Student Profiles
Noonan Selected College of Business 2020 Undergraduate Student of the Year Isabel “Izzy” Noonan has a passion for serving others after becoming involved in projects while attending the University of Wyoming. Noonan, who graduated in December with a business management degree, with a concentration in human resources, was named the UW College of Business Undergraduate Student of the Year last spring. She was chosen for the yearly award based on nominations from UW College of Business faculty and then selected by a committee. To be considered for the honor, students must be in good academic standing, and the award is contingent on the honoree serving as a student liaison for the College of Business Advisory Board the following academic year. Criteria for this award include engagement, club participation, professional development, community service, and ethical conduct and character. “I am extremely honored to have received this award because of how it will help my professional development in the future, and of the amazing opportunity it gave me by serving on the College of Business Advisory Board,” says Noonan, who is from Eaton, Colo. “I owe a big part of my success and the personal brand that I have created to Kent Noble. He has helped me tremendously throughout my college experience and given me many opportunities that have enriched my future.” Noble is the Bill Daniels Chair of Business Ethics in the College of Business. Noonan says she chose the business management degree program because of her service to others. “What better way to do that in the workplace than through human resources,” she says. “There are so many different areas and paths that you can take through HR, and that is what drew me to that area of study in the first place.” Once she started learning and diving into what human resources offers, she found herself becoming passionate about it. Noonan joined the UW Ethics Club in 2019 and, as a member a year later, she became the club’s community service officer, serving on the officer team until she graduated. In that position, Noonan worked alongside the other officers to plan and organize chapter meetings, and she also was in charge of organizing and planning community service 4 | FOCUS
events for the rest of the chapter. Noonan’s community service also included organizing a high school mentorship program with Laramie High School. She participated as a volunteer for UW’s annual “The Big Event” service day to the community. Through serviceoriented activities, The Big Event promotes campus and community unity. UW students come together for one day to express their gratitude for the support from the surrounding community. Student volunteers help with various projects that can be large or small. “Something I am also very proud of is my involvement in the Ethic’s Club Spark Tank Event,” she says. “This event was inspired by the idea of giving back to the Laramie community by raising money and then donating it to nonprofits.” For the 2019-2020 school year, the event raised more than $36,000 to award to nonprofit organizations in the Laramie community. Since her graduation from UW, Noonan has moved back to the northern Colorado area, where she intends to work in the human resources field.
PHOTO BY KENNA NOBLE
