On April 25, Walla Walla University held its annual Awards Celebration Ceremony to celebrate and honor the scholarship and achievements of students, staff, and faculty. Thanks to generous contributions from alumni and friends of WWU, 976 awards were given out to students from over 210 different scholarship funds, drawing $1,242,504.
12 staff and faculty members received well-deserved awards for their dedication to the mission of WWU. Here are the recipients of this year's awards:
Diversity & Inclusion Award – Amanda Ramoutar, education and psychology.
Excellence in Advising – Jim Nestler, biology.
Excellence in Scholarship – Monique Roddy, history.
Excellence in Teaching – Tim Tiffin, mathematics.
Excellence in Theological Teaching – Paul Dybdahl, theology.
Distinguished Faculty Lecturer – Johanna Attoh, business.
Community Service Award – Deisy Haid, social work and sociology.
School of Business Teaching – Steven Forbis, business.
Stephen & Margaret Tan Engineering & Computer Science Excellence in Teaching – Melodie Williams, engineering.
Rising Staff Member of the Year – Carlos McDonald, custodial services.
Staff Member of the Year – Patty Nelson, facility services.
Staff Member of the Year – Chris Drake, marketing and enrollment.
Alongside the awards, Alex Bryan, president of Walla Walla University, highlighted the accomplishments of several professors, including theology professors Carl Cosaert, Mathilde Frey, and Pedrito Maynard-Reid for their contributions to the Seventh-day Adventist International Commentary Bible. Cosaert wrote the commentary for 1 & 2 Timothy and Galatians, Frey worked on the book of Judges, and Maynard-Reid wrote for the book of James.
Bryan also highlighted Kirt Onthank, professor of biology, for his research on the energetic costs of color changes in cephalopods, conducted in partnership with WWU graduate Sofie Sonner. Their study was published in one of the world’s most prestigious and cited scientific journals, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and has received international recognition. You can read more about Onthank and Sonner’s work in this story.
WWU also honored four alumni: David Wagner, Ginger Ketting-Weller, Elmar Sakala, and Anthony Stahl. They were recognized for outstanding or unusual contributions in the areas of community service, church service, and professional service. Each honoree's character and work reflect Walla Walla University's core values. Browse the Awards Celebration booklet, which includes a complete list of scholarships, at wallawalla.edu/awards.
Posted May 15, 2025.
