Blake Deppe of Washington, Missouri, and Kaelee Karcher of McLeansboro, Illinois, were crowned Southeast Missouri State University's 2026 Man and Woman of the Year at halftime of the Homecoming football game Saturday, Oct. 17.
The Man and Woman of the Year awards recognize outstanding student leaders at SEMO who demonstrate academic excellence, campus involvement and a commitment to community service. Candidates are nominated by recognized University student organizations.
Deppe is an agribusiness major with an emphasis in agricultural communication and a minor in integrated marketing communication. He was sponsored by the Student Activities Council, where he has served in several leadership roles, including Homecoming chair.
"To me, Homecoming is about bringing the entire SEMO community together," Deppe wrote in his candidate profile. "It is a week where students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community can all celebrate what makes Southeast special."
Karcher is a business administration major and was sponsored by Alpha Delta Pi, where she has served as philanthropy liaison and Homecoming chair.
"To me, Homecoming is a chance for SEMO's community to come together and support one another," Karcher wrote in her candidate profile. "It's a time to celebrate our shared spirit and traditions, reconnect with alumni, and show new students how special this University can be."