Recognizing 2025-26 Student Award Recipients

June 23, 2026 - Features

by Abby Jones | Marketing and Communications Intern

Madie Zeller, Evanna Dominic, and Nathan Binshtok were honored as recipients of their individual awards at the 2026 Dole Lecture in April 2026.

 This spring, students of the Student Advisory Board (SAB) received awards and recognition for their dedication to the Dole Institute of Politics. 

At the annual Dole Lecture, held on April 13, 2026, three students were recognized as recipients of the Robert J. Dole Service to Country Award, the Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award, and the Noah Hookstra Memorial Award. 

Robert J. Dole Service to Country Award 

The Robert J. Dole Service to Country Award was established by John D. Pinegar, Douglas E. Smith and Pinear, Smith & Associates, Inc. This award honors an active SAB member with commitment to public service and dedicated leadership. This year’s awardee is Evanna Dominic, a senior studying chemical engineering with a concentration in biomedical engineering.

Evanna Dominic, a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board, received the 2026 Robert J. Dole Service to country award.

Dominic is a part of the University’s Honors program along with the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program. Dominic worked alongside Dr. Barbara Ballard to organize the KU Civic Engagement Leadership Council (KUCEL). This initiative brought together leaders from SAB, Black Student Union, National Panhellenic Council, Multicultural Greek Council, and the Engineering Student Council. Through this work, Dominic was also the 2026 recipient of the Hemenway Public Service Award. Dominic has also been a part of student government organizations and community initiatives throughout her time at KU.  

“Receiving this award is incredibly meaningful to me because it represents something larger than any one role or experience,” Dominic said reflecting receiving this award. “It reflects the people, communities, and opportunities that have shaped my time at KU. As the daughter of immigrants, I have always been aware of the sacrifices that made my education possible, so being recognized for service is something that I do not take lightly.” 

Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award 

Established by John D. Pinegar, Douglas E. Smith, and Kathleen M. Smith, the Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award recognizes and rewards an active SAB member with a proven commitment to civic engagement, education, and public service. Nathan Binshtok, a junior studying economics, political science, and data science, was selected as this year’s awardee. 

Nathan Binshtok, a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board, received the 2026 Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award.

Binshtok served as the 2025-26 Student Outreach Coordinator and previously served as the Pizza and Politics Coordinator. Outside of SAB, Binshtok has also been involved in KU student senate throughout his time at KU. He has participated in many events involving the legal field, particularly the annual Counselors program, as he plans to attend law school after graduation. 

“I’ve tried to be very involved at KU since my freshman year, and I’ve found a lot of meaning in my involvements at the Dole Institute and Student Senate,” Binshtok said as he reflected on applying for this award. “Both opportunities allowed me to grow student culture at KU, encourage students to become civically involved, and forge connections across campus and the broader Lawrence community. 

The Noah Hookstra Memorial Award 

The Noah Hookstra Memorial Award was crafted by former Student Advisory Board Coordinators Allie Haggar and Catherine Magaña to honor the legacy of the late Noah Hookstra – a dedicated and passionate member of the SAB for several years before his passing in the spring of 2023. 

Maddie Zeller was the recipient of the Noah Hookstra Memorial Award after being nominated by her peers for her leadership, dedication to the Institute, and compassion. 

Maddie Zeller, a member of the Dole Institute Student Advisory Board, received the third annual Noah Hookstra Memorial Award.

Zeller is a sophomore studying business management with a minor in political science. Her consistent participation in events put on by the Institute, dedication to the community, and willingness to support her peers led to her nomination for this award. She has been an active SAB member, and this fall will serve as the events coordinator for SAB.  

“It is such an honor when your peers recognize the heart that you have for an organization,” Zeller said as she reflected being nominated for this award. “I felt so appreciated by the nomination and really loved that this award recognizes the work and impact members can have on the Student Advisory Board, just as Noah Hookstra did.” 

Director’s Awards and Special Achievements Awards 

All active members of the Student Advisory Board came together at the annual Student Advisory Banquet, held on April 30, 2026, to celebrate their accomplishments. Several students were recognized this year for their involvement and dedication to the Institute throughout the year through Director’s awards and special achievement awards. 

Seven students were recognized as Director Award’s recipients including: Kaitylnn Sedich, Michael Redlich, Maddie Zeller, Ace Stone, Kylie Hess, Ellison Beran, Kaitlyn Carson, Henry Hanrath, and Michael Glenn. The Director’s Awards are given to active SAB members who demonstrate strong leadership and involvement as volunteers. 

The 2026 Director’s Awards recipients – Kaitylnn Sedich, Michael Redlich, Maddie Zeller, Ace Stone, Kylie Hess, Ellison Beran, and Kaitlyn Carson (from left.) Not pictured – Henry Hanrath and Michael Glenn.

Seven students were also recognized and awarded Special Achievement awards from Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman. The Special Achievement Award is given to graduating seniors who have contributed outstanding efforts to the Dole Institute over several years.  

The 2026 Special Awards recipients with Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman – Robert Eppler, Jacob McCarty, Kenna McNally, Abbie Clements, Ella Rheums, and Nathan Binshtok (from left.)

Jacob McCarty served as Discussion Group Coordinator during the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. In this role, he worked with Dole fellows to curate discussion programming. He also created a new student-focused discussion series called ‘Politics Unplugged’ in his first year as coordinator and enhanced it in his second year. McCarty was also nominated as the 2025 recipient of the Noah Hookstra Memorial Award. Joining fellow Institute peers Ella Rheums and Nathan Binshtok, he also competed in the 2025 and 2026 University of Chicago Institute of Politics’ annual policy challenge. McCarty was the first student to develop and facilitate a workshop at the Institute on incivility.  

Ella Rheums held many leadership roles throughout her time at the Institute. Starting off as a volunteer during her freshman year, she also served as Discussion Group Coordinator for one semester during the 2024 fall semester. During the 2025 spring semester, she served as Student Events Assistant. Following this role, she served as Programs and Digital Content Coordinator during the 2025-2026 school year. In 2025, she was named the recipient of the Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award. Alongside fellow SAB member Nathan Binshtok, Rheums launched the first student-led podcast ‘From the Balcony.’ Through all of these roles and awards, she has showcased strong leadership and active dedication to the Institute.  

Nathan Binshtok began his involvement with the Institute through the annual Counselors program as a student cross examiner. He served as Pizza and Politics Coordinator during the 2024-2025 school year and Student Outreach Coordinator during the 2025-2026 school year. Alongside Rheums, he brought his economic expertise to their student-led podcast. Additionally, Binshtok was the 2026 recipient of the Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award.  

Robert Eppler started as a volunteer for the Institute his freshman year and was one of the most actively engaged members.  He was known to take diligent notes during every event and was an example of active engagement throughout his years at the Institute. Eppler attended the 2026 spring CSIS Journalism Bootcamp in Washington D.C. alongside other members of the SAB. He represented the SAB and university well through his strong contributions to the data team.  

Riley Osterberg served as a Student Archives assistant during her time at the Institute. She brought hard work and dedication to her role through working with young students as they learn about civic engagement, bipartisanship, and the Dole Archives. She always elevated the Archives through her humor and bright presence.  

Kenna McNally was one of the most hardworking members in SAB, showcased through all the roles she held throughout her time at KU. She served as the Communications and Marketing Intern during the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. McNally also served as the Student Advisory Board Coordinator during the fall 2024 and spring 2025 semesters. Through her role as Student Advisory Board Coordinator, she led impressive programs with state legislators and Vice President of AP News. Additionally, she was the 2024 recipient of both the Elizabeth Dole Public Service Award and Robert J. Dole Service to Country Award.   

Abbie Clements served as Student Events Assistant during the 2024-2025 school year. During the 2025-2026 year, she served as the Student Advisory Board Coordinator. In both of these roles, she consistently showcased reliability and attention to detail.  In her role as Student Advisory Board Coordinator, she fostered an inclusive and welcoming environment, making sure every SAB member felt valuable. Alongside fellow SAB member Kenna McNally, she attended the 2025 CSIS Journalism Bootcamp in Washington D.C. With her background in journalism, she brought great improvement to our student newsletter.

Members of the SAB after the annual SAB spring banquet.

It was a remarkable year for the SAB. Because of the many contributions of these and other SAB members, we were able to host many amazing events and participate in numerous special opportunities.

Abby Jones  serves as the Marketing & Communications Intern for the Dole Institute of Politics. Through this role, Abby works closely with student workers and the institute to prepare marketing materials and event photographs. She is a junior studying Digital Marketing Communications, Advertising, and Public Relations with a minor in Communications.

About the Dole Institute
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, a vibrant forum for civil discourse, civic engagement, and idea exchange across the political spectrum, features historical archives, exhibits, and public programs for all ages. Inspired by the public service of native Kansan, veteran, legislator, and statesman Senator Bob Dole and his wife Senator Elizabeth Dole, visitor galleries feature changing exhibits, the Kansas Veterans Virtual Memory Wall, architectural-scale stained glass American flag, and September 11 memorial.