For immediate release
By Rachel Moreno
May 27, 2020
For more information, contact OBU’s news bureau at [email protected] or (870) 245-5208
ARKADELPHIA, Ark.—Ouachita Baptist University recently recognized students for outstanding academic, leadership and civic achievements during the 2019-2020 academic year with its annual Academic Awards honors.
In lieu of its annual banquet held each spring, Ouachita recognized students online through social media posts and videos. Dr. Stan Poole, Ouachita’s vice president for academic affairs, as well as deans and department chairs from Ouachita’s academic schools prepared videos to personally recognize and congratulate students. The award videos can be viewed online at obu.edu/virtualacademicawards.
Maggie Donnell, a senior social justice studies and psychology double major from Rogers, Ark., was awarded Ouachita’s highest academic honors as the university’s Overall Academic Achiever. Donnell also earned top academic achiever in the Sutton School of Social Sciences and was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher.
Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Man is Caleb Byrd, a communications & media/integrated communications, political science and Spanish triple major from Little Rock, Ark. Ouachita’s Senior Outstanding Woman is Addy Goodman, a communications & media/communications studies and political science double major from Arkadelphia, Ark. The Senior Outstanding Man and Woman are selected by Ouachita’s faculty and staff. Goodman also was recognized as a Carl Goodson Honors Program Blue Ribbon Finisher.
Other top academic achievers in each school include:
Hickingbotham School of Business – Katie Camp, a senior accounting and finance double major from Plano, Texas
Pruet School of Christian Studies – Seigen Nichols, a senior Christian studies/Christian ministry and business administration/entrepreneurship double major from Forest Hill, La.
Huckabee School of Education – Savannah Hart, a senior kinesiology & leisure studies/pre-professional studies major from Hartman, Ark.
School of Fine Arts – Lesley Howard, a senior studio art and psychology double major from Lavon, Texas
School of Humanities – Abby Morse, a senior English major from Georgetown, Texas
Patterson School of Natural Sciences – Sheldon McCown, a senior biology major from Nacogdoches, Texas
The Mrs. J.R. Grant Endowed Awards for freshman and senior female students were given to Vanessa Vives and Madison Burch. Vives is an elementary education major from Bogota, Colombia, and Burch is a Christian studies/Christian ministry major from Benton, La.
The Mrs. Betty Oliver Grant Endowed Awards for sophomore and junior female students went to Kristen Holeyfield and Stephany Quintero. Holeyfield is a biology major from Searcy, Ark., and Quintero is an accounting and finance double major from Arkadelphia, Ark.
The Rotary Club Service-Above-Self Award was presented to Johnathan Miles, a physics major from Arkadelphia, Ark.
Individuals honored by the Carl Goodson Honors Program and Ouachita’s seven academic schools include:
CARL GOODSON HONORS PROGRAM
Ben Elrod Scholar: João Rodrigues
Carl Goodson Scholar: Kayla Churchwell
Honors Council Scholar: Hannah Perkins and Tray Armstrong
Blue Ribbon Finishers: Hayden Bowman, Shelby Bradley, Olivia Brown, Callie Anna Dunlap, Margaret Donnell, Tucker Douglass, Savannah Edwards, Hannah Gallagher, Addy Goodman, Megan Harris, Lesley Howard, Kathryn Knight, Abby Leal, Ruthie Lenards, Sheldon McCown, Emily McGee, Mattie Mae Motl, Abigail Morse, Sara Neumann, Emily Pankiewicz, Rylee Roberts, Brooke Sanderford, Claire Seale, Catherine Shirley, Rachel Smith, Savannah Stacks, Ashly Stracener, Allison Studdard, Selby Tucker, Meagan Woodard, Paige Wright and Cammie York.
Most Valuable Professors: Dr. Nancy Hardman, the Edna and Freda Linn Professor of Communication Sciences and Pre-Medical Studies; Dr. Blake Johnson, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. Amy Sonheim, professor of English.
