PSU names 2016 outstanding seniors
Thursday, April 28, 2016 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
Pittsburg State University has selected Lynzee Marie Flores, of Lamar, Mo., and Viet C. Nguyen, from Hanoi, Vietnam, as its outstanding senior woman and outstanding senior man for 2016. The university’s highest student honors were announced at the annual student leadership and awards banquet on April 22.
The selection of an outstanding senior woman and man is a campus tradition that goes back more than 60 years. The selection process begins with nominations by faculty, staff or student organization presidents. A committee evaluates the nominees, considering their academic records, campus involvement, leadership in the organizations they belong to, their awards and honors, community service and volunteer work and their contributions to the university and the community.
“Each one of the finalists for this honor has an extraordinary record of achievement,” said Steve Erwin, vice president for student life. “The involvement and the contributions that each of the nominees has made to the university community is amazing.”
Following tradition, the outstanding senior woman and outstanding senior man will deliver remarks to their fellow graduates at commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 6, and Saturday, May 7. A brass plaque will be installed in the Senior Walk in front of Russ Hall in their honor.
In these hectic days, as Flores and Nguyen prepare for finals and also begin crafting the remarks they will share with their classmates, it’s also a time for reflection. Both say they have grown and changed a great deal since those first days as freshmen.
Flores cited her personal spiritual growth, which began with a political science class in which she began to think more deeply about social issues.
“That led me to a series of other events, meeting new people and eventually to the Newman Center,” Flores said.
Nguyen said when he arrived at PSU, he was like many international students who are often shy about going out and meeting new people.
“Because of the first steps I took to be involved on campus, I now realize I am a people person!” Nguyen said. “Now I want to go out and I want to make a huge impact in the community and a difference in people’s lives.”
Both Flores and Nguyen said they were surprised they had been chosen Outstanding Seniors after seeing the list of finalists for the award.
“These are some of the people I have looked up to throughout college,” Flores said. “It’s just an honor to be part of that group.”
“I know all the people who were finalists and I know they did so much for the campus and being among them an honor. Winning was surreal,” Ngyuen said.
The outstanding seniors said their families share in their success.
“When I found out I was top 10, that’s when I cried,” Flores said. “I called my mom and I told her how important she was to me and because of her I am the person I am today.”
One of Nguyen’s first calls was to his mother, as well.
“I had to wait a little because there’s a 13-hour time difference between here and Vietnam,” he laughed. “They’re very proud.”
That distance will prevent his parents from being at graduation, but he does have some stand-ins. Charlie and Angela Weaver, Nguyen’s host family for his senior year in high school, will make the trip from Creedmoor, N.C., to see him graduate.
Flores said family will be part of her graduation, too, as she becomes the first in her family to earn a college degree. One of triplets, Flores has a brother who will graduate from the University of Arkansas on the following weekend.
“It’s just by a week, but I can always say I was the first in the family to get a degree,” Flores said.
Lynzee Marie Flores
Lynzee Marie Flores is the daughter of Cheryl Flores and the niece of Michael Flores of Lamar. She is a Spanish and Communication major.
At PSU, Flores has been a member of the Student Government Association, the Crimson Club, the College of Arts and Sciences Student Advisory Council, Student Ambassadors, the Newman Club, Hispanics of Today, the Public Relations and Advertising Club, the Spanish Club, Student Activities Council and the Pride of the Plains Marching Band.
Among her many honors, Flores has been named Resident Assistant of the Year, Senator of the Year, and SGA Outstanding Committee Member. She received the Golden Gorilla Award and the Pride of the Plains Marching Band Iron Man Award. She was selected for both the Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language and the Lambda Pi Eta Nu Eta Communications National Honor Societies.
Flores’s extensive community service includes three years of mentoring for three middle school-aged girls through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. She has been a volunteer for the Salvation Army and worked with the Big Event each of the past four years. For three years, she served as a national 4-H Healthy Living management team youth representative, working with national leaders on projects to be implemented at local, state and national levels. Recently, Flores conducted basic lessons on Spanish, including vocabulary, grammar and culture, for local medical practitioners at Via Christi Hospital.
After graduation, Flores plans to begin a master’s degree program in communication at PSU and to study for application to the Foreign Service Officer Program in Washington, D.C.
Viet C. Nguyen
Viet C. Nguyen is the son of Nguyen Duc Vinh and Nguyen Thi Duong of Hanoi, Vietnam. He is a finance, management and economics major.
At PSU, Nguyen is a member of the Finance Club, the Kelce Leadership Council, Advancement Ambassadors, the Crimson Club, Enactus, the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, the Vietnamese Student Association, the Inter-Fraternity Council, and the Student Government Association. He has been inducted into numerous honor societies, including, the Greeks Honor Society, Phi Kappa Phi (all disciplines), Beta Gamma Sigma (business), Phi Eta Sigma (all disciplines), and Lambda Sigma (leadership and scholarship).
Nguyen’s honors include the Golden Gorilla Award, the 2016 Financial Executives International Kansas City Chapter nominee, Global Leadership Institute, Student Government Association Senator of the Year, Department of Modern Language and Literatures Meritorious Achievement, and the All-A honor roll.
Nguyen’s community service includes serving food at Wesley House, raising funds for Feeding America, assisting with the Kelce Alumni Golf tournament fundraising events, working with the annual Big Event community service project, and helping with International Orientation Week.
After graduation Nguyen plans to begin a master’s degree in business administration at PSU, with an emphasis on international trade. He will also pursue his Certified Financial Analyst (CFA) charter and hopes eventually to have a career in investment banking.