Support GC students today by making your gift to the GC Fund before our fiscal year ends on June 30! goshen.edu/give
News
Apr 08 2026
Goshen College President Rebecca Stoltzfus recently announced six graduating seniors as winners of the President’s Graduating Leader Award at a special ceremony at the end of the school’s Academic Symposium on Wednesday, April 8. View photos of the event here.
This year’s honorees are Eliza Alemán, a history and sustainability major from Rock Island, Ill.; Kate Bodiker, a writing and communication major from Berlin, Ohio; Aaliah Higareda, a graphic design major from Elkhart, Ind.; Ella McLeod, an accounting major from Davison, Mich.; Henry Meyer, a biology major from Huntertown, Ind.; and Ellie Nickel, a social work major from Bluffton, Ohio.
“Celebrating these students is a true joy,” President Stoltzfus said. “They embody what it means to be a Maple Leaf — showing up with engagement, passion, curiosity and care for one another. I am incredibly proud of each awardee and deeply grateful for the mentors who walked alongside them and helped them reach this level of accomplishment.”
This annual award is presented to outstanding seniors who demonstrate academic excellence and leadership inside and outside of the classroom. In addition, each awardee chose a Goshen College faculty member and another mentor who supported their development to be recognized alongside the student. Students were selected through a competitive nomination process, including faculty and staff recommendations and student self-reflections. The awardees received a $500 award as part of the honor.
Eliza Alemán, a double major in history and sustainability, serves as a student assistant in the history department and an Academic Success Center tutor in the library. In the classroom, she is known for critical thinking, careful reading, and a constructive approach to asking hard questions. Her academic curiosity has taken her across disciplines — including a current off-campus course at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary — and across the world, through a semester-long study abroad experience and a May Term in India focused on sustainability. She completed the Sustainability Semester at Merry Lea, where she stood out as a community builder among her cohort — then continuing to build that community in a new space, serving as co-editor of The Record.
“As a soon-to-be alumna,” Alemán said, “I believe that winning this leadership award means taking GC values with me wherever I go.” After graduation, Alemán plans to enter Goshen College’s Transition to Teaching program this fall.
Kate Bodiker is a double major in English and communication, whose academic work culminated in an original full-length play exploring pacifism and Old Testament violence, developed in part through coursework at Anabaptist-Mennonite Biblical Seminary. On campus, she has served as executive editor of The Record, single-handedly revived the yearbook after a 10-year hiatus, tutored at the ASK Desk, announced for The Globe, and served with Campus Ministries for three years. Truly a global scholar, Bodiker’s worldwide studies include a Study-Service Term in Ecuador, a Japan film trip and a literature course in London.
“Though I certainly didn’t take on leadership roles at Goshen College for the recognition, it is nice to know that someone saw,” Bodiker said. “Someone saw the late nights, the many, many late nights, the triumphs, the tears, the (very occasional) late assignments, and the ways that this campus has been made richer because of the work that my peers and I have done. I have said many times that if I got to go back in time, I would go to GC again in a heartbeat, so it’s humbling to know that the college community might feel the same way about welcoming me.” After graduating, Bodiker hopes to pursue a career in journalism. “Wherever I am,” she said, “I hope to be a part of telling meaningful and important stories.”
Aaliah Higareda, a graphic design major, has embraced the overlap between art and communication at GC. Throughout her time at the school, she has promoted and coordinated events as the Art Club president while helping other GC clubs with branding and promotional materials. In her sophomore year, she joined The Record as a photographer and layout editor, climbing the leadership ladder by first serving as the paper’s digital editor and eventually as executive co-editor. She has also participated with the Squirrel Digest, GC’s student magazine, first as creative design manager and, this year, as a layout director. Higareda described this award as “recognizing the different styles of leadership that can be seen throughout campus.”
“As a freshman, I came to Goshen College with the idea of building a community where I felt like I could belong,” Higareda said. “Being an introvert, this posed a challenge as I didn’t know how to connect with others without feeling like an interruption. Having professors and mentors who encourage and give you the resources to connect and build relationships with your community is truly the most rewarding experience. Being recognized for this award means other introverted students have the same opportunity to be heard and seen for their hard work and dedication, too.” After graduation, Higareda will initially stay in the Goshen area to participate in this year’s Michiana Pottery Tour, find a graphic design job, and eventually move to a city to continue her passion for art and design.
Ella McLeod is an accounting major who has served as a resident assistant, assistant resident director, and captain of the Goshen College softball team, committing deeply to a focused set of roles. In the classroom, she is known for keeping group projects organized and modeling strategies that push peers toward excellence. She completed an internship with the accounting company RSM, where she plans to work after graduating, and attended the Mennonite Economic Development Associates Convention in Montreal, where she expanded her professional network. Her leadership across student life and athletics is characterized by a peacemaking instinct and an ability to connect teammates and peers with different personalities and learning styles.
“Winning this award means that buying into the right things pays off,” McLeod said. “Being part of so many great pieces of campus has gotten me to this point, and I am very grateful and hope to inspire student-athletes to see that they can have a larger impact on campus than just athletics.” McLeod plans to travel this summer before starting as a tax associate at RSM in October.
Henry Meyer, a biology major, came to Goshen College for its biology program after growing up outdoors, which instilled in him an appreciation for the natural world. Meyer has served in Residence Life for three years — two as a resident assistant and one as assistant resident director — where he is known for strong communication, a high level of conscientiousness, and a genuine investment in the RAs he mentors. One recommender described him as “a young man of sterling integrity.” Beyond student life, Meyer has earned his pilot’s license while at Goshen College and recently obtained a shortwave radio license, reflecting his consistent commitment to learning outside the classroom.
“At first I was surprised to see that I had received the award, but it feels wonderful to be recognized for the ways I have contributed to campus,” Meyer said. “While studying at GC, I’ve been involved in numerous clubs and leadership positions, and a significant part of my education has come from these activities. I see this award as a symbol of the beginning of a continued story of servant leadership, one of the GC core values that resonates strongly with me.” After graduating, Meyer hopes to merge his interest in aviation with his love for the natural world.
Ellie Nickel, a social work major, holds leadership positions in the Prevention Intervention Network, the Social Work Club, and Advocates, with a deliberate focus this year on delegating and developing the next generation of leaders within those organizations. She is also currently completing a 400-hour field placement, where she has navigated the complexities of family law, professional court hierarchies, and worked with non-voluntary clients in a program still developing many of its own procedures. Additionally, her pursuit of Spanish fluency and her academic engagement with peace and justice reflect a consistent commitment to expanding her perspective beyond her own context.
“It feels incredibly rewarding to receive this recognition, as it honors the time and effort I have invested in myself and in this community for the past four years,” Nickel said. “At the same time, it does not feel challenging to be a passionate learner and a servant leader at Goshen College because those are the values modeled by every person here; I could only do my very best to model the same. Ultimately, receiving this award is most special to me because it helped me to realize that, as much as Goshen College has made a lasting impact on me, I, too, have made a lasting impact on this place and these people.” After graduating, Nickel hopes to do a year of service in a Spanish-speaking community before pursuing a graduate degree in social work.
Goshen College recently recognized 166 undergraduate students for excellence in academics on the 2025-26 spring semester Dean’s List.
The Goshen women's tennis team set another first in program history on Tuesday evening — their first-ever national tournament win.
Read Shannan Martin's message to the Goshen College Class of 2026, "Two Buckets."