Jaime Vanenkevort of Little Lake, Mich., has been named a Northern Michigan University School of Education, Leadership and Public Service 2020-21 outstanding graduating graduate student. She completed the requirements for the reading specialist program in August.
Vanenkevort has embodied the reading specialist program goal of literacy leadership through her dedication to the NMU's ALLIES program, UNITED Conference planning, co-creating the MQT Comes Out Community Event and fostering school-community partnerships with K.I. Sawyer Elementary School.
An Excellence in Education 2019 grant recipient, Influential Educator Award winner and recipient of a King-Chavez-Parks Fellowship, Vanenkevort has presented literacy-focused research for antiracist teaching at state and regional conferences. She is presently pursuing an education specialist degree.
NMU's virtual commencement will be held at 10 a.m. EST Saturday, May 1. Bryan Terrell Clark, a Broadway performer who played George Washington in Hamilton, will be the keynote speaker. Learn more about commencement and access a link to watch it live at www.nmu.edu/commencement.