The University of Iowa recognized exceptional students, faculty, staff, and alumni at the Hancher-Finkbine Awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 8. The annual dinner celebration brings together individuals to establish meaningful connections that will assist in their careers, volunteer experiences, and daily lives. Sara Sanders, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, hosted the program, and President Barbara Wilson presented the awards, including the Hancher-Finkbine Medallions and Distinguished Student Leader Certificates.
The prestigious Hancher-Finkbine Medallions are presented each year to students, faculty, staff, and an alumnus or alumna of the University of Iowa. The medallions, first awarded in 1964, are inscribed with the words “learning, leadership, and loyalty,” summarizing the award’s criteria.
This year’s medallion recipients included students Jaden “JB” Bartlett, Malika Karimi, Siduri Beckman, Khyathi Gadag; faculty member: Kathy Schuh; staff member: Eddie Etsey; and alumna Kathleen “Kitty” Buckwalter.
Those receiving Distinguished Student Leader Certificates included Matthew McDonnell, Addison Eckard, Akalanka Ekanayake, and Emily Jester.
History
In 1917, William Finkbine and Carl Kuhnle hosted the first awards dinner to recognize contributions of men in the UI student, faculty, and staff community. In 1921, Finkbine’s daughter, Dorothy Finkbine Souers, and her aunts introduced a similar dinner for women. The events were combined in 1972 and are supported by an endowment established by the elder Finkbine, as well as other alumni, friends, and the UI Center for Advancement.
Hancher-Finkbine Medallion recipients
Undergraduate students
Jaden “JB” Bartlett
Bartlett is a senior studying political science, English, and creative writing. During his time at Iowa, he centered his efforts on engaging students in the community. This work manifested in several roles across campus, including his work as the executive director of Hawk the Vote, the resident assistant for Political Matters LLC, the internal fairs chair for Undergraduate Student Government (USG), and as a peer mentor in the political science department. Barlett was also a founding member of the Division of Student Life Advisory Board. His academic pursuits center on the intersection of politics and religion, evidenced by his independent research on rural and urban influences on extremism and the role of translation in medieval religious texts. He is a member of the university honors and presidential scholar programs, as well as a 2024 inductee of Phi Beta Kappa.
Malika Karimi
Karimi is a senior human physiology major on the pre-medicine track. She demonstrated strong leadership as president of the DeGowin Blood Center Student Organization.
Her commitment to academics is evidenced by her inclusion in the University Honors Program, repeated Dean's and President's List achievements, induction into the National Society of Leadership and Success, and Phi Beta Kappa membership. Karimi’s research prowess was showcased by her first-place award at the Midwest Pediatric Cardiology Society Conference, where she presented innovative work on diagnosing diseases in premature babies. Her findings, published in echocardiography, highlight her commitment to advancing clinical outcomes. Karimi’s dedication to research, academics, and patient care positions her as a promising future leader in the medical field.
Graduate students
Siduri Beckman
Beckman is a third-year law student and has served as senior articles editor of the Iowa Law Review. She received the Best Advocate Award, Best Brief Award, and overall, first place team honors at the Midwest Regional Moot Court Competition. She was recognized by the University of Iowa for researching possible changes to programming at Iowa's correctional facilities with a goal of balancing rehabilitation, health, and community safety. She served as a law student practitioner in the Federal Criminal Defense Clinic and practiced under law faculty on a variety of federal criminal cases. Upon graduating, she will serve as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Roberto Lange, of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota.
Khyathi Gadag
Gadag is a PhD candidate in health services and policy in the College of Public Health. Her past campus leadership positions include cabinet director and mental health director of Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG), president of the International Graduate Student Advisory Board, and founder and president of Here to Help, a mental health student organization at College of Public Health. Her research achievements include recognition as an outstanding researcher in the University of Iowa's 2023 Dare to Discover campaign. She received the 2024 American Public Health Association's Kenneth Lutterman Outstanding Student Paper Award for her paper titled, “Impact of Offering Telemental Health Service on Mental Health Services Utilization in Federally Qualified Health Centers.”
Faculty and staff
Kathy Schuh, PhD
Schuh is a professor of learning sciences and educational psychology in the College of Education. Her research focuses on how students create meaning, the instructional environments and tools that foster that process, and the worldview that grounds it. The primary thread that runs through her scholarship trajectory is how learners are able to make meaning and how that process may be mediated. She was the 2012 Obermann Fellow-in-Residence, received the 2010 Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award, and was the 2007 Dean’s Scholar in the College of Education.
Schuh hosts a number of research teams comprised of student volunteers who engage in various parts of the research process from study development to data collection and analysis to writing, presentation, and publication. She also works collaboratively with students on projects of their own choosing.
Eddie Etsey
Etsey is the associate athletics director for technology and data science. He has over 20 years of sports, information technology, and customer service experience. His innovative and creative problem-solving skills have aided him in developing processes, designing workflows, improving efficiencies, and leading several key projects within the University of Iowa community. His focus on bringing people together to solve problems and learn from one another has made the university a more welcoming place. He received the 2014 Iowa Board of Regents Staff Excellence Award and the 2018 David J. Skorton Award for Staff Excellence. He served on the UI Staff Council from 2008 to 2014 and chaired the diversity and communications committees.
Alumna
Kathleen “Kitty” Buckwalter, PhD
Buckwalter is recognized for her research in geropsychiatric nursing and long-term care. She has a sustained record of private and federal support (NINR, NIMH, NIA, AoA) related to the evaluation of nursing interventions for geropsychiatric populations. Her particular interest is in behavioral management strategies for dementia caregivers and the effectiveness of community programs to prevent, minimize, and treat psychiatric problems in the rural elderly. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and former editor of Research in Gerontological Nursing and the Journal of Gerontological Nursing. The recipient of numerous honors and awards, Buckwalter serves on many review committees, editorial boards, and advisory groups. She has authored over 400 articles, 90 book chapters, 10 health policy and commissioned papers, 50 monographs/videos/media, over 100 editorials/reviews/commentaries, and has edited eight books.