SALISBURY — Catawba College recognized a dozens of students, faculty and staff last week as part of its annual awards.

The college announced the recipients via a video program live streamed on its Facebook page. The awards range from departmental awards to service recognition and superlative honors like Professor of the Year announced by Catawba faculty and students.

“It’s been an extraordinary year carrying on classes in the midst of the pandemic,” Catawba President David Nelson said, adding despite the circumstances the college has carried on with the normal work of an academic year.

Senior Vice President and Chaplain Kenneth Clapp delivered an invocation before the awards began. He thanked God for bestowing gifts on the people who were recognized and reflected on the imperfect process of choosing people for awards and the impermanence of recognition.

“The medallions will find their way into oblivion in drawers and closets,” Clapp said. “The certificates will yellow and fade, but the good work will live on in hearts and the better world that it makes possible.”

Clapp said many of the recipients are being recognized for work during the pandemic.

The 45-minute program was mostly dedicated to announcing the awards, with some musical interjections from students and faculty. The awards were chosen by different means. Professor of the Year ChaMarra Saner, for example, was voted on by students.

Saner is an assistant professor of chemistry at Catawba who came to the college after earning her doctoral degree from Louisiana State University in 2015.

Johnathan Boles, associate director of the Lilly Center, was chosen as staff member of the year for his work with the center and its focus on helping students find their purpose.

Student Government Association President Ali Snider received the President’s Award, which is always presented to the outgoing president in the form of an engraved gavel.

Dean of Students Jared Tice said the program was produced by and produced by local marketing agency Miller Davis, which has been assisting the college with the event for a few years.

The following is a full list of the awards:

Community service and leadership awards

• Student Government President’s Award: Ali Snider
• Mr. Catawba for 2020-21: Brandon Stewart
• Ms. Catawba for 2020-21: Kathryn Webb
• David Hoyle Award For Outstanding Service in Student Activities: Alana Cooper
• The Sara Cook Award for Student Involvement: Holly Kuhn
• The Pioneer Award: Ariel Graham
• Francis Decker Wentz Award: Jacob Aiton and Daniel Harvey
• Dr. Kenneth Clapp Tri-Delta Award: Dr. ChaMarra Saner
• Leader in Environmental Stewardship Award: Students Malachi Gray, Madison Kluge and Nina MacKinnon.
• President’s Award for Community Service: Jay Bolin
• Paul Fisher Service Awards: The nursing faculty and staff
• NCICU Ethics Bowl: Noah Brass, Bre Eller, Katie Webb, Nilya Holcomb, Paige Carter, Nicholas Trovato and Dorris Feeney
• Nursing Clinical Practice Excellence Award Kasey Austyn Rowden

Academic achievement awards

• Sherrill and Smith Award in Accounting: Ben LaFevers
• Millard F. Wilson Award for Excellence in Business: Jack Joel
• Rebecca H. Frantz Essay Prize: Abbey Birkhead
• Bethany and Aidan Sinnott Poetry Award: Jessica Brown
• The Martha H. Morehead Award: Dustin Sink
• Rice, Andrews, Young Award: Adwoa Ofori-Gyau
• Elisabeth Scranton History Award: Daniel Harvey
• Braun Award in Physics: Julia Southern
• Chemistry Prize: Luke Carter
• CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award: Hannah Dunn and Hunter Sjobom
• Mathematics Award: Kaitlin Koons
• Environment and Sustainability Award: Sandra Abbey
• Shirley L. Haworth Prospective Teacher Award: Shonda McKinney and Gracie Gibson
• Student N.C. Association of Educators/Cynthia B. Osterhus Award: Haley Sloop and Paige Carter
• Chairman’s Award: Dylan Smith and Savannah Nunn
• Roberts Senior Psychology Award: Emily J. Avalos
• Bolick Sociology Award: Olivia Danner
• Whitley Award: Shemya Stanback
• Russell Award: Matthew Habina
• Daniel E. Kirk Biology Award: Sydney J. Goertzen
• Bruce A. Wentz Philosophy Award: Zachary L. Francis
• Religion Award: Leah D. Terraglio
• Augustin Daly Award: Madison Dolchan
• Karl E. Hales Communication Award: Maddie Capel and Corey Polk
• Paul L. Baker Computer Science Award: Miracle Etim-Andy
• Nursing Academic Excellence Award: Madison Kaye Hunter

Awards of special merit and achievement

• Dean N. Grove Award: Sydney Goertzen
• Algernon Sydney Sullivan Awards: Staff: Teresa Bivins. Student: Oryan Malul
• Staff Member of the Year Award: Johnathon Boles
• Professor of the Year Award: ChaMarra Saner
• Louise Tucker Staff Council Award: Janet Waggoner
  President’s Award for Staff Excellence: Steffanie West
• Swink Prize for Outstanding Classroom Teaching: Beth Homan
• Trustee Award for Outstanding Contribution to the College: Doug Brown
• Whitener Medals: Oryan Malul and Alberto Borges