Five win Shelly A. Moorman Outstanding Student Award in Modern and Classical Languages

The Shelly A. Moorman Outstanding Student Award in Modern and Classical Languages was created in 2004 in honor of Shelly Moorman, who taught Spanish at St. Thomas from 1968 until her retirement in 2004. One of the first female instructors at St. Thomas, Moorman chaired the Modern and Classical Languages Department for many years, held administrative positions and served on various academic committees.

This award is given to an outstanding student graduating with a major in the language they have studied and is based on their academic achievements as well as study abroad experiences and involvement on and off campus.

Five students will receive the award:

Dominic Bouck – Outstanding Student in Classical Languages

A triple major in classical languages, Catholic studies and philosophy, Bouck is a member of St. John Vianney Seminary as well as Delta Epsilon. He studied in Rome during his junior year and participated in a service trip to Jamaica in 2011. His volunteer activities include working at St. Joseph’s home for Children in Minneapolis, St. Mary’s Nursing Home in St. Paul, the Lighthouse center in Minneapolis, St. Helena and St. Agnes grade schools, teaching religious education at St. Michael’s in St. Michael, and helping at a homeless shelter with the Missionaries of Charity in Rome.

Greg Westerhaus – Outstanding Student in Latin

A triple major in Latin, history and Catholic studies, Westerhaus served as the Latin tutor for the 2011-12 academic year. He studied abroad in Rome during his junior year, and is a member of Delta Epsilon Sigma and the Knights of Columbus. He has volunteered for the past five years as a soundboard operator at St. Hubert Catholic Church, where he also taught Sunday School for three years and has participated in various community activities through Catholic Students Inc.

Martin Roach – Outstanding Student in French

After graduation, Roach, a double major in French and international economics, will study for two years in a master’s course on Economics and Management of Network Industries (EMIN). The first year of study will be in Madrid, Spain, and the second year in Paris, France. He participated in the 2010 J-Term Mali project and translated for the engineering, sociology and MBA teams that looked into developing a seed potato crop in the capitol city of Bamako and in Borko, a small rural village.

Luke Kassekert – Outstanding Student in German

Kassekert is a double major in German and chemistry. In summer 2011 he was awarded a research fellowship to do molecular research at the University of Dortmund in Germany. He has been president of the German Club for two years, during which time its membership increased markedly. He also worked closely with the Germanic-American Institute of Minnesota, providing volunteers from the German Club for many of the institute’s functions. As co-president in 2011-12 he administered a project funded by the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., “do Deutsch,” for which the German Club received a grant of $3,000.

Elizabeth Brazill – Outstanding Student in Spanish

A double major in Spanish and education, Brazill started at UST in the REAL program and is graduating summa cum laude. She spent her junior year studying in Peru and has focused her studies at UST and in Peru on linguistics, pedagogy, and philosophical and policy issues relating to teaching in Minnesota. She is pursuing a career teaching Spanish in Minnesota public schools.

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Faculty and staff in the Modern and Classical Languages Department send congratulations for a job well done to the award recipients as well as all of the language majors and minors who are graduating in May.