Cooper Berry from Maysville, MO, and Wyatt Moran from Plattsburgh, MO, have been chosen as this year’s NCMC Academic Excellence Award winners. Cooper will graduate from NCMC in May with an Associate in Arts degree. After graduation, Cooper plans to transfer to Northwest Missouri State University to major in Ag Business with a minor in Agronomy. Wyatt will graduate from NCMC in May with an Associate in Science degree. After graduation, Wyatt plans to transfer to Kansas State University to major in Civil Engineering.
Along with excelling academically, both Cooper and Wyatt are involved on campus. Cooper is in Ag Club, PAS, Shooting Sports Club, Student Senate, PTK Honor Society, and works as a tutor in the Tutoring Center. Wyatt is a student-athlete on the Pirates baseball team.
Dr. Susan Stull, Science Chair and Life Science Instructor, said about Cooper, “Cooper demonstrates academic excellence as a student and a tutor. He has strong leadership skills and has further developed by serving in several student organizations. He is able to encourage his peers to be involved in class, organizations, and volunteering. Cooper is willing to take on a challenge and any public speaking opportunity offered to him.”
Dr. Stull went on to say about Wyatt, “Wyatt has successfully traveled a tough academic path by taking the entire calculus series while also playing baseball. He manages his time well, making it possible to balance athletics with his academic excellence. He definitely has the ability to excel as he transfers to an engineering program at Kansas State.”
Cooper chose NCMC because it is affordable, close to home, and he likes the small class sizes. Cooper said, “I like that NCMC has smaller class sizes, and it feels like a community.” Wyatt chose NCMC because he was about to use his Missouri A+ scholarship, and he had the chance to play collegiate baseball. Wyatt said, “The instructors at NCMC are approachable and always willing to help if you have a problem. This made things a lot easier, especially the first year coming to college; my instructors helped me a lot.”
Dr. Susan Stull, Chair of the Academic Excellence award committee and Life Science Instructor, said, “We have many academically excellent students at NCMC. I am grateful this award highlights a job well done and our student accolades.”
The Academic Excellence Award Winners are chosen annually by a faculty committee that selects two students who excel in academics, service, and involvement. The honoree must maintain a GPA of at least 3.5, be recognized and recommended by an NCMC faculty member, and participate in public service.
Cooper and Wyatt will be recognized at the annual honors brunch and have their name engraved on a plaque in Geyer Hall, along with past academic excellence winners.
Photo 1: (L to R): Political Science Instructor Dr. Sterling Recker, Science Instructor Dr. Susan Stull, Wyatt Moran, Mathematics Instructor Tracy Welch, and English Instructor Amy Guthrie.
Photo 2 (L to R): Political Science Instructor Dr. Sterling Recker, Science Instructor Dr. Susan Stull, Cooper Berry, and Mathematics Instructor Tracy Welch