STUDENT AWARDS

Edward S. Guleke Student Excellence Award

The Edward S. Guleke Student Excellence Award, established by the Friar Society in partnership with the Texas Exes in 1977, honors the memory of Edward S. Guleke, a dedicated University of Texas student and leader. 

Each year, the award recognizes an individual at the junior level of undergraduate studies or above who has distinguished academic credentials, has made significant a contribution to the university through campus-wide activities, and evidences the personal attributes of character and integrity that have earned the respect and admiration of his or her peers.

Many organizations recognized Edward’s unique contribution to The University. He was selected for membership in the Friar Society in 1971. In subsequent years, he received the Dad’s Day Association and the Cactus Outstanding Student Awards, as well as the Texas Cowboys’ Arno Nowotny Award. Edward’s superlative performance in academics, athletics, and leadership led to national recognition in both 1973 and 1974 when he was a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University in 1973, Edward received an M.A. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in 1974. Until his death at age 24, he was an international economist with the U.S. Treasury Department.

However, tales of collegiate glory and awards don’t tell the whole story. Edward was also a mountain climber of considerable accomplishment. He had climbed mountains in Europe and South America, as well as the United States, and seemed to take an almost spiritual approach to the challenge of nature. His intellect grasped with relative ease the "what" of things, and went on to engage the more difficult issue of "why" with the same enthusiasm that marked his every endeavor. Perhaps more than any other attribute, Edward’s enthusiasm for life marked him as a special person.

When Edward died on an expedition to climb Mt. McKinley in July 1976, a number of his friends felt that the most fitting memorial would be an annual scholarship award recognizing the student whose enjoyment of life and pursuit of excellence mark him/her as an extraordinary person also. The Friar Society, Delta Tau Delta Fraternity, the Orientation office, and the Texas Exes requested contributions from their members and alumni. The response was enthusiastic and in less than four months enough money had been contributed to endow the scholarship.

The purpose of the award is to recognize the student whose excellence in academic, extracurricular, and personal achievement is in keeping with the memory of Edward S. Guleke. 

2025 Recipient

Niels Levy-Thiebaut

Biochemistry Honors, Plan II

Niels Levy-Thiebaut is a fourth-year Biochemistry Honors and Plan II student from Houston, Texas by way of Paris, France. He is passionate about literacy, health education, and community building. As the president of Reading Aces for two years, he helped expand and revitalize this Austin-based nonprofit that promotes literacy and mentorship for underserved children after the pandemic. As an officer and researcher for Emergency Contraception for Every Campus, he and his team are improving emergency contraception access and education on campus, as well as presenting UT Austin student reproductive health resources survey research findings nationwide.

A proud Longhorn Powerlifting athlete, Niels served as Recruitment Chair, recruiting the team’s future and promoting community outreach with high school meet judging and signings. He competed on the collegiate nationals team the past three years and medaled bronze representing UT and the USA at the 2022 IPF World University Powerlifting Cup in Istanbul. Within the Polymathic Scholars community, he planned events on the leadership panel, manages the Unfinished Mind podcast, and is creating an alumni directory to promote student-alumni networking.

Niels is a proud member of the Forty Acres Scholars and Stamps Scholars Programs, which has allowed him to travel to Spain and Japan. He is a member of the Tejas Club, Silver Spurs, Friar Society, and the Texas Triple Helix journal. In his free time, he enjoys learning languages, teaching French, and traveling before he starts medical school next fall. 

Past Recipients

2024

Jacob Rollins
Biochemistry Honors, Plan II

 

2023

Ezequiel Lozano
BA'23, BS'23

 

2022

Aditi Merchant
BS ’23, Life Member

 

2021

Suseth Muñoz
BA ’22, BSALD ’22

 

2020

Brandon Chukwunyelu Okeke
BSA ’20

 

2019

Kelsey Mumford
BSA, BSN ’19, Life Member

 

2018

Jonathan Kyle Monk
BS ’19, Life Member

 

2017

Marilu Sanchez
BS ’17

 

2016

Joseph Lingren
BS ’17

 

2015

Jacob Spangler
BA ’14, BBA ’15, Life Member

 

2014

Emily Hunter Smith
BA ’15

 

2013

Katherine Layton
BS ’14, Life Member

 

2012

Andrew Nash
BA ’12, Life Member

 

2011

Darcy Kues
BA ’11

 

2010

Natasha Immaraj
BA, BBA ’10, Life Member

 

2009

Joseph Grasso
BS ’09, MA ’12, PhD ’14, Life Member

 

2008

Danielle Bartz
BA ’08, MPAFF ’15

 

2007

Michelle Robinson
BA ’07

 

2006

Tepera R. Holman
BA ’07, MED ’09, Life Member

 

2005

Julie Wimmer
BA ’05

 

2004

Slyman M. Majid
BA ’04, Life Member

 

2003

Ty Wesley Cobb
BBA, BA ’03, JD ’06, Life Member

 

2002

Keith Rainwater
BA ’02

 

2001

Andrew Friedberg
BA, BBA ’02, Life Member

 

2000

Aurora Lora
BA ’00, Life Member

 

1999

Marianna Vishnevetsky
BA ’99

 

1998

Paul Navratil
BS, BA ’99, MS ’06, PhD ’10, Life Member

 

1997

Kimberly Jones
BA ’97

 

1996

Marcus Escobedo
BA, BA ’97

 

1995

Brian Siegal
BA ’95, JD ’98, Life Member

 

1994

Lisa Epifani
BA ’94, Life Member

 

1993

Howard Nirken
BA ’93, MPAFF, JD ’97, Life Member

 

1992

Lara Johnson
BA ’82, Life Member

 

1991

Jennie Germann
BA ’92, Life Member

 

1990

Chris Bell
BA ’90, JD ’96

 

1989

Monica Neumann
BA ’90, Life Member

 

1988

Michael Cohen
BA ’88, Life Member

 

1987

Paul Tobias
BA ’87, JD ’90, Life Member

 

1986

Trent Thomas
BBA ’86, JD ’90, Life Member

 

1985

Ann Gill
BA ’85, JD ’88, MPAFF ’88, Life Member

 

1984

Denise Abend
BA ’84, Life Member

 

1983

Julie Tindall
BA ’81, MBA ’83, Life Member

 

1982

Phil Nenon
BA ’82, Life Member

 

1981

Eric English
BA ’80, JD ’85, Life Member

 

1980

Rob Walters
BA ’80, JD ’83, Life Member

 

1979

Starr Braun

 

1978

Terree Bowers
BA ’76, JD ’79, Life Member

 

1977

William Parrish 
BA ’75, JD ’78, Life Member