(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Christina Parle, a criminal justice and political science major from Belton, Mo.,  and Chase Neill, an aviation major from Lawrence, Kan., have been named the 2014 recipients of the University of Central Missouri’s prestigious Charno Award. The award is presented annually to the top male and female members of the senior class at UCM.

Parle, the daughter of John and Mary St. Helene of Belton, is a 2010 graduate of Belton High School. As a student at UCM, she was selected to represent UCM at the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life. She is a member of The Honors College, Rho Lambda honors society, Sigma Kappa sorority, and she also serves as a Student Ambassador and Alumni Ambassador.

Parle is a McNair Scholar and has served on a variety of boards and committees, including the Homecoming leadership committee, and the Fraternity and Sorority Judicial Board. She has served as president of the Honors College Association and vice president and president of the UCM Student Government Association. She also participated in intramural sports and volunteered in the community.

Neill, the son of Pamela Neill of Lawrence, is a 2009 graduate of Green Forest High School, Green Forest, Ark.  He is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success and the Forensic Aviation Accident Research Club. He has served as a representative in the Student Government Association and as president of the International Emergency Management Student Association and the Aviation Student Government.

Neill is involved with Boy Scouts of America and has organized the Merit Badge University and Merit Badge Weekend. In addition he served the local community as a member of Station 1 of the Johnson County Fire Protection District, and he has been accepted into the U.S. Navy Flight School.