SIC Recognizes Outstanding Students

Southeastern Illinois College held its annual Honors Luncheon April 23 to celebrate academic and extra-curricular achievements of the student body in the Harry L. Crisp Student Center. Awards are as follows.

[Please find photos above matched to captions below.]

1. Two Phi Theta Kappa officers were chosen to represent SIC as top community college students in the state. They were selected for the All-Illinois USA Academic Team: Brylee Bayer from Equality (left) and Addison Bean from Ridgway.
2. The Outstanding Archer for 2024 is Keaton Shepherd (right) of Mascoutah. The award was presented by Coach Ricky Sauls who says Shepherd is the kind of team member that will give up his own practice time just to help out his teammates. He’s also a member of the SIC Clay Breakers. He will transfer to University of Tennessee this fall.
3. The Outstanding Men’s Basketball Player of the Year is sophomore Eli Mackey (left) of Morganfield, Kentucky. Coach Sam Swinford presented the award saying Mackey has not only seen great success on the court as an athlete but has shown tremendous work ethic carrying a 4.00 GPA through three semesters while also participating as a member of the SIC Diesel Technology Club. He was named the National Student Athlete of the Year and was a finalist in the three-point contest at the national tournament in Virginia. Mackey recently signed his letter of intent to continue his athletic and academic career at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa.
4. Hunter Henry (right) of Marion was presented with the Outstanding Golfer of the Year award by Coach Shain Miller who said Henry works hard every day to improve his game in any season. Henry has been recruited to play golf and continue his academic career at the university level and is currently weighing his options.
5. The Outstanding Softball Player of the Year is Trinity Higgins (left) of Kevil, Kentucky. Coach Maggie Calcaterra presented the award saying Higgins is an intelligent and driven young lady whose energy is contagious, and she acts as an extension of the coaching staff. Upon her graduation, she will attend St. Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana, where she will continue her academic and athletic career.
6. Jayden Vorhes of Herrin is this year’s Outstanding Bowler. He is a 2-year starter with an average score of 188 over the past two years and has maintained a solid GPA. Vorhes will receive his 2-year degree in Outfitter Wildlife Management from SIC and continue his college and bowling career at Quincy College this fall.
7. The Outstanding Falcons Faction of Gamers (Esports) Team Member for 2024 is Brandon (Beezy) Holloman of Elizabethtown. In his first year, Holloman was team captain for Call of Duty and later Halo, leading the teams to playoff visits each semester. This year, as team captain for Call of Duty, Coach Jason Fitzgerald noted that he not only proved that he has the skill set to be a top tier Call of Duty competitor, but also demonstrated strong leadership skills with the calm composure of a true leader. Holloman has been asked to return to the team next year as an assistant coach.
8. Gavin Perry of Mascoutah has been chosen as the Outstanding Clay Breaker (Trapshooter) of the Year. Perry has been both team and squad leader and has led the team to a 2^nd place showing at the US Open National Tournament in Sparta, where he won high-overall shooter with a 99.5% score. This same squad finished 7^th at the AIM Grand National Tournament for the Junior Gold Category. He has also led squads to several 1^st place finishes in singles, doubles, and handicap tournaments within League shooting while maintaining an excellent GPA. He will continue his educational journey at Murray State University, where he hopes to study Herpetology.
9. Natalie Webb of Vienna received the Outstanding Volleyball Player Award. Coach Jon Watts said Webb has been a team leader on and off the court, always has a smile, and plays the game with great energy. This past season she was captain of the team and was in the top 25% in blocking in Division II Junior College volleyball.
10. The Model Illinois Government (MIG) team was honored by Coach Matt Lees for their successes at the state competition, leading all schools in total points (7), floor leadership positions (3), and major awards (2). They also controlled the House Republican and Senate Democratic caucuses. MIG is a legislative simulation and competition where students get to play the role of legislators. This was SIC’s 14^th state championship overall and the first back-to-back championship since 2017. Pictured (front row, l-r) are Lees, team captain Tobias Hamblin of Norris City, Brandi Whitt of Harrisburg, Jillian Womack of Eldorado, and Ben Gulley of Harrisburg (Outstanding member of the Floor).
11. Tobias Hamblin of Norris City was presented with the Michaella K. Grounds Outstanding Contribution to MIG Award by Model Illinois Government Coach Matt Lees. The award was established by Lees to honor the memory of Michaella Grounds, who was a talented head delegate of the 2007 delegation and had a profound impact on everyone she met. Hamblin was this year’s head delegate, served as Chair in the House and was elected Whip. Additionally, after a teammate fell ill, Hamblin guided her legislation through both the House and Senate chambers all the way to the Governors’ desk where it was signed into law – showing tremendous leadership.
12. Student Government, sponsored by Matt Lees (right) and Kellye Whitler (not pictured), honored its executive board at the luncheon (pictured l-r): Student Trustee Addison Bean of Ridgway, Secretary and Student Body President-elect Skyler Edwards of Norris City, Vice-President Walker Eisenhauer of Galatia, and President Brylee Bayer of Equality.  They hosted a Student Government Inauguration, the Student Government cookout and scavenger hunt events, co-hosted a videogame tournament with the Math and Science Club in the fall, hosted a board game night in the spring, and are currently organizing the end of year trip. They also ran Freddie’s Food Pantry and hosted a food drive where they collected over 1000 items.
13. The SIC winner of the 2024 Paul Simon Essay Contest is Eli Mackey of Morganfield, Kentucky, earning $50. Entrants are required to write an essay about what community college means to them. His essay will be entered into the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s Paul Simon Student Essay Contest at the state level. The winner of that contest will receive a $500 scholarship during the annual awards luncheon this summer.
14. The Spirit of Southeastern Award is the oldest individual award given at SIC. It honors a sophomore who shows integrity, enthusiasm, and dedication to the ideals of the college, and is selected by faculty and staff. Criteria include caring for the college and people in general; good academic standing with a strong desire to learn; supporting and taking part in SIC activities; setting realistic goals; and reflecting favorably on Southeastern as a good citizen of the school. Addison Bean of Ridgway (right) was awarded the 2023-24 Spirit of Southeastern Award by Executive Dean of Student Services, Kyla Burford. Bean is the SIC Student Trustee, an officer of Student Government, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society president, an officer in Theta Sigma Phi Theatre Fraternity, and has played a major role in a number of SIC theatre productions.

