Southwestern announces first ‘Farr Award’ recipient

Southwestern Oregon Community College named its first-annual Leonard C. Farr Community Service Award recipient at its annual Student Awards Convocation on May 21 in the Hales Center for the Performing Arts on the campus in Coos Bay.

John Thomas, a Southwestern business student, received the first-annual award, created in honor of Farr, a prominent and active member of the community who passed away unexpectedly this year. Leonard’s wife, Joyce Farr, and their son Jay Farr both were in attendance for the presentation of the award.

Thomas was nominated by instructor Robin Bunnell for his service in the community through one of her courses and on his own time. He performs as a member of the Young Bucs, a musical group that performs at various venues around Coos County for donations that benefit Little Theater on the Bay. The group performs at local senior centers for no fee. Thomas was one of many students honored for academic, service and athletic excellence displayed at Southwestern.

Southwestern President Dr. Judith Hansen delivered the welcome message to attendees at the annual awards convocation event and Bruce Locker, instructional leader and business professor, emceed the ceremony. Foundation Executive Director Marie Simonds presented all scholarship awards. Mike Turner, associate professor of music, and the Southwestern Chamber Choir, under the direction of Ida Jo Gates, supplied musical entertainment prior to the ceremony while Student Support Services personnel provided refreshments for all in attendance.

Award recipients included the following students: Jessica Allen, Ginger Rogers Great Dancer Award; Zachary Bennett, Associated Student Government Outstanding Student Director; Samuel Benson, Outstanding Human Services Graduate; Anthony Bixler, Outstanding Culinary Student; Garrett Bogs, Excellence in Sociology; Renee Browne, Student First Stop Excellence Award; Amy Katrina Bryan, Southwestern Theater Award; Adam Celoni, Outstanding Accounting Student; Tyrel Dawley, Student First Stop Excellence Award and Sports Writer – Outstanding Performance; Clif deRoss, Staff Writer – Outstanding Performance; Meaghn Dimler, Award of Excellence in Geology; Dustin Down, Excellence in Sociology and Anthropology; Ashley Eubank, Art Protégé Award; Dalicia Fennell, Excellence in Sociology and Speech – Most Attentive Student; Megan Franko, 2007-08 Associated Student Government President; Kathie Garnett, First-Year Nursing Diplomacy Award; Alecia Gatlin, Art Protégé Award and Southwestern Theater Award; John Gazley, Student Support Services Award and Human Development – Most Positive and Most Helpful Award; Katey Gerlach, Second-Year Nursing Perseverance and Most Appreciative Student; Levi Goodman, Southwestern Theater Award; Amy Green, First-Year Nursing Leadership Award; Melissa Grimes, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award; Kelley Hamilton, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award; Nichole Hines, Student Ambassador Leadership Award; Justin Hollingshead, 2007-08 Associated Student Government Secretary; Tina Horst, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award; Lori Johansson, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award; Andrew Jones, Associated Student Government Outstanding Student Director and Fred Astaire Great Dancer Award; Jeffrey Keeley, Outstanding Student in Geology; Sean Kelly, Outstanding First-Year Student in Music; Pico Hau-Yan Lam, Public Safety Award; Jenny Landman, Excellence in Anthropology; Kathleen Luce, Athletics – Cheri Robinson Award; Heidi Mallatt, Excellence in History and Political Science; Shawn March, First-Year Nursing Academic and Clinical Excellence Award; Justin McFadden, 2008 Outstanding CIS Student; Nicolas McGuffin, Outstanding Culinary Student; Thomas Moriarty, Excellence in Sociology and Anthropology; Jennifer Muchmore, Sports Writer – Outstanding Performance; Tara Neely, Second-Year Leadership by Example Award; Ashley Newcomer, Recreation Center Student Employee of the Year; Fuyuka Otake, Childhood Education and Family Studies Student of the Year; Elizabeth Palmer, Excellence in History and Political Science; Cynthia Passmore, Excellence in Sociology; Fernando Pedraza, Student Ambassador Leadership Award; Justine Piper, Best Writing 121 Student in Online Classes; Christopher Randolph, Outstanding Accounting Student; Andy Reiss, Most Enthusiastic First-Year CIS Student; Annie Roman, Student Support Services Award; Tasha Sawall, Excellence in History and Political Science; Michael Scott, Associated Student Government Outstanding Student Director; Vivian Scott, Disability Services for Students Award; Ann Settle, Disability Services for Students Award; Dominic Shreckengost, Outstanding Graduating Student in Music; Brenda Siller, Outstanding Human Services Graduate; Bill Slack, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award; Ryan Spencer, 2007-08 Southwester Editor – Outstanding Performance; John Sutton, 2007-08 Associated Student Government Vice President; Lindsey Swing, Outstanding Accounting Student; Jenny Tausch, Second-Year Nursing Clinical Excellence Award; John Thomas, Leonard C. Farr Community Service Award; Samantha Thompson, Art – Distinguished Service Award; Laura Vincent, Outstanding Accounting Student; Christine Wade, Best Writing 121 Student in Hybrid Classes; Phil Walsh, Most Improved Student in Music; Bobby Watkins, Athletics – Bill Holmes Award; Colin Welch, Excellence in History and Political Science; Sherri Winn, Award of Excellence in Geology; Stacy Woytus, Second-Year Nursing Leadership by Example Award.

Scholarship recipients include: Collette Arellano, Maxine Smith Scholarship; Billy Ashley, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Melissa Blamires, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Jennifer Brown, Stephens Family Scholarship; Chelsee Carter, Southwestern Foundation General Scholarship; Jessica Cliger, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; David Dodgen, High School 3.75 Scholarship; Lisa Ellefson, Stephens Family Scholarship; Caitlyn Erickson, Southwestern Scholarship – Winter and Spring Term; Francesca Frasier, Locker Family Scholarship; Tina Henthorne, Peter DeFazio Scholarship; Savannah Hines, Yellow Cab Taxi, Coos Bay Scholarship; Shaun Howell, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Nicole Keller, Yellow Cab Taxi, Coos Bay Scholarship; Kathi King-Horne, Stephens Family Scholarship; Justin Lindsey, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Bryan Looney, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Elizabeth McGrady, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Nicholas McGuffin, Smullin Scholarship; Jimmye Owens, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Kimberly Paradis, Delta Kappa Gamma Scholarship; Sarah Rask, Methane Energy Corporation Scholarship; Dawn Rutledge, Burles Memorial Scholarship; Melissa Sales, Sharon Barnett Memorial Scholarship; Anna Settle, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Tammy Sobotka, Stephens Family Scholarship; Chad Swanson, Floyd Ingram Scholarship; Arnold Sylvester, Bezzerides Scholarship; Jefri Valet, Sheryl Rosenbaum Scholarship; Laura Vincent, Burles Memorial Scholarship.

Press Release Date: June 17, 2008