JACKSON, Tenn. — May 1, 2020 — 51社区 presented more than 60 awards to students, faculty and staff May 1 during the Virtual Awards Day celebration.
The annual event, normally held in the Union chapel, was moved online this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Carla D. Sanderson Faculty of the Year Award went to Steve Halla, associate professor of art. Connie Teel, director for enrollment operations, was awarded with the Gary L. Carter Staff of the Year Award.
Other award recipients:
The Bettye and Kermit Whiteaker Freshman Biology Award, which is presented to a freshman biology major or minor with outstanding scholastic achievement, was presented to Lauren Payton Gaggley.
The Kina S. Mallard Communication Arts Student of the Year Award was presented to Marissa Postell.
The Bill Truex Award in Computer Science was presented to David James Cooper.
The Helen Blythe Creative Writing Award was presented to Lillie Anna-Jane Salazar.
The Service Through Engineering Award was presented to Ainsley Noelle Duncan.
The Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Award, which recognizes the best original research papers presented in regularly scheduled history courses for the current academic year, was presented to Luke Noble Sower.
The Wolfram Award in Computational Science was presented to Abigail M. Branson.
The Kyle L. Hathcox Memorial Physics Award, given to a junior or senior either majoring or minoring in physics, was presented to Jonathan Graham Van Neste.
The Dr. Bill Bouchillon Psychology Excellence Award, given to an outstanding graduating senior with a grade point average of 3.5 or greater in psychology and selected by the psychology faculty, was presented to Zachary Girard Tyler.
The Curtiss E. Scott Business Excellence Award, which is presented to the outstanding senior business major as chosen by the faculty of the McAfee School of Business and the members of the Business Club based on both academic and leadership achievement, was presented to Hannah Elizabeth Daniel.
The Dorothy Woodard Myatt Intern of the Year Award, named in honor of Dottie Myatt, Union鈥檚 assistant dean for teacher education and accreditation, was presented to Mikayla Sheridan Blanken for Elementary Intern of the Year, to Macon Ward Bullock for Secondary Intern of the Year and to Brooklynn Cheyenne Staten for Special Education Intern of the Year.
The Fred DeLay Memorial Award, for a senior who is an outstanding athlete, a person of high academic standing, unquestionable loyalty and good character, was presented to Kristen Leigh Pickens.
The Georgia Wilson Memorial Award for Clinical Nursing, which is presented to the member of the graduating class who is deemed by the nursing faculty to have been the most outstanding in clinical nursing, was presented to Kayla Beth Davenport.
The Broadman and Holman Award, given annually to a graduating senior who is deemed to have the greatest potential for significant contribution to the field of ministry, was presented to David Mujuni Kagaruki.
The Barnabas Leadership Award promotes the ideals of servant leadership in the Union community. This year鈥檚 recipients were Landon Crawford Todd and Grace Tshimange Ingram.
The Intramural Female Athlete of the Year was Kayla Beth Davenport. The Intramural Male Athlete of the Year was Elijah Braden Parker.
The Servant Leadership Program Student Employee of the Year was Payton Elizabeth Scott. The Servant Leadership Program Supervisor of the Year was Steven Aldridge.
The Greek Scholarship Cups, which are awarded annually to the two social fraternities with the highest average, were presented to the men of Lambda Chi Alpha and the women of Chi Omega (for the 73rd consecutive year).
The Howard Newell Innovative Teaching Award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated creativity and innovation in classroom teaching. Selections are made by a faculty committee. The award was presented to Jay Beavers, assistant professor of English.
Academic Excellence Medals were presented by Union to the graduating senior in each major, as selected by the faculty members of the department. The following students received medals for academic excellence:
Major in Art 鈥� Kiley M. Wilson
Major in Studio Art - Victor Eli Creasy
Major in Biology - Olivia Lynn Coffman Cooper
Major in Cell and Molecular Biology - James Parker Lewis
Major in Chemistry - Breanna Madison Johnson
Major in Communication Studies - Audrey Anna Gatlin
Major in Digital Media Communications - Lyndsey D'Laine Camp
Major in Film Studies - Miles Lee Randall
Major in Journalism - Stephen Brent Walker
Major in Public Relations - Marissa Postell
Major in Computer Science - Laura Brooke Hailey
Major in Information Technology - Andrew Tyler Mayo
Major in Engineering - Ainsley Noelle Duncan
Major in English - Lillie Anna-Jane Salazar
Major in History - Luke Noble Sower
Major in French - Avery Marie Rist
Major in Spanish - Brooklynn Cheyenne Staten
Major in Teaching English as a Second Language - Lyndsey Danae Welch
Major in Intercultural Studies - David William Banister
Major in Mathematics - Jenna Marie Dula
Major in Music - Abigail Noelle Johnson
Major in Music Composition - Ruth Josephine White
Major in Physics - Christian Ross Brown
Major in Political Science - John David Logan
Major in Psychology - Kaitlyn Elisabeth Moore
Major in Sociology - Josephine Elizabeth Carrier
Major in Accounting - Kaylee Hart Nichols
Major in Business Administration - Hannah Elizabeth Daniel
Major in Economics - Spencer Alan McCloy
Major in Interdisciplinary Studies - Shelby Lynne Titsworth
Major in Teaching and Learning - Abbie Dorothy Rahn
Major in Special Education - Lauren Brooke Massongill
Major in Athletic Training - Molly Frances Catherine McKelvy
Major in Exercise Science and Wellness - Gabrielle AshLyn Morris
Major in Physical Education and Health - Amanda Leigh Leatherwood
Major in Sport Management - Brooke Hastings Watson
Major in Nursing - Anna Marie Strand
Major in Biblical Studies-Languages - Madison Margaret Ely
Major in Philosophy - Jacob Patrick Collins
Major in Social Work - Bethany Jordan Van Neste
Major in Professional Studies - Kathryn M. Yeaglin
Major in Organizational Leadership - Jonathan Aaron Bingham
Major in Urban Theological Studies - Tanzy P. Lowe