Saturday’s commencement will grant seniors the reward for four years of academic achievement. For a few students, graduate awards will be given in addition to recognize their accomplishments beyond the diploma.

Two weeks before graduation, The Student Life Committee meets to review the award nominations submitted by faculty and staff.

Tina Fleet, associate vice president for Student Life, said the committee consists of faculty, staff and student representatives who select the awards from the list of potential students based on the criteria for each award. This year, 12 students will be commended for both their academic and character achievements.

Ryan Threadgill, a senior biology from Plano and Sherrod Scholarship recipient, said he thinks taking opportunities within his major have played a helping hand in being a scholarship recipient.

“Some of the most important things I have done here are to TA both General Biology and Physiology labs in the Biology department,” he said. “Both those labs provided me the opportunity to get to know the professors in the Biology department better. The professors I have worked for have always been very supportive of my goals and I think it was getting to know them better that led to the nomination.”

For Threadgill, being nominated was an honor in itself.

“My reaction was one of gratitude because medical school is expensive and scholarships like this help out a lot,” he said. “In the end, even just being nominated would have been an honor, because there are a ton of very smart people in my class going on to do great things in graduate school.”

Becca Clay, senior speech pathology major from Salt Lake City, is also a Sherrod Scholarship award winner.

“I cracked up, don’t get me wrong, I was honored,” she said. “But I have a hard time seeing myself as someone who is nominated for stuff like that. Seeing as I was also nominated for Homecoming Queen is still really shocking to me. “I’m just very blessed”.

Clay, Coppedge and Tatum are also candidates for Mr. and Ms. ACU. The awards will be announced during Saturday’s commencement ceremonies.

Award Recipients:

