Amy Stanek, custodial manager at Nebraska Wesleyan, is the 2026 winner of the Dean B. Stewart Award for Courage.
Established in 2011, the award recognizes an NWU student, staff, or faculty member who has displayed remarkable courage in the face of overwhelming odds or barriers.
Stanek’s nominator wrote that Stanek has worked to overcome substantial emotional and economic barriers after the passing of her sister, Kathy Minicz, last year. The sisters worked together on the NWU custodial staff before Minicz’s passing.
Minicz is survived by an adult son who requires 24-hour care. Stanek has continued in her role at NWU supervising one of the largest staffs on campus and has taken on a significant role in seeing that her nephew has the daily care he needs.
“Amy’s work benefits students and employees every day… She just keeps working and says ‘we’ll find a way to get it done,’” wrote her nominator. “Amy may not say that it is courage that gets her here every day, but from the outside watching, it absolutely takes courage.”
This award is named for Dean Stewart (’62) in recognition of his work to reconnect members of Phi Kappa Tau in their post-college lives while he was suffering from a progressively disabling neurological disease.
Other award winners include:
Dr. Margaret Prouty Faculty Teaching Award: Professor of History Patrick Hayden-Roy.
Faculty Advisor of the Year: Assistant Professor of Psychology Kelsey Thiem.
Bill and Tami Wyman Award: Jody Navratil, administrative assistant for advancement; Todd Bouten, painter – The Wyman Award is presented to one custodian, grounds, or maintenance employee and one administrative assistant. Eligible employees are full or part-time with five or more years of service to NWU.
White Award for Internationalization: Steve Pointon, assistant men’s soccer coach and adjunct professor – The White Award is named for late President John White and his wife Marty, for their commitment to global study and service to Nebraska Wesleyan.
Dr. Doris Yin Ming Hsu Biology Faculty Teaching Award: Angela McKinney.