April 20, 2022
Trine University inducted the first members of its Alpha Beta Nu Hispanic Honorary Society as part of its annual Humanities and Communication awards, held Thursday, April 14, in Wells Theater inside Taylor Hall.
Alpha Beta Nu is Trine’s chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society/La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica, the largest collegiate foreign language honor society in the United States.
To be eligible for the honor society, students must complete at least three years of college Spanish, including coursework in Hispanic literature or culture, with at least a 3.0 grade point average in Spanish courses. They also must have completed at least three semesters of college with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
Ana Boman, Spanish lecturer at Trine and founding chapter advisor, inducted Jessica Westphal and Kimmia Fotovat as the society’s first two members. Both students are Spanish minors at Trine.
“I’m not only proud but I’m also hopeful they continue with their Spanish education,” Boman said of the students. “They are excellent in their Spanish-language skills.”
Westphal, a Fulton, Ohio, senior majoring in biology/pre-physical therapy, is also vice president of Athletes Connected and co-captain of Trine’s figure skating team. Fotovat, a Naperville, Illinois, junior majoring in biology, is secretary of Trine’s Student Government and vice president of the Psychology Club.
Following the induction ceremony, Trine’s Department of Humanities and Communication (HAC) presented its annual awards:
Top photo: From left, Christine Olding, Ph.D., chair of Trine University’s Department of Humanities and Communication, presented the Jeanine Samuelson Student Distinction Award to Faith Patterson, a communication major from Newburgh, Indiana; Abbey Wang, a communication major from Kentland, Indiana; Noah Swift, a communication major from Edinburgh, Indiana; Meghan Schrader, an English major from Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Cooper Lee, a communication major from South Bend, Indiana.
Induction - From left, Ana Boman, Spanish lecturer at Trine University, reads from the ritual to induct Jessica Westphal and Kimmia Fotovat as the first two members of the university’s chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society/La Sociedad Nacional Honoraria Hispánica.
Society - The founding members and chapter advisor of the Alpha Beta Nu Hispanic Honorary Society at Trine University: from left, Kimmia Fotovat, a Naperville, Illinois, junior majoring in biology; Ana Boman, Spanish lecturer; and Jessica Westphal, a Fulton, Ohio, senior majoring in biology/pre-physical therapy.
Writing Center - Janelle Pulczinski, Ph.D., assistant professor in Trine University’s Department of Humanities and Communication and director of the university’s Writing Center, left, presents the Outstanding Senior Writing Center Tutor award to Noah Swift, a communication major from Edinburgh, Indiana.
Outstanding Spanish Student - Ana Boman, Spanish lecturer at Trine University, left, presents the Outstanding Spanish Student of the Year award to Marcus Miller, an electrical engineering major from Lakeville, Indiana.
Photography - Sarah Zimmer, lecturer in humanities and communication at Trine University, left, presents an Excellence in Photography award to Mattie Maguire, a psychology major from Allen, Texas.
Photography - Sarah Zimmer, lecturer in humanities and communication at Trine University, left, presents an Excellence in Photography award to Benjamin Williams, a communication major from Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Outstanding Student in English - Jeanette Goddard, Ph.D., associate professor of humanities and communication at Trine University, left, presents the Needler-McGregor Outstanding Student in English award to Cooper Lee, a communication major from South Bend, Indiana.
Outstanding Senior in Humanities and Communication - Christine Olding, Ph.D., chair of Trine University’s Department of Humanities and Communication, left, presents the • Outstanding Senior in Humanities and Communication to Abbey Wang, a communication major from Kentland, Indiana.
Amanda Malefyt, Ph.D., professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, secured $5,142 from INSGC to continue her research into cancer-targeting monoclonal antibodies.
Assistant Professor Gurudutt Chandrashekar, Ph.D., of the Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was awarded $6,000 for Trine University’s team in the 2025 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Design/Build/Fly competition.
James Kamm, Ph.D., professor in the Wade Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, received his first INSGC grant of $15,000 to replicate two historic wind tunnel balances used by the Wright Brothers.