Ellis College honors outstanding students

ARKADELPHIA – Henderson State University’s Matt Locke Ellis College of Arts and Sciences honored several students for their creative and academic accomplishments at the annual Student Awards Ceremony April 11 in the Garrison Center Lecture Hall.

Outstanding Creative Accomplishment awards

Recipients of the Outstanding Creative Accomplishment awards are selected based on artistic accomplishment, research or service to others. Each department within the Ellis College selects a student to receive the award. The 2019 recipients are: Erica Hamilton of Royal, art; Carlon Q. Gragg of Malvern, biological sciences; Emily Williford of Hot Springs Village, chemistry and biochemistry; Leighton Hall of Hot Springs, communications and theatre arts; Joseph Kalinowski of Searcy, communications and theatre arts; Tessa Walthour of DeQueen, English, foreign languages, and philosophy; Raven Morris of Texarkana, Texas, music; Tori Bowen of Clarendon, nursing; Joseph Dees of Hot Springs, engineering and physics; Jarvis Warren of Texarkana, Texas, engineering and physics; Brady Nix of Camden, psychology; and Eric Gaither of Bismarck, sociology, human services, and criminal justice.

Outstanding Graduating Senior awards

Each department within the Ellis College selects one student from each major to receive the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award. The students must have a cumulative 3.00 GPA or higher and have either graduated in the fall semester or be eligible to graduate in the spring semester.

Awards were presented to: Katie Nix of Sparkman, art education; Shiloh Goecke of Atlanta, Texas, biology; Nathan Steadman of Hot Springs, biochemistry; Easton Cowart of Glenwood, communication; Magee-Lee Preston of The Colony, Texas, theatre; Rebekah Teel of Dallas, mass media; Thomas Hodges of Little Rock, Spanish; Ryen Gillespie of Hot Springs, statistics; Raven Morris of Texarkana, Texas, music education; Jake Wyatt of Rosie, music; Kayla Green of Smackover, nursing; Chase Brooks of Mabelvale, engineering; Thomas Hodges of Little Rock, physics; Katlynn Williams of Arkadelphia, psychology; Dalton Wright of Pearcy, history; Eric Brown of Glenwood, political science; Grant Gaston of Hot Springs, public administration and public management; Bailey Hughes of Hot Springs, social science education; and Samantha Loy of Arkadelphia, criminal justice.

Outstanding Academic Achievement awards

The Ellis College recognizes up to 36 students for Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards. Selected students have a minimum GPA of 3.50. Other considerations might include difficulties overcome in maintaining high academic standards, quality of involvement in campus activities, leadership, and service to the university community.

Juniors

Awards for Outstanding Junior Academic Achievement were presented to: Angel Olguin of De Queen, art; Alani Snowden of Van Buren, biological sciences; Colten Smith of Texarkana, Texas, chemistry and biochemistry; Julie Young of Pearcy, communications and theatre arts; Kasey Smith of Arkadelphia, English, foreign languages, and philosophy; Bryan Neal of Benton, mathematics, computer science, and statistics; Emren Akdamar of Benton, music; Lacey Parker fo Queen City, Texas, nursing; Samuel Dobson of Little Rock, engineering and physics; Jamie Carmack of Oden, psychology; Charles Shane Raper of Bryant, social sciences; and Marvin Simmons of Portland, Oregon, sociology, human services, and criminal justice.

Sophomores

Awards for Outstanding Sophomore Achievement were presented to: Samuel McWhorter of Hot Springs, art; Grace Wills of Corinth, Texas, biological sciences; Chloe Cline of Benton, chemistry and biochemistry; Kayla Reese of Noel, Maryland, English, foreign languages, and philosophy; Adrian Hernandez of De Queen, music; Jennifer Burks of Conway, psychology; and Isaac Cross of Ashdown, social sciences.

Freshmen

Recipients of the Freshman Academic Achievement awards are: Emily Blaylock of Malvern, art; Lauren Camp of Maumelle, biological sciences; Sarah Miller of Malvern, communications and theatre arts; Sawyer Hardage of Bismarck, mathematics, computer science, and statistics; Frazier Cowan of New Boston, Texas, music; Christina Murphy of Newport, psychology; and William Stracner of Warren, social sciences.

Creative Accomplishment
Front row from left: Erica Hamilton, Quincy Gragg, Emily Williford, Leighton Hall, Joseph Kalinowski, Tessa Walthour. Back row: Raven Morris, Tori Bowen, Jarvis Warren, Brady Nix, and Eric Gaither

Outstanding Seniors
Front row from left: Katie Nix, Shiloh Goecke, Nathan Steadman, Rebekah Teel, Thomas Hodges, Ryen Gillespie, and Raven Morris. Back row: Jake Wyatt, Kayla Green, Dalton Wright, Eric Brown, Grant Gaston, Bailey Hughes, and Samantha Loy

Outstanding Juniors
Front row from left: Angel Olguin, Alani Snowden, Colten Smith, Julie Young, and Bryan Neal. Back row: Emren Akdamar, Lacey Parker, Jamie Carmack, Charles Shane Raper, and Marvin Simmons

Outstanding Sophomores
Front row from left: Samuel McWhorter, Grace Wills, Chloe Cline, and Kayla Reese. Back row: Adrian Hernandez, Jennifer Burks, and Isaac Cross

Outstanding Freshmen
Front row from left: Emily Blaylock, Lauren Camp, Sarah Miller Sawyer Hardage, Christina Murphy, and William Stracner