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Homecoming Week 2018: 10 Under 10 Award Recipients

Grand View will recognize 10 notable alumni students during this year’s Homecoming celebration, October 4-7. The alumni nominated for this award have not yet celebrated 10 years since graduation, but are already making an impact in their professional careers, their communities or both. The award is called the 10 Under 10 Alumni Award and will be presented at Grand View’s 1896 Club Dinner. This is Grand View’s most formal event during Homecoming.

The 10 Under 10 Alumni Award was first presented during 2016’s Homecoming festivities. It replaced the Young Alumni Achievement Award, which broadened the diversity of the award to include both older and nontraditional students. Nominations are filtered through a panel of alumni who serve on Grand View’s Award Committee. The committee recommends the top 10 nominees to Grand View staff who ultimately approve the award recipients.

LB Lyons, Director of Alumni Relations, said that there were 40 nominations this year. To narrow down the 10 recipients, Lyons said the committee considered the nominees’ vision, their drive and leadership in their field or community.

This year’s 10 Under 10 Alumni Award is recognizing:

Nicole Barreca ‘12
Danielle (Ameling) Chargo ‘09
Marcus Dawson ‘09
Hallie (Beeler) Havard ‘11
Rocio Hermosillo ‘13
Annie (Williams) Hockins ‘09
Aaron Martinez ‘18
Dr. Linda Parker ‘09
Taufeek Shah ‘16
Alex Shrewsberry ‘15

Here is a closer look at some of this year’s 10 Under 10 Award Recipients:

Hallie Havard

Havard is a 2011 Grand View graduate who double majored in graphic design and graphic journalism. While attending Grand View she was involved in the campus newspaper, was an editor of “The Grand Views” and was also a managing editor for “Alt Magazine.” She was also involved in Art Club and Student Leadership. She is still active on campus. Havard is currently a Chairperson for the Young Alumni Council. She said she continues to be involved because Grand View is underrated in the Des Moines Area considering the resources provided to students by being in the city. She said she likes the small school environment Grand View provides while still being involved with many Des Moines area companies and businesses.

“I’m passionate about making sure that people know there is this great educational opportunity in Des Moines,” Havard said. “There are great candidates coming out of Grand View…I want to promote Grand View as a school for interns and new hires.”

She now works at Principal Securities as a Marketing Strategist. She is also an ambassador for the United Way campaign at Principal and participates in Global Impact month there. While at Grand View she completed an internship at a nonprofit and she said that the experience molded the way she feels about giving her time.

Nicole Barreca

Barreca is a 2012 Grand View graduate who double majored in graphic journalism and print journalism with a minor in mass communications. She is currently the Director of Communications for the World Food Prize Foundation and also runs their museum. She is also still involved with Grand View. Barreca is a volunteer on the Young Alumni Committee and part of the Viking Mentor program.

Barreca’s experiences at Grand View got her where she is today. She said, “they really eliminate the concept of you being a number and they give you personal attention, so that… helped to propel me in my career.”

Barreca said, “you have an opportunity at the university to be involved in so many different things… and I would just encourage everyone to take part in all of those things because you will need them when you’re looking for a job.”

As far as the award itself, Barreca said, “it’s a great way for Grand View to keep the alumni involved and I’m definitely excited to be receiving it.”

Marcus Dawson

Dawson is a 2009 Grand View graduate who majored in biology and minored in chemistry. He was involved in playing soccer at Grand View while getting his degree. He then transferred to Palmer College and graduated with a Chiropractic degree in 2013.

Dawson studied abroad in Honduras in North America and experienced being a chiropractor first hand. He spent a few days providing medical assistance to people who have no access to medical or chiropractic care. These experiences opened his eyes to the hardship that was going on in Honduras.

Dawson loves Grand View and he is still involved on campus. His advice to Grand View students is, “if you have a chance then do it.”

“It is cool to come back and see what is going on,” Dawson said.

He now has his own company, Dawson Chiropractic located in Altoona. He is also involved at Chamber of Commerce where local business owners connect with each other.

Know a Grand View graduate who should be nominated next year?

The Grand View Alumni Relations department will begin accepting nominations from January through the end of April. Anybody can make a nomination for any student who they believe meets the requirements and has graduated from Grand View in the past 10 years

These 10 Under 10 Alumni Award Winners are still involved at Grand View in some way while working at their jobs. They are all successful in their careers and they are examples to current Grand View students today.