Merit awards presented to eight Southeast alumni

Eight alumni of Southeast Missouri State University received the Young Alumni Merit Award. The Alumni Association gives the award to distinguished alumni 37 years old or younger. Those recognized, by college, were:

• Harrison College of Business: Nathan Thomas, a 1995 graduate and executive director of the Center for Residential Living and Leadership at Bradley University.
• College of Education: Jonathan Langhans, a 1997 graduate and teacher at the Francis Howell School District in St. Charles, Mo.
• College of Health and Human Services: Tiffany Nneka Yeast, a 1995 graduate and executive director of the State of Kentucky Office of Human Resources.
• College of Liberal Arts: Abbie Crites-Leoni, a 1993 graduate and assistant federal prosecutor in Cape Girardeau.
• College of Liberal Arts: Dr. Carnell Jones Jr., a 1993 graduate and registrar at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
• College of Science and Mathematics: Dr. Steve Tilley, a 1994 graduate, majority floor leader for the Missouri House of Representatives and an optometrist.
• College of Science and Mathematics: Dr. Shaina (Schiwitz) Reynolds, a 1994 graduate and family practice physician with Illini Medical Associates.
• School of Polytechnic Studies: Brenten Lyons, a 1993 graduate and regional sales manager at Schaeffler Group USA.