Mckenna Rogers and Zach Gors, seniors at Dakota Wesleyan University, have been named this year’s Ms. Wesleyan and Scotchman. The university made a remote announcement online on Friday revealing the winners.
The tradition of selecting a Ms. Wesleyan began in 1929. It honors a senior woman who best represents the spirit of Wesleyan and the ideal of “sacrifice or service.” The Scotchman tradition honors a senior man who represents the same high ideals. The title was chosen from the first line of the school song, “The Scotchman.” Today’s Ms. Wesleyan and Scotchman represent academic achievement, extracurricular involvement and community service.
Scotchman and Ms. Wesleyan are the highest honors given to an outstanding senior man or woman based on scholarship, character and overall contributions to Dakota Wesleyan University. This year the university chose its 91st Ms. Wesleyan and 82nd Scotchman.
Rogers, a native of Saint Michael, Minn., is a digital media and design major with concentrations in graphic and web design. Rogers is also minoring in math and business. She excels in the classroom, having made the university’s Dean’s List seven consecutive semesters. Rogers is a member of the DWU cross country and track teams and was elected captain by her teammates and coaches. She serves as a student ambassador and conducts campus tours for prospective students. She is a member of Student Ministry Council, where she serves as chairperson for the share team and handles the group’s marketing and promotion. She also serves on Student Senate and is a member of the business club. Rogers has accepted a job with Innovative Systems in Mitchell upon graduation.
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“My whole experience at Dakota Wesleyan has been about forming a bond and support system with the campus and Mitchell community as a whole,” said Rogers. “Having the opportunity to connect with people from every facet of the campus community, from peers to donors and board members to faculty and staff, has opened so many doors for me. It has helped me feel confident in my ability to apply and grow my strengths in the classroom, church and society.”
Gors, of Tea, is an elementary education major. He is currently in his final semester of the program and student teaches at Parkston Elementary School. Gors has embraced the challenge of transitioning to remote learning and will take his experiences with him as he begins a job as a fourth-grade teacher at Tea Area Legacy Elementary school beginning in the fall of 2020. Gors is a member of the DWU football team and provided veteran leadership during his senior season. Gors is actively involved on campus, serving as a student ambassador, resident assistant and a community tutor for area students. He serves on the executive team for Student Ministry Council, having served as both secretary and student body president. Gors also serves as vice president of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. He is a member of the lead team for Fusion United Methodist Church on the DWU campus. As part of the Elisha Project, started by the Dakotas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Gors has been serving as an Elisha intern for the Dakotas Conference and Student Ministry Council, under the direction of Campus Pastor, Eric Van Meter, for the 2019-2020 academic year. Gors remains an active volunteer in the community and surrounding areas as well, assisting with several youth camps, the Big Brother Big Sister program in Mitchell and lending his time to several university and community events.
“My experiences at Dakota Wesleyan have provided the avenues and valuable connections to establish personal relationships,” said Gors. “Faculty and staff have encouraged and ignited the gifts, passions, and callings within me, that I wasn’t even able to see in myself. The sacrifices coaches, professors, and teammates have made for my success means more than words could share.”
Other candidates for Ms. Wesleyan included: Kynedi Cheeseman, Alexandria; Courtney Mascarenas, Pueblo, Colo.; Jill Ricke, Sioux Falls; Claire Stoller, Madison; Mikayla Street, Revillo.
Other candidates for Scotchman included: Ryan Chase, Huron; Tyler Larson, Mitchell; Luke Merrill, Sioux Falls; Rex Schlicht, Woonsocket; Luke Wodahl, Buffalo, Wyo.
