Lindsey Jahner, of Bismarck, was recognized as the University of Mary Alumni Association's Outstanding Senior. She received the recognition at the president's breakfast April 28.

"I am so honored to have been nominated for and to have won this award," Jahner said. "It means I have taken everything I could from my experience at the university; learned all my professors wanted me to - including how to put that learning into use; and am now able to apply what I've learned in my life and my profession."

She earned a bachelor's degree in education and has plans to earn a master's degree and doctorate, and be nationally certified. Someday, she would like to teach at college.

Jahner was nominated by the education division. Assistant professor Gywn Herman was one of the people to nominate her.

"I can truly say that I have rarely seen a student as committed to education and the joy and freedom it affords her pupils," she said.

Jahner served as president and vice president of the Student Education Association and president of the Missouri Valley Chapter of the North Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children. She also was active in the North Dakota Teachers of Mathematics, South Central Reading Association, worked as a child-care provider at the Missouri Valley YMCA and was an activity center leader for Bismarck Parks and Recreation's after-school BLAST program, and was a receptionist at the Mid Dakota Clinic. She also volunteered for Special Olympics and the Angel Tree.

She was named the Outstanding Student in Elementary Education for 2007 by the North Dakota Association of Teacher Educators and was the recipient of the University of Mary's Leadership Award for 2007. Her parents are Larry and Verlaine Jahner, of Bismarck.

(Reach reporter Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@;bismarcktribune.com.)