More than 130 students received academic awards April 27 at Austin College’s 2017 Honors Convocation, an all-campus event that highlights the achievements of students and faculty. Most student awards are determined by departmental faculty, and many involve research opportunities as well as financial awards for the next academic year. Awards in teacher education are made to those students entering graduate study through the Austin Teacher Program.
The recipients and their awards follow.
Mindalena Elise Adams of Ladonia, Texas, received The Laura H. Shoap Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music;
Brittney Marie Aldridge of Whitesboro, Texas, received The E. H. Black Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Sophie Grace Anderson of Houston, Texas, received The Mary Foulks Gourley and Lloyd E. Gourley Prize for an Outstanding Student in Physics;
Elijah C. Andes of Santa Fe , New Mexico, received The Lois Jenkins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in English;
Kristen Annis of Forth Worth, Texas, received The Virginia Love and Bill Freeman Creativity in Teaching Award;
Taqwa Armstrong of Pointblank, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Jacob Arvin of Trenton, Texas, received The William B. “Bill” Davis Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education and The William B. “Bill” Davis Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Neethu Augustine of Allen, Texas, received The Dr. Arthur N. Springall Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies;
Abigail Ballard of Norman, Oklahoma, received The Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship in Political Science;
Anhthu “Shirley” Banh of Dallas, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Hannah Barry of Dallas, Texas, received The Rev. David A. Sharp Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Music;
Alison Boehmer of Nixa, Missouri, received he Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship in Political Science;
Kyle Jeremy Bohannon of Katy, Texas, received The Stephen F. Austin Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in History;
Lois Bronaugh of Buda, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Shane William Brooks of Waco, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program and The Will Mann Richardson Prize for Outstanding Scholarship and Service;
Bethany Bundrant of Austin, Texas, received The Peggy Redshaw/Jerry Lincecum Fellowship for on Outstanding Student in Biology or English and The Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Erwin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies;
Ashley Chen of Parker, Texas, received The Dr. Arthur N. Springall Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies;
Megan Chiu of Wylie, Texas, received The Margaret Zauk Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music;
Olivia Cicci of Santa Fe, New Mexico, received The Brittany Danielle Simpson Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Hailey Clendennen of Round Rock, Texas, received The Bernice and Sara Rebecca Honea Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Florence Cornell of Dallas, Texas, received The Hanschen Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies;
Truman Dowdy of Magnolia, Texas, received The Verta Eckman Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Music;
Jacob Dowell of Little Rock, Arkansas, received The Wilbur Powell Computer Science Award for an Outstanding Student in Computer Science and The Jayne C. Chamberlin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Communication Studies;
Chelsea Easley of Canton, Texas, received The Knox Foundation for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences;
Hannah Eason of Conroe, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Charles Eneh of Krum, Texas, received The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Delaney England of Paris, Texas, received The Emily A. Coe Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Exercise and Sports Science;
Nathanael Essin of Sherman, Texas, received The Will Mann Richardson Prize for Outstanding Scholarship and Service;
Chelsea Faulkner of Flower Mound, Texas, received The John Cameron Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in French;
Aubry Foose of Austin, Texas, received The Hope Ridings Miller in American History or Literature;
Joel Forbis of Decatur, Texas, received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Yue Fu of Zhejiang, CHINA, received The P. S. Wharton Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry and The Daniel L. and Martha P. Nuckols Award for an Outstanding Student in Economics;
Henry Glasscock of Dallas, Texas, received The Folbre Prize for an Outstanding Student in History;
Joshua Green of Conroe, Texas, received The Hope Ridings Miller Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Journalism;
Magan Green of Farmersville, Texas, received The William B. “Bill” Davis Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Haleigh Hahn of Austin, Texas, received The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Shutong Hao of Allen, Texas, received The Frank Mayborn Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Journalism;
Aimi Hardy of Lubbock, Texas, received The Scott H. Boyd, M.D. Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Psychology and The E. Don and Ann R Williams Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics and Computer Science;
Grace Harrison of Farmersville, Texas, received The William H. and Bess Hardwicke Omohundro Foster Award for an Outstanding Student in Music;
Alexandra “Alix” Hoffman of Thorndale, Texas, received The Howard McCarley Biology Student Research Award and The Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Erwin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies;
Jiandu Hu of Guangzhou, CHINA, received The Anne Lorraine Dennis Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry and The Clara Zauk Binkley and James Binkley Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Foreign Languages;
Meredith Huff of Sherman, Texas, received The Carl B. and Florence E. King Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Classics;
John Huggins of Arlington, Texas, received The Carl B. and Florence E. King Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Classics;
Branden Hunt of Grand Prairie, Texas, received The Dr. Thomas Baker Memorial Endowed Academic Honors Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Jinsu Kim of Busan, SOUTH KOREA, received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Emily Low of League City, Texas, received The Charles “Bo” Miller Scholar/Athlete Award for an Outstanding Athlete Who Excels in Academics;
Noelle Low of Sunnyvale, Texas, received The Temple Foundation Endowed Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Zoe Lugo of Allen, Texas, received The Stephen F. Austin Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in History;