Not present to accept his award was Carter Hood of Newburgh, Indiana, who earned the 2024 Outstanding Baseball Player of the Year Award. Carter was an All-Region 24 Gold Glove last season, carries a 4.0 GPA, and is weighing his options for his future in academics and athletics after SIC.

15. Students Graduating with Honors in 2024 (45 credit hours, GPA 3.25 or greater) include:

Anna, Illinois: Aden Hopkins

Bedford, Indiana: Dalton Grant

Benton, Illinois: Braddy Bailee

Boonville, Indiana: Carter Hood

Bradford, Tennessee: Morgan Hickerson

Broughton, Illinois: Matthew Parsons

Cape May, New Jersey: Branden Smith

Carbondale, Illinois: Conner Bennett

Carmi, Illinois: Karis Carlson, Madison Helsel, Morgan Howard, Jennifer Johnson, Abigail Rettinghaus, Haley Smith

Carrier Mills, Illinois: Arista Benton, Peyton Hunt, Daizha Locke, Devon Morales, Madison Murphy, Dashmirh Richardson, Amiya Stone

Carterville, Illinois: Connor McCague

Cave In Rock, Illinois: Caleb Darnell

Creal Springs, Illinois: Shaylie Arnold

Dale, Illinois: Connor Fauset

Delight, Arkansas: Emma May

Eldorado, Illinois: Chesney Cook, William Deam, Lauren Hammond, Jerod Hutchinson, Michelle Hutchinson, Gabrielle Russell, Rachel Stafford

Elizabethtown, Illinois: Calista Conley, Brandon Holloman, Madeline Kaylor, Kenly Pickering

Enfield, Illinois: Erin Wicker

Equality, Illinois: Brylee Bayer, Layton Glover

Fishers, Indiana: Colin Gabrielson

Galatia, Illinois: Kayleigh Brantley, Gavin Ridings, Jaci Wood

Geneseo, Illinois: Morgan Snell

Golconda, Illinois: Jaron Banks, Benjamin Flatt, Jared Floyd, Kalyn-Rae Fritch, Kalyn-Rae Fritch, Tiffany Jarvis

Harrisburg, Illinois: Madeline Behnke, Ethan Bordoy, Timothy Brown, Bradlee Thomas, Lena Free, Megan Hale, Madison Hall, Phoebe Hanson, Ivie Harner, Landon Hoh, Julia Keith, Faustino Mendoza, Kelee Mills, Chloe Morgan, Alayna O’Hara, Hailey Potts, Hunter Price, John Quisenberry, Caleb Roski, Aidan Shaw, Keaton Shepheard, Talon Thurston, Neva Wasson, Bailee Wright

Herod, Illinois: Gracie Ozee

Junction, Illinois: Maryjane Clark

Marion, Kentucky: Logan Bailey

Marion, Illinois: Emmylou Haught

Mascoutah, Illinois: Gavin Perry

Milan, Tennessee: Jacob Smelser

Morganfield, Kentucky: Eli Mackey

New Baden, Illinois: Tiffanie Hunt

New Burnside, Illinois: Lucas Slivinski

Norris City, Illinois: Gracie Howard, Jace Johnson

Omaha, Illinois: Isaac Jester, Isaac Jester, Austin Robinson

Ozark, Illinois: Eva Corbett, Elijah Griesbach

Paducah, Kentucky: Madison Bolte

Raleigh, Illinois: Sarah Migliore, Haley Stevens

Ridgway, Illinois: Addison Bean, Chloe Padget, Ashton Tuttle

Rosiclare, Illinois: Maddison Hepp

Shawneetown, Illinois: Chase Holloway

Stonefort, Illinois: Hannah Craig, Kayley Milligan

Tunnel Hill, Illinois: Alexis Goddard, Ellie Maxwell

Vienna, Illinois: Jacob Snell

Villas, New Jersey: Robert Murphy

Registration for summer and fall classes is currently open at SIC. The first 5-week summer session begins May 20, the regular 8-week session begins June 3, and the last 5-week summer session begins June 24. Fall classes begin Aug. 19. Contact advisors at 618-252-5400, ext. 4130 or email advising@sic.edu to get started or visit sic.edu.

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