Several honors and awards were presented to Tusculum College students and faculty members in the March 26 Honors Convocation held in the Alpine Arena of Niswonger Commons.
Student awards were given as follows:
• Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award (honoring the highest academically ranked member of the Freshman class): Rebecca L. Taliaferro, recipient.
• Alpha Chi graduating seniors were presented cords and tassels. They were: Jonathan Feathers, Jessica E. Gourley, Donna S. Kiser, Laura E. Lambert, Kristi M. Mule’, Jody Munsey, Karen E. Shuffler, and Kivanc Dinler.
• Senior Honor Key Awards may go only to students who have earned a 3.25 or higher in the major field. Additionally, the award emphasizes the student’s capacities, special abilities, achievements, and aptitude in the major field, as well as her/her personality or personal characteristics. This year’s recipients were:
- Biology – Dorothy J. Webb
- Elementary Education – Karen E. Shuffler
- Special Education and Early Childhood Education – Donna S. Kiser
- English – Christina D. Miller
- Environmental Science –Jennifer H. Baird
- History – James M. Green
- Management – Jody I. Munsey
- Mass Media – Susan D. Allison
- Mathematics – Elizabeth D. Etherton
- Medical Pre-Professional – Trevor L. Adams
- Medical Technology – None
- Museum Studies -- None
- Physical Education - Phillip D. Prichard
-Psychology – Trina L. Emory
• Honor students were recognized, their status based on holding the highest GPA for each class. They were: Jason A. Knight, Rebecca L. Taliaferro, Ryan T. Tolman, Terri B. Miller, Pamela G. Holt, Heather K. Brace, Christopher R. Echols, Elizabeth A. Mauck, Craig M. McCorkindale, Beth A. Seymore and Patrick H. Taylor.
Honors Competency Validation was earned by three students:
Level 3 completed in Writing, Self Knowledge, and Civility: Susan D. Allison
Level 3 completed in Critical Analysis & Ethics of Social Responsibility: Brooke Canter
Level 3 completed in Self Knowledge: Candy Lloyd-Chandler
• The Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prize was presented to Susan D. Allison in the category of Literary Nonfiction, and to Rachel E. Stephens in the category of poetry.
• The E.H. Sargent Award in Science, presented to an outstanding junior or senior with consideration given to the overall GPA, total hours in science, and the variety of areas covered in the sciences, went to Elizabeth Mauck.
• The Warren Lynn Drain Award, which goes to a graduating senior determined most outstanding in Business and Economics, with GPA and achievement as criteria for the choice of the recipient, went to Brooke M. Canter.
The Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Outstanding Major Award, the winner of whom is selected by the physical education faculty, went to Phillip D. Prichard.
• The Civic Arts Project Award is given to students whose civic arts projects demonstrate excellence and performance in the following: identification of a community need, initiative and self-direction, practical judgment and problem solving, productive and collective decision making, commitment to democratic participation, commitment to a respect for diversity and cultural difference, communication and listening skills, sound reasoning and reflection, imagination, and positive impact on the targeted community. The projects must be completed by the end of the semester in which the award is made. This year’s winner was Kivanc Dinler.
• The Service Learning Award goes to students who demonstrate excellence in their Service-Learning Practicum in areas such as creativity, initiative and self-direction,practical judgment and problem-solving, collaboration with community members, respect for diversity and cultural difference, communication and listening skills, sound reasoning and reflection, and positive impact on the target community. The recipient was Jody I. Munsey.
• The Ruth and Arnold Thomas Choral Award, the winner of which is selected by the music department , went to John K. Moye.
• The Walter T. Dette, Jr. Memorial Athletic Spirit Award gives formal recognition to a graduating senior who has excelled in several areas while attending Tusculum College. Selection is based on the person’s college athletic career or contribution to the athletic program, loyalty to Tusculum athletes, exhibited by leadership and academic achievement. This year’s recipient was Charity Wallen.
• The Estel C. Hurley Student Service Award goes to a senior student making an outstanding positive impact in the Campus Life area. This year’s recipient was Jamila C. Pickering
• The Outstanding Resident Advisor Award went to Elizabeth Lambert.
• The Outstanding Hall Advisor Award went to Sarah McGar.
• The Pioneer Host Award, honoring a student determined to be the most outstanding and dedicated Pioneer Host. This year’s winner was Meredith Miles.
• The President’s Award goes to a graduating senior who has contributed significantly to college life and who has been the most outstanding achiever in the combined areas of academic work, athletics, campus leadership, and personality. Choice is made on the basis of student’s total four-year record at Tusculum. Honored this year was Heather K. Brace
• The Bruce G. Batts Award goes to a graduating senior who has demonstrated to a high degree the qualities of Bruce G. Batts and the Civic Arts: consistent civility in dealing with others, a high level of scholarship and careful thinking and a strong pattern of service to others. This year’s winner was Jennifer Baird.
The following awards were given in the category of faculty honors:
• The Professional Studies Staff Award for Northeast Tennessee went to Doug Click. The winner for Southeast Tennessee was Amy Morgan.
• The Dr. Shirley Beck Award for Northeast Tennessee went to Terri Sawyer. For Southeast Tennessee, the winner was Frances Dickerson.
• The David Behan Award for Northeast Tennessee went to David Claiborne. The Southeast Tennessee winner was Merry Spurrier.
• The Dr. Earl Hausle Award for Northeast Tennessee went to Ronald Redwine. The Southeast Tennessee winner was Lavender Kelley.
• The Dr. Paul R. Godfrey Award went to Lori McCallister.
• The Professional Studies Dean’s Award Northeast Tennessee went to Rhonda Fawbush, and for Southeast Tennessee to Edie Wagner.
• The Freshman Faculty Award for Northeast Tennessee went to Donnie Tate, and for Southeast Tennessee to William Cox.
• The Outstanding Service to Students, presented by the Greene County Partnership to a residential college faculty member determined by students to give the most outstanding service to them, went to Jerry F. Ward.
• The Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award, given to member of the full-time teaching faculty who, in the opinion of their peers, has demonstrated outstanding teaching excellence and campus leadership, went to Melinda Dukes.
Jennifer Baird was this year’s winner of the Bruce Batts Award, presented by Dr. Dolphus Henry, president of Tusculum College. Winning the other top student honor, the President’s Award, was Heather Brace, who could not be present for the Honors Convocation.