Kevin Mai of Arlington, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
William “Willie” Maloney of Aledo, Texas, received The Sig Lawson Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Liberte Manirakiza of San Antonio, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program and The Henry L. and Laura H. ShoapScholarship for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences;
Monica Martinez of Austin, Texas, received The Knox Foundation for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences;
Elisabeth Mays of McKinney, Texas, received The Hope Ridings Miller in Humanities and The S.D. Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in English;
Deric McCurry of Littlefield, Texas, received The John S. and Rachel Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Religious Studies and The Dorothy Abernathy Memorial Scholarship for Outstanding Leadership in the Church;
Rebecca McDonald of College Station, Texas, received The M. D. “Bud” Bryant Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Biology;
Madi McVay of Fort Worth, Texas, received The Thomas Edgar and Kathryn Heard Craig Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Michael Moran of Denison, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program and The Paul Geers Award for Excellence in Pre-Medical Achievement;
Marie Mortensen of Lucas, Texas, received The P. S. Wharton Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry;
Hannah Myslik of Austin, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Nguyen Nguyen of Ho Chi Minh, VIETNAM, received The Paul W. Beardsley Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Communication Studies;
Trung Nguyen of Arlington, Texas, received The Knox Foundation for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences;
Cliff “Wes” Nichols of Holliday, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Darcie Nightengale of Heath, Texas, received The Karen Toda Reaffirmation of Life Scholarship in Health Sciences;
Shamika Ninan of Bedford, Texas, received The M. D. “Bud” Bryant Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Biology;
Kenneth Page of Phoenix, Arizona, received The Gerald H. Hinkle Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Philosophy;
John Pass of Austin, Texas, received The Will Mann Richardson Prize for Outstanding Scholarship and Service;
Nikita N. Patel of Richardson, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Jack Perkins of Savoy, Texas, received The Thomas W. Folbre, Jr., Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in History;
Mark “Nick” Nicholas Pernik of Kingwood, Texas, received The Dr. and Mrs. J.C. Erwin Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Pre-Medical Studies and The William B. Steele, Genevieve Wakefield Steele and Sue Steele Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Liberal Arts;
Shelby Poe of Whitewright, Texas, received The Anna L. Anderson Endowed Scholarship in Health Sciences and The Stephen Dudley and Lillie S. Heard Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in the Sciences;
Will Porter of Grapevine, Texas, received The John Peyton and Mary Louise Shoap Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Modern Languages;
Alex Quinn of Lubbock, Texas, received The Grace DuPree Ridings Scholarship in Literature;
Yasmin Renteria of Dallas, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Nicole Richards of Sherman, Texas, received The Bradshaw Frederick Armendt Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry;
Felicia Rivera of Las Vegas, Nevada, received The Mary Edna Finch Bryson Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in the Austin Teacher’s Program;
Kiki Robinson of Wiesbaden, GERMANY, received The Thomas Edgar and Kathryn Heard Craig Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics and The Clara Zauk Binkley and James Binkley Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Foreign Languages;
Nicolas Rodriguez of Dallas, Texas, received he Hatton W. Sumners Scholarship in Political Science;
Christine Rottler of Rowlett, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Cesar Ruiz of Sachse, Texas, received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Thomas Samonig of Portsmouth, ENGLAND, received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Rachel Denise Sartor of Denison, Texas, received The Catherine Rosalie Fincher Kucera Scholarship;
Jesus “Chuy” Manuel Sosa of Sherman, Texas, received The E. H. Black Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Matthew Steidle of Bedford, Texas, received The Knox Foundation for an Outstanding Student in Health Sciences and The George L. Landolt Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Chemistry;
Alexandra Grace Sterken of Tyler, Texas, received The Erwin Smith Research Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in History;
Jeremy Swisher of The Woodlands, Texas, received The Charles “Bo” Miller Scholar/Athlete Award for an Outstanding Athlete Who Excels in Academics;
Bridget Tolle of Yukon, Oklahoma, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Douglas Tsang of Paris, Texas, received The Alfred Lafayette Ridings Scholarship in Health Sciences;
Katherine Tuttle of Humble, Texas, received The Russell V. Rogers Sr. Memorial Scholarship for a student studying for the ministry;
Rebekah Urban of Whitesboro, Texas, received The Charles Curtis McKinney Memorial Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Psychology;
Aneesa Vaidya of Corinth, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Taylor Van Kirk of Sherman, Texas, received The Carl B. and Florence E. King Fellowship for an Outstanding Student in Teacher Education;
Femy Varghese of Corsicana, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Jon Vecchio of Arlington, Texas, received The Peter W. Grayson Award in History;
Collin Vu of Rowlett, Texas, received The Daniel L. and Martha P. Nuckols Award for an Outstanding Student in Economics;
Alisa White of Arlington, Texas, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Marissa Wilkinson of Portland, Oregon, received The Grace Collins and Will Collins Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Business and Economics;
Maureen Kelly Williams of San Antonio, Texas, received The Peggy Redshaw/Jerry Lincecum Fellowship for on Outstanding Student in Biology or English and The Shellene Kelley Memorial Scholarship for an Outstanding Student in Computer Science;
Lauren Wulz of Plano, Texas, received The E. Don and Ann R Williams Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics and Computer Science;
Congling Zhang of Xian City, CHINA, received The E. Don and Ann R Williams Endowed Scholarship in Mathematics and Computer Science;
Yilu Zhang of Xinjiang, CHINA, received The Sara and Robert Hallam Citizen Scholar Program;
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.