a result of completing her BSW in a rural and northern setting, Mason built lasting relationships with classmates and faculty members and gained experience in the research field.

Prior to beginning her social work career, Mason contributed in the education field in rural Saskatchewan. She worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Leask Community School and Shellbrook Elementary School where she provided educational and behavioural support to students to assist them in re-integrating into the regular classroom setting.