Blue Key's Kallenberger, Gregerson earn leadership scholarship
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
MANHATTAN — Two new graduates of Kansas State University and 2019-2020 members of Blue Key Senior Honorary — Ethan Kallenberger and Katheryn Gregerson — have been selected as the recipients of the Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship for their commitment, dedication, support of others, unselfishness and willingness to help.
Kallenberger is a May 2020 bachelor's graduate in medical biochemistry and chemical sciences, Lawrence. Gregerson is a May 2020 bachelor's graduate in agricultural economics and global food systems leadership, Herman, Nebraska. Along with a plaque, each will receive a check for $500.
The scholarships were first presented in 1999 to honor two brothers and K-State alumni, William "Bill" Muir and John "Tom" Muir, who were members of the Blue Key classes of 1939 and 1940, respectively. Blue Key recognizes college students at senior institutions of higher education for balanced and all-around excellence in scholarship, leadership and service. The awards were presented by Bill Muir, president of the Alpha Tau Omega Endowment Fund and retired K-State assistant vice president.
Kallenberger, a magna cum laude graduate and honors list student, was the 2019-2020 president of Blue Key. He was a member of the KSU Student Foundation, serving as 2018-2019 K-State Proud co-chair and as 2017-2018 vice president of communications. He has been active with the K-State Student Governing Association, elected as a 2017-2018 student senator from the College of Arts and Sciences, and was a 2019 SGA intern for the legislative branch. He also served as a K-State Orientation and Enrollment leader for two years; was philanthropy chair of his fraternity, Theta Xi; and was a member of Quest, the freshman honorary. He was the recipient of the Putnam Scholarship and a National Merit Corporate Scholarship, and was a 2016 Kansas Governor's Scholar. An Eagle Scout, Kallenberger also received the Johnson Cancer Research Center's Pink & Purple Award. He was an undergraduate assistant for biochemistry research and volunteered at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan, helping with patient admissions and assisting emergency room staff. Kallenberger, who was an intern with the National Institutes of Health in summer 2019, will attend the University of Kansas School of Medicine in the fall. He is a 2016 graduate of Lawrence Free State High School.
Gregerson, a summa cum laude graduate and honors list student, was director of YouLead for Blue Key. The YouLead program develops and facilitates workshops on service, leadership and scholarship for high school students and K-State student organizations. As president of the K-State Food Recovery Network, she helped fight and expand food-waste efforts in the community. Gregerson also was student co-chair of the Cats' Cupboard advisory board for the on-campus food pantry. Gregerson served as a student assistant with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service Cochran Fellowship program in fall 2019 and was a member of the first cohort of Cargill Fellows in 2018-2019. She also served a K-State International Service Team in Kenya in summer 2019, conducting an in-depth survey analysis on food insecurity to develop an anti-hunger action plan. She was a student data intern for the academic records director in the College of Agriculture and also served as public relations director for the global food systems leadership program in the Staley School of Leadership Studies. Gergerson is a 2016 graduate of Tekamah-Herman High School in Tekamah, Nebraska.
