Campus and people notes for the week ending March 23

Gapp graduates from basic military training

Air Force Reserve Airman Eric B. Gapp graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness and basic warfare principles and skills.

Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.

Gapp is the son of Christine Gapp of Hastings.The airman is a 2010 graduate of Hastings High School.

Kasel on dean’s list at Saint Paul College

Eric Kasel of Vermillion has earned a spot on the dean’s list for St. Paul College. He is the son of Tom and Lanette Kasel.

Becker graduates from College of Saint Benedict and St John’s

Kaitlin Becker graduated from the College of Saint Benedict on Dec. 21, 2011. She received her degree in elementary education and her licensure to teach kindergarten through eighth grade. Kaitlin began teaching in the Cannon Falls Elementary School in January 2012. Kaitlin is the daughter of Nick and Linda Becker of Hastings. 

Marissa Novak is the Hastings Rotary Club’s student of the month for March.

Kari Jaeger, a language arts teacher at Hastings High School who nominated Marissa, wrote a summary about why she was nominated. It read like this:

“Marissa Novak gets involved in various school or other service related groups. Marissa is involved with Link Crew, Raiders’ Digest, and the swim team. She takes a leadership role among their peers — for the past two years she has been Editor-in-Chief on the newspaper, and she is a swim team captain this year. I watch Marissa work hard for the school paper, and I am very impressed with how often she goes out of her way to help younger students cope with high school.

“Last year she mentored a freshman on the newspaper staff. The freshman looked to Marissa for advice about school, the bus, boys and parties. The freshman girl was walking a fine line between good life choices and bad life choices. Marissa’s subtle but influential advice made me proud. This year she is doing the same for a freshman boy. On the newspaper staff, Marissa brainstorms ways to include many students in our coverage; she wants everyone to feel important. She is vocal about the fact that she doesn’t drink or use drugs; she is proud of her life choices.

“Marissa wants her high school to be a positive environment. Last year she befriended a senior boy who had difficulty making friendships. She made sure to talk to him every day, and her interest in his life was sincere. Sadly, she was the only student who went to his graduation party. Marissa still keeps in touch with him through Facebook now that he is at college. Both last year and this year she has made great efforts to make the foreign exchange students feel welcome. Just today I heard her inviting a student from Denmark to go with a group to a haunted hayride. Marissa is the exact opposite of a bully. In fact, it pains her to see meanness and will stand up when she sees it. Marissa has a kind heart. The choices she makes are because she is a good person, not because she is trying to impress anyone.”

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