Mariann Kukielka was voted by students, staff and faculty as the winner of the 2015 Tommie Award.
Kukielka, a senior majoring in entrepreneurship and business communications, has been involved as a student leader at St. Thomas in a variety of ways, including as a Morrison Hall apartment coordinator, first-year commuter advisor, president of Delta Sigma Pi, and co-captain of the women’s and men’s swim and dive team.
Friend and classmate Kayla Bengtson wrote in a testimonial about Kukielka, “With extreme determination, intelligence, and a heart of pure gold, Mariann Kukielka exemplifies what it means to be a Tommie. She has an absolutely contagious personality that brightens every room, and a dedication to scholarship that we should all admire.”
Kukielka was chosen from a field of three final candidates. The other two were Harrison Aslesen and Chad Berg.
With the exception of 1945 and 1946, the Tommie Award has been presented annually since 1931 to a St. Thomas senior. The award recognizes achievements in scholarship, leadership and campus involvement, and represents the highest ideals of the university. Past recipients can be viewed on the Tommie Award website.
The Tommie Award is sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs.
