Sixty-seven of the brightest and most dedicated students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill were honored today (April 16) with prestigious academic, service and leadership awards.
Chancellor James Moeser hosted the 2008 Chancellor’s Awards at the annual ceremony, which also included students’ presentation of honors for excellence in teaching and service to students (see news release, http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/students/
unc-students-honor-teachers-and-staff-for-excellence.html). Provost Bernadette Gray-Little presented the academic awards and Margaret Jablonski, vice chancellor for student affairs, presented service and leadership awards.
Standouts in a room filled with standouts included dual award winner Sarah Alice Bull of Durham, who won the Robert B. House Memorial Prize in Poetry, to a senior for distinguished work in poetry, and the Louis D. Rubin Jr. Prize in Creative Writing, to the outstanding fiction writer in the senior class.
Students and their awards are listed below by hometowns, with North Carolina winners first by followed by out-of-state winners,
NORTH CAROLINA
Arden
Andrew Stephen Ray, the Edward Kidder Graham Award, to the senior who has made the most outstanding contribution to the University through his or her work as a member of an officially recognized student organization.
Burlington
Crystal Yi Baldwin, the National Pan-Hellenic Council Award, to the undergraduate who has made the most significant contributions in leadership, scholarship and service to her individual chapter and the Greek and university communities.
Carrboro
Andrew Louis Disser, the George Livas Award, to the most outstanding senior in the School of Nursing.
Margaret Katherine Hayslip, the Jacques Hardré Undergraduate Award for Excellence in French, to an undergraduate whose work in French language and literature has been judged most outstanding by a faculty committee.
Cary
Matthew Schreiber Conrad , the Edward McGowan Hedgpeth Award, to the undergraduate in Alpha Epsilon Delta voted most outstanding in service to campus and community through the society.
Sherry Iimay Ho , the Howard W. Odum Undergraduate Sociology Award, to the senior judged by the department faculty as the most outstanding in academic performance.
Stephanie Rhianon Jones, the Venable Medal, to the two most outstanding seniors majoring in chemistry (also won by Naima Gabriela Sharaf of North Andover, Mass.).
Chapel Hill
Christopher Thomas Belhorn, the Robert B. House Distinguished Service Medal, to the undergraduate student who best exemplifies the spirit of unselfish commitment through service to the university and the surrounding community.
Anoop Manoj Desai, the Peter C. Baxter Memorial Prize in American Studies, to the undergraduate in that discipline who best exemplifies Baxter’s intellectual excellence, personal warmth and creativity.
Leah Rae Maloney, the James M. Johnston Distinguished Senior Award in Nursing, to a senior in the Johnston Nursing Awards Program for outstanding academic achievement and leadership contributions in the School of Nursing and the Johnston program.
Val Tenyotkin, the Albert and Gladys Hall Coates Award, to the member of the Student Congress whose service through the Student Congress is judged most outstanding on criteria of statesmanship, commitment, and constructive involvement in issues affecting the quality of the University community.
Ripley Inglis Whiteside, the Alexander Julian Prize, to an undergraduate exhibiting an outstanding sense of design that the faculty interprets as a mature integration of formal issues and content.
Clayton
Sarah Lynn Evans, the Op White Prize in Geology, to the outstanding senior in geology.
Concord
Brooke Nanette Ericson of Concord, the Rob Park Memorial Award, to a member of the senior class who has made a significant contribution by improving educational and community service programming to help undergraduate students learn about the legal system, the rigors of a legal education and the changing nature of the legal profession.
Cornelius
Anuradha Raja of Cornelius, the Hampton Shuping Prize, to a senior who excels in academics, integrity and leadership; shows concern for ethical management; and respects individual commitment to the success of free enterprise.
Durham
Vanja Antonijevic, the Worth Award, for sustained excellence in undergraduate study of philosophy, based on course performance and faculty recommendation.
Sarah Alice Bull, the Robert B. House Memorial Prize in Poetry, to a senior for distinguished work in poetry; and the Louis D. Rubin Jr. Prize in Creative Writing, to the outstanding fiction writer in the senior class.
Laura Anne Filip, the Jim Tatum Memorial Award, to the varsity intercollegiate athlete who has performed with distinction in his or her sport and contributed to the university community through constructive participation in extracurricular activities.
Daniel Curtis Herman, the Boka W. Hadzija Graduate Award, to a graduate or professional student judged as outstanding in character, scholarship and leadership.
Mark Evan Stelten, the Op White Prize in Geology, to the outstanding senior in geology.
Goldsboro
Jeremy Vincent Interrante, the Kenneth C. Royall Award, to the senior Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet who demonstrates excellence in scholarship and leadership and as an officer.
Carolyn Melinda Ziemer, the Sterling A. Stoudemire Award for Excellence in Spanish.
Granite Falls
Jordan Blaine Myers, the J. Maryon Saunders Award, to the senior who has contributed most to the preservation and enhancement of loyalty and goodwill between the University and its students, alumni and friends.
Greensboro
Susan Ellen Burgin, the Ria Stambaugh Undergraduate Award for Excellence in German, to the senior judged to have achieved the most distinguished academic record in German language and literature.
Eric John Langerman, the Interfraternity Council Award, to the undergraduate who has made the most significant contributions in leadership, scholarship and service to his chapter and the Greek and university communities.
Hendersonville
Karen Camille Feagin, the Marc Adam Eisdorfer Award in Linguistics, to the senior judged most outstanding in academic achievement in linguistics.
Hickory
Ashley Marie Shores, the E. Eugene Jackson Award, to the member of the graduating class whose leadership and selfless dedication have strengthened class pride and University loyalty, enriched the lives of seniors and made a significant contribution to the University.
Indian Trail
Scott Andrew Morrison, the Paul Debreczeny Prize in Slavic Languages and Literatures, to the senior whose work in Russian language and literature or Slavic linguistics is judged most outstanding by a faculty committee.
Jacksonville
Andrew John Blackmore, the Earl Slocum Band Award, to the senior in the University Bands who has demonstrated meritorious achievement in musicianship, leadership and academic excellence, and who also has made a significant contribution to the growth and success of the band program.
Kernersville
Robert Brice Russ, the Willie P. Mangum Medal in Oratory, to the senior who, in the opinion of judges, gives the best oration at an annual contest.
Matthews
Daniel Tyler Cowan, the Ferebee Taylor Award, to the member of the graduating class who has made the greatest contribution to the continued vitality and strength of the Honor Code in the community.
Maxton
Lauren Amanda Merkel, the George C. Marshall Award, to the senior Army cadet who excels in professional excellence, leadership, scholarship, personal integrity and selfless service to the nation.
Mocksville
Anna Dmitriyevna Derbakova, the Paul E. Shearin Outstanding Senior Award in Physics, to the senior physics major judged most outstanding in scholarship, scientific insight and professional seriousness.
New Bern
Alex Taylor Bowman, the Camões Prize in Portuguese, to the outstanding undergraduate in Portuguese.
Pine Level
Caroline Godwin Moore, the George H. Cocolas Pharmacy Student Body Award, to the senior who has demonstrated the highest qualities of character, deportment, scholarship, professionalism and participation in co-curricular activities.
Raleigh
Amelia Tillery Black, the Jane Craige Gray Memorial Award, to the junior woman judged most outstanding in character, scholarship and leadership.
Clarence M. Byrd, the George Livas Award, to the most outstanding senior in the School of Nursing.
Jeffrey Sanjay Chen, the Ernest L. Mackie Award, to the junior man judged most outstanding in character, scholarship and leadership.
Marie A. Garlock, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, to one man and one woman in the graduating class who have best demonstrated unselfish interest in human welfare (also won by Nitin Sekar of Cincinnati.).
John I. Houston, the Frank Porter Graham Award, to the senior who has made the most outstanding contribution to realization of the human ideals of equality, dignity and community.
Meghan Margeva Morris, the Undergraduate Prize in Economics, to the economics major judged most outstanding, based on performance in major and related courses.
Uzma Roshan Panjwani, the James M. Johnston Distinguished Senior Award, to a senior in the Johnston Undergraduate Awards Program for outstanding academic achievement and leadership contributions to the University and the program.
Michael Timothy Tarrant, the John Johnston Parker Jr. Medal for Unique Leadership in Student Government, to the senior who has demonstrated the highest qualities of leadership in perpetuating the spirit and honor of student self-government.
William Reuben Thompson, the Walter S. Spearman Award, to the senior man judged most outstanding in academic achievement, extracurricular activities, leadership qualities and strength of character.
Rockingham
Virginia Yancey Ariail, the Sport Club Council Achievement Award, to the student who has made the greatest contribution to the vitality and strength of club sports.
Saxapahaw
Allison Elise Das, the Albert Suskin Prize in Latin, to the undergraduate who shows the best ability to understand Latin poetry and translate selected passages at sight.
Snow Hill
Brian Jeffrey Sugg, the Robert White Linker Award, to the most outstanding undergraduate residence hall officer, based on initiative, creativity and effectiveness and on lasting contributions to residence hall living.
Wilmington
Laura Read van Rens, the Panhellenic Council Award, to the undergraduate who has made the most significant contributions in leadership, scholarship, service to her chapter and the Greek and University communities.
Winston-Salem
Kelly Ann Giles, the Ernest H. Abernethy Prize in Student Publication Work, to the undergraduate judged by a committee to have done the most distinctive work this year in student publications.
OUT OF STATE
Alabama
Crystal Dapheen Essex of Marion, the Wallace Ray Peppers Award in Performance of African and African-American Literature, to the junior or senior judged by a faculty committee to be most outstanding in performance of African and African-American literature.
Colorado
Danika R. Barry of Aurora, the Class of 1938 Joseph F. Patterson Jr. and Alice M. Patterson International Leadership Award, to the undergraduate who has made the most significant contribution to increasing international awareness and understanding.
Florida
Ronald Fitzgerald Bilbao of Miami, the Roger A. Davis Memorial Award, to the undergraduate judged to have given outstanding service to the University, especially in residence hall programs.
Georgia
The late Eve Marie Carson of Athens, the Irene F. Lee Award, to the senior woman judged most outstanding in leadership, character and scholarship.
Christina Elizabeth Story of Atlanta, the Patrick F. Earey Award, to a senior who has exhibited outstanding academic achievement, extracurricular involvement and leadership.
Dana Cooley Clifton of Decatur, the George Moses Horton Award for Multicultural Leadership, to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, initiative and creativity in multicultural education programs.
Iowa
Matthew James Craig of Cedar Rapids, the L. Richardson Preyer Award for Excellence in Political Science, to a senior judged by a faculty committee to have established the most distinguished record of scholarship in political science and community service.
Maine
Ben L. Fisher of Rockport, the Chi Omega Award for Scholarship and Leadership, to the senior student in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication chosen as most outstanding in scholastic achievement and exemplary leadership.
Maryland
Gregory Liang Howard of Bethesda, the Archibald Henderson Prize in Mathematics, to the undergraduate judged by the mathematics department to have demonstrated a high degree of mathematical ability and the greatest promise of originality in the field.
Alexander Arkin Berger of Chevy Chase, the Cornelius O. Cathey Award, to the student who has made the greatest contribution to the quality of campus life through sustained, constructive participation in student programs, or through creative, persistent effort in development of new student programs.
Massachusetts
Nicolette Jean Hylan of Abington, the Mary Turner Lane Award in Women’s Studies, to the senior judged to have made an outstanding contribution to research on women’s issues.
Naima Gabriela Sharaf of North Andover, the Venable Medal, to the two most outstanding seniors majoring in chemistry (also won by Stephanie Rhianon Jones of Cary, N.C.).
Russell Paul Johnson of Shrewsbury, the Bernard Boyd Memorial Prize, to the senior majoring in religious studies who has been selected by a faculty committee as most outstanding in academic achievement.
Ohio
Nitin Sekar of Cincinnati, the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, to one man and one woman in the graduating class who have best demonstrated unselfish interest in human welfare (also won by Marie A. Garlock of Raleigh, N.C.).
South Carolina
Ian Robert Bensberg of Fort Mill, the Eben Alexander Prize in Greek, to the undergraduate who, in the opinion of the classics faculty, presents the best rendering into English of selected passages of Greek not previously read.
Elizabeth Joyce Woodward of Greer, the Undergraduate Prize in Art History, to the undergraduate who, in the opinion of a faculty committee, has done the most outstanding work in art history.
Virginia
Brittany Elizabeth Baffer of Annandale, the Josephus Daniels Scholarship Medal, to the senior midshipman in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps with the highest academic average.
Stephanie Elizabeth Berman of Springfield, the James O. Cansler Service Award, to a student whose faith has inspired outstanding service to the needs of humanity.
Chancellors Awards contact: Jon Curtis, (919) 962-1461, jon@email.unc.edu
News Services contact: LJ Toler, (919) 962-8589