Schnetzler, Kemp named Monmouth College's men of the year
Students are from Metamora, Illinois, and St. Louis
Monmouth, Ill. (05/14/2025) — The Monmouth chapter of Blue Key Honor Society - a national organization recognizing upperclassmen for outstanding character and ability and for distinction in service, leadership and scholarship - named Jeff Schnetzler of Metamora, Illinois, the Senior Man of the Year and Zay Kemp of St. Louis, Mo., the Freshman Man of the Year.
"Jeff Schnetzler has been a good student and conscientious leader throughout his time at Monmouth," wrote his nominator. "He culminated his learning with a senior capstone project on the mechanics of the ancient discus throw."
His nominator noted that Schnetzler made such a novel interpretation of those ancient mechanics that he invited him to present to a group of more than two dozen K-12 teachers from around the nation who were present for Monmouth's National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute last year. He was accepted to present a poster at one of the most prominent national meetings in classics, and along with his nominator, Schnetzler received a $1,000 Faculty-Undergraduate Collaborative Research Award for his work on the project. The year before that, he won a Manson Stewart Undergraduate Award for excellence in undergraduate classics.
Schnetzler was also a critical leader of the national meeting of the Eta Sigma Phi undergraduate classics honors society, which drew nearly 80 people from 17 schools in 10 states to Monmouth, and at the college's Classics Day VI, which drew hundreds of visitors. Schnetzler has also extensively been involved in residence life, educational studies and the Fighting Scots track and field team.
Of Kemp, his nominator wrote that he "is a community builder and an outstanding example of the value of a liberal arts education. Zay gets excited about learning new things, (especially) about things he never before knew existed. Our class trip to the Buchanan Center for the Arts is one example of his excitement about a world new to him."
A sociology/anthropology major, Kemp delights in exploring cultures and plans to work at the college's farm and garden this summer and mentor new students next fall.
Media Attachments
Jeff Schnetzler of Metamora, Illinois, was named Monmouth's Senior Man of the Year.
Zay Kemp of St. Louis was named Monmouth's Freshman Man of the Year.
Monmouth College
Barry McNamara 309-457-2117, mcnamara@monmouthcollege.eduShare this Story
Recent News
- Led by Godde, Monmouth College group walked nearly 200 miles through England
- Monmouth College President Draves honored by her alma mater with prestigious award
- Track & Field Puts 10 on CSC Academic All-District Teams
- Monmouth College has distinctive partnership with Rural Schools Collaborative
- Heather Turnquist Named Head Softball Coach
- The 'coming wave' has arrived: Monmouth College and artificial intelligence
- Bergren, Pessman graduated from Monmouth with a degree in ... viral comedy?
- Galesburg's Rockyen Spinks 'overcame a ton in life' to earn Monmouth College degree
- As Golden Scots make way back to campus, Monmouth College's Waid Gymnasium celebrates 100 years
- Baseball Lands Two CSC Academic All-District Selections