HICKINGBOTHAM SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Lera Kelly Outstanding Senior in Business Administration Award: Seigen Nichols, Jacob Shelton
Margaret Wright Outstanding Senior in Accounting Award: Thomas Worley
Eddie Ary Outstanding Senior in Finance Award: Michael Ward
Johnny Heflin Excellence in Leadership & Academics Award: Selby Tucker
Outstanding Business Scholar Athlete: Madison Brittain, Brandon Matros
PRUET SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN STUDIES
Outstanding Student in Biblical Studies: Cody Cagle
Outstanding Student in Christian Ministries: Seigen Nichols
Outstanding Student in Christian Missions: Elise Nelson
Don Harbuck Award for Excellence in Philosophy: Tucker Douglass
Preben Vang Award for Christian Theological Studies: Taylor Fielder
Outstanding Student in Community and Family Services: Kara DeLaune
Elementary Hebrew Award: Felicity Johnson
Robert Stagg New Testament Greek Award: Kinnon Dodson
HUCKABEE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Alice Searcy Award: Hope Waid
Outstanding Current Education Sophomores: Vanessa Vives (Elementary), Erin Strautman (Secondary), Lexi Huse (K-12)
Sylvia Gates Webb Award: Breanna Parker
Maude Wright Memorial Award: Brittany Burr
Phi Delta Kappa Teachers in Training: Lexis Miller (Elementary), Caroline Sweet (Secondary), Emma Pitts (K-12)
Charles Chambliss Distinguished Educator Award: Natalie Jackson, Rachel Patterson
Bob Gravett Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Teaching Award: Hunter Groom
Tona Wright Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Fitness Award: Allie Freeman
Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Recreation and Sports Administration Award: Jackson Nichols
Outstanding Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Pre-Professional Studies Award: Garrett Pearson, Savannah Hart
SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS
Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior – Graphic Design: Abby Leal
Francie Phelan Outstanding Senior – Studio Art: Lesley Howard
Raybon-Berry Outstanding Freshman Visual Arts Major: Saba Esho, Elizabeth Hill
Russell Shad Memorial Art Award for Outstanding Junior: Maddie Bayer, Jenna Whitlow
Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Freshman: LilyKay Feimster
Theatre Arts Outstanding Student Award – Junior: Danielle Hall
Alpha Psi Omega Senior Award: Dylan Blackwood, Emily Johnson
Alpha Psi Omega Outstanding Service: Meagan Woodard
Sigma Alpha Iota College Honor Award: Paige Bagley
Sigma Alpha Iota Scholarship Award: Paige Bagley
The Presser Scholar: Holli Barger
Rachel Fuller Scholarship: Karlee Sanders
James Harrison Scholarship: Allan Schroeder
Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Art: Tehya Hinkson
Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Instrumental: Cross Brandon
Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Piano: Anna Weyenberg
Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Theatre: Kinsey Potts
Friends of Fine Arts Scholar – Voice: Karlee Sanders
SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES
Outstanding Senior English Major: Abby Morse, Daryn McMinn
Outstanding Junior Louise Searcy Bennett Scholarship Award: Emily Koonce
Outstanding Sophomore Herman Sandford Scholarship Award: Cora Saddler
Outstanding Freshman in English: Austin Crook
The Sharpest Speer Award: Paige Write
Outstanding Freshman Spanish Major: Hannah Rossell
Outstanding Sophomore Spanish Major: Cora Saddler
Outstanding Junior Spanish Major: Kara DeLaune
Outstanding Senior Spanish Major: Ashlynn Walton
El Tigre Award: Aubrey Rogers
Outstanding Student in Latin: Tucker Douglass
Outstanding Student in German: Anna Weyenberg
Bill & Vera Downs Outstanding Sophomore Mass Communications Student Award: Matthew Branch
Matt Turner Outstanding Junior Mass Communications Major Award: Madeline Martin
William D. Downs Outstanding Mass Communications Graduate Award: Ethan Dial, Josh Salim
Roy Buckelew Outstanding Speech Major Award: Stone Boshears
Publications Awards: Brooke Woessner (Ouachitonian), Ethan Dial (Signal), Justin Trostle and Danielle Sourber (Photo Lab), Ashton Spence (Video Production)
PATTERSON SCHOOL OF NATURAL SCIENCES
Outstanding Freshman Biology Award: Dylan Clayton
Richard H. Brown Biology Award: Cade Haynie
Outstanding Senior in Biology Award: Sheldon McCown, Michael Neathery
Outstanding Dietetics & Nutrition Award: Kimberly Reid
Freshman Chemistry Award: Marly Welborn, Jade Dorman
Ethel & Nell Mondy and E.A. Provine Scholar: Kayla Churchwell
Outstanding Graduate in Chemistry: Alex Podguzov
Harvey Research Award: Tiffany Koba
Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Mathematics Education: Ashlynn Walton
Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Physics: Jake Morris
Rowland Memorial Award, Outstanding Senior – Computer Science: Caleb Webb
Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Mathematics and Computer Science: Caleb Harmon, Sarah Freeze
Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Math Education: Katie Harmon
Rowland Memorial Award, Academic Excellence – Physics: Maddie Young
Mathematics Ambassador Award: Betsy Patterson
Compassionate Scientist Award: Brooke Sanderford
W.H. SUTTON SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
Everett Slavens Award to Outstanding Sophomore: Brianna Taylor
Lavell Cole Award to Outstanding Future Teacher: Hannah Bridge
Fran Coulter Award to Outstanding Junior: Tucker Douglass
R.C. Daily Award to Outstanding Senior: Zach Kelley
Phi Alpha Theta Award for Outstanding Research Paper: Nicholas Herrington
Bob Riley Outstanding Graduate in Political Science Award: Selby Tucker
Psychology Faculty Award: Josie Collins, Victoria Martin
Zeitgeist Award: Lila Buchanan, Stephanie McCown
Weldon Vogt Outstanding Psychology Senior Award: Justin McGee, Leslie Howard
Outstanding Junior Sociology Award: Holly Ritchie
Outstanding Graduating Senior Sociology Award: Naya Young
Justice Seeker: Jamie Bunting