2021-2022 Frances B. Huston Medallion Awards

The College of Health Science and Public Health is proud to recognize the recipients of the 2021-2022 Frances B. Huston Medallion Award.

This award recognizes graduating seniors for excellence in academics, leadership, and service. Recipients of the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award will have established themselves as exceptionally capable individuals in both academic and extracurricular activities. The faculty and administration of Eastern Washington University acknowledge their great pride in the accomplishments of these students during their college experience and expect even greater accomplishments in the years that lie ahead.

Kasey Hermens, Public Health

Kasey Hermens has been an extraordinary leader for the undergraduate public health program. She was nominated to receive the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award by Dr. Sarah Mount who wrote “In my twenty years as an educator, I have not had a student that exemplifies leadership and an unyielding work ethic as Kasey has demonstrated in the undergraduate public health program at EWU. I fully expect that she will continue to make a significant impact in our community and in the field of public health.”

During her time at Eastern, Hermens was a member of the EWU Honors Program, Honors Program Newsletter Team, and the Honors Student Advisory Board. She was also a member of the STEM Advice and Support Club and the Easy Come, Easy Grow Garden Club. She started and maintains a Discord channel for public health students to build connections during the pandemic. She maintained a 4.0 GPA while working part-time as a patient care assistant, and has served as a mentor and scholar-lead as the recipient of the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship. Volunteer activities include serving as co-leader for Telehealth Access for Seniors, as a COVID-19 vaccination clinic volunteer for Providence Health & Services, as an inpatient CVA therapy gym assistant at St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, and as a Washington Student Association Higher Education Funding volunteer.

Hermens is the recipient of several scholarships and awards, and was nominated for the Washington State Association of College Trustees 2019 ACT Transforming Lives Award.

After graduation, Hermens plans to pursue a master’s degree in both physician assistant studies and public health. Her goal is to practice as a PA-C with a health equity lens, pulling from her background in public health while simultaneously serving underserved populations and expanding healthcare access.

Kaylin Sheley, Communication Sciences & Disorders

Kaylin Sheley is a service-oriented scholar athlete who has excelled at Eastern Washington University. Sheley was nominated to receive the Frances B. Huston Medallion Award by Dr. Lesli Cleveland who remarked “Kaylin embodies EWU’s mission through her engagement in all areas of university life, expanding her opportunities for personal transformation at every level.”

Sheley was a member of the EWU Honors Program and an athlete on EWU’s track and field team and cross-country team. She was named the 2021-2022 team captain, an honor voted on by coaches and teammates. She served as an executive board member for Health Science Education Outreach Club, and was an active member of Eastern’s chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and the department’s Multicultural Club.

Sheley has also worked as an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Hedieh Hashemi Hosseinabad’s Cleft Lip and Palate Lab gaining valuable experience that will support her research endeavors in graduate school. Currently, she conducts newborn hearing screenings at various hospitals in Spokane. She performs the hearing tests, communicates results to
parents and educates caregivers on the importance of screenings, early intervention and speech and language milestones.

After graduation, Sheley plans to pursue her Master’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders at EWU. Her goal is to become a certified Speech-Language Pathologist.