The J. Burton Vasché Award is given annually to a student who displays the highest standards of leadership, cooperation, participation, service and scholarship. It is named in honor of the university’s founding president, J. Burton Vasché.

Vasché was named founding president on May 13, 1960. A native of Oakdale, Vasche spearheaded the opening of what was then known as Stanislaus State College at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds while planning took place for the construction of the new campus on Monte Vista Avenue. He directed the hiring process for the first faculty members, key administrators and staff before the first day of classes on Sept. 19, 1960.

J. Burton Vasche

List of Awardees

Year Awardee(s) Read More About the Awardee
2023 Gianna Nunes University News Article
2019 Jenna Pablo & Maria Marquez University News Article
2018 Angela Pimentel University News Article & StanGrad Profile
2017 Tatiana Olivera University News Article
2016 Josephine Hazelton University News Article
2015 Michael Khoshaba University News Article
2014 Jared Tumazi University News Article
2013 Jessica De Silva University News Article
2012 Danielle Fletcher University News Article
2011 Tamara Mena  
2010 Isaac Farhadian University News Article
2009 Rocio Garcia University News Article
2008 Sean Newland University News Article
2007 Xuejiao "Jaqi" Jiang University News Article
2006 Crystal Jack  
2005 Daniel Westerman  
2004 Angelina Cunha  
2003 Catherine Austin  
2002 Seng Alex Veng  
2001 Cheryl Lynn Gorton  
2000 Tyler Summersett  
1999 Soulinhakhath Steve Arounsack  
1998 Cynthia Schwerdtfeger  
1997 Lewis Kurt Wilhelm  
1996 Morin I. Jacob  
1995 Steven J. Engfer  
1994 Daniel Westbrook  
1993 Sonja Has-Ellison  
1992 Ninder Chima-Jordan  
1991 Josseph Orlando  
1990 Lara Harrell  
1989 Steven Roy Davis  
1988 Adnan Issa  
1987 Suzette Santos  
1986 Terri Cipponeri  
1985 Vicki Inlow  
1984 Patrick MacDonald  
1983 Jill D. Curtis  
1982 Kerry Sue Kilburn  
1981 Kevin John Shand  
1980 Laurie E. Sylvester  
1979 Michael Arlen Rein  
1978 June Robertson  
1977 Ronald J. Noble  
1976 Jerry A. McNown & Catherine Jane Fitzpatrick  
1975 Robert S. Doody  
1974 Corey G. Cate  
1973 Richard Parnell  
1972 Arnold Webb Jr.  
1971 Megan Metcalf  
1970 Michael A. Pimental  
1969 David A. Alvernaz  
1968 John Russel & Ramond Desagun  
1967 L. Mark Matthew  
1966 Walter T. Archer  
1965 James Shuman & Sharon Nuebaum  
1964 Coy Roberts  
1963 Linda Sanders  
1962 Richard A. Brown  
1961 Kenneth Williams  

Updated: May 30, 2023