Source: Ashley Guenther, guenther@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Beth Bohn, 785-532-6415, bbohn@k-state.edu

Friday, Feb. 19, 2010

BLUE KEY NAMES K-STATE STUDENT MOST OUTSTANDING COLLEGIATE MEMBER, WHILE SECOND K-STATE STUDENT TO SERVE ON BLUE KEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MANHATTAN -- A Kansas State University student has been recognized as the outstanding collegiate member of Blue Key, the national senior leadership honorary, while a second K-State student has been elected to Blue Key's board of directors.

Erin Gettler, senior in biology and gerontology, Louisburg, and 2008-2009 president of K-State's Blue Key chapter, is the recipient of one of Blue Key's most prestigious honors, the President's Award. The announcement came at the annual Blue Key Leadership Conference, Feb. 5-6, at Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Mich. The award is presented to a Blue Key chapter president or student member who has demonstrated an exemplary record of leadership, scholarship and service to Blue Key and the chapter institution.

"Erin was recognized for her excellence as a leader of the outstanding K-State Blue Key chapter and for being the nation's most outstanding and effective Blue Key president this past year," said Chris Sieverdes, executive director of Blue Key.

"I am truly humbled to receive this honor, but Blue Key is all about working as a team," Gettler said. "I think this recognition is a direct reflection of the strength of our chapter and the cohesiveness that exists within the group."

Gettler said the 2008-2009 K-State Blue Key class was the first to host both High School Leadership Conference and USpeak in the same year.

"These programs aim to inspire high school students to develop leadership skills and create a desire to continue personal development," she said. "In addition, all K-State Blue Key members played an active role in selecting and mentoring members of Quest, the freshman honorary; teaching Catalyst Self-Development courses; and leading Peer Leadership Consulting presentations for the K-State community. We also celebrated the 75th anniversary of Blue Key with an alumni banquet in spring 2009. These were remarkable accomplishments by a remarkable team."

Also at the national conference, Danielle Devlin, senior in accounting, Manhattan, and current vice president of K-State's Blue Key chapter, was unanimously elected to a two-year term as a student member of the Blue Key board of directors. The board is responsible for the organizational welfare, structure and functioning of Blue Key and its affiliated chapters.

"Devlin brings superb experience from K-State, one of the nation's great chapters, and a sense of maturity to the board," Sieverdes said.

"I am honored to have this opportunity and am looking forward to serving the National Blue Key community, as well as the K-State chapter through my position," Devlin said.

Along with serving in Blue Key, Gettler, a K-State honors list student, is a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority; Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-medicine honorary; and the K-State Student Foundation. She also was a member of Chimes junior honorary, Silver Key sophomore honorary and Quest freshman honorary. Her many honors include the Most Promising Student in Biology Award from K-State's Division of Biology, the June Sherrid Hull Scholarship from K-State's Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research, and the William L. Muir II and John T. Muir Alpha Tau Omega Blue Key Leadership Scholarship. In addition, Gettler was selected as a Wildcat Warm-up counselor. She is the daughter of Bill and Deb Gettler and a 2005 graduate of Louisburg High School.

Devlin is a K-State honors list student. She is a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority; president of K-State's chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honorary; a member of the Dean's Student Advisory Council of the College of Business Administration; a member of Phi Kappa Phi collegiate honor society; and was selected as a ConocoPhillips SPIRIT Scholar and a Phi Kappa Phi Sophomore Scholastic Scholar. In addition, she was a member of Chimes junior honorary, Silver Key sophomore honorary, K-State Greek Ambassadors, College of Business Administration Ambassadors and served as a Wildcat Warm-up counselor. Devlin is the daughter of Dan and Marjorie Devlin and a 2006 graduate of Manhattan High School.

Blue Key Honor Society recognizes college students at senior institutions of higher education for balanced and all-around excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.