Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Each year, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Alumni Association recognizes graduating seniors with the Honorary Lifetime Pioneer Award. At the fall commencement ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 13, Larissa Smage, Jason Simmons, Ashley McDermott, Eric Hopfensperger, and Toni Bockhop will receive the award.

Recipients are selected based on grade point average demonstrating academic excellence, campus activities and leadership, community involvement, professional development or employment, probability of future involvement in the alumni association, and a unique hardship or handicap that has been overcome.

While maintaining a 4.0 G.P.A., Smage developed her leadership skills by serving as vice president of the UWP Criminal Justice Association and UWP Psychology Club, historian for Alpha Lambda Delta and volunteering at Orion Group Home and Family Advocates. She has developed her professional career by working as a psychiatric care technician at Mendota Mental Health Institute.

Smage will graduate with degrees in criminal justice and psychology with human service and correction emphases and a minor in Spanish. She is from Elkhorn.

Simmons will be earning masters degree in project management and is from Platteville. He displayed leadership by serving as a resident assistant in Melcher Hall during his undergraduate years. In the community, Simmons coached and refereed youth soccer and was a youth group leader at the Platteville United Methodist Church. He now serves on the staff parish relations committee.

Simmons currently works at John Deere in Dubuque, Iowa, as a products engineer. According to Sue Lindholm of the UWP Alumni Association, some of his co-workers and undergraduate classmates are now enrolled in the masters in Project Management and masters in Engineering programs because of Simmons' recommendations.

McDermott has gained experience toward her career goal as a music educator by pre-student teaching in the Platteville School District working with bands, music classes and the color guard. She is also a counselor at UWP Pioneer Summer Music Camp and a volunteer at O.E. Gray Early Learning Center. McDermott's leadership activities include serving as president of Sigma Alpha Iota, Wind Ensemble, and Cor d' Angeli; vice president of University Singers; color guard captain of the Marching Pioneers; and LAE Commissioner for the Segregated University Fee Allocation Commission.

McDermott will graduate with a degree in music education with an emphasis in instrumental and general music. She is from Platteville.

Hopfensperger has displayed his leadership as a BILSA student senator, president of SUFAC, vice president of programming and membership development in Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, a member of the UWP Presidents Council, chair of the Downtown Parking Committee and secretary of the Order of Omega. He also received the UWP Foundation Excellence in Leadership Award. Hopfensperger served communities by being a part of hurricane and disaster relief in Mississippi. He developed his professional career as a construction manager and engineering intern with Rettler Corp. in Stevens Point.

Hopfensperger will graduate with a degree in industrial technology management with an emphasis in building construction management and a minor in business administration. He is from Stevens Point.

Bockhop's career experience includes being an intern for Hormel Foods Corp. in Austin, Minn.; an intern for Target Corp. in Janesville; a teller at Livingston State Bank in Platteville; and an accounting supervisor for the Wisconsin Badger Camp Telethon. Serving as president of Beta Alpha, supervisor of Volunteer Income Tax Assistant program, an Ag-Ambassador, group leader for Pioneering Your Future, and tutor also helped develop Bockhop's leadership skills.

Bockhop will graduate with degrees in accounting and business administration with a minor in agribusiness. She is from Platteville.

For more information about the Honorary Lifetime Pioneer Award, contact Kim Schmelz of the UWP Alumni Association at (608) 342-1181 or schmelzk@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Kim Schmelz, UWP Alumni Association, (608) 342-1181, schmelzk@uwplatt.edu Written by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, kurdik@uwplatt.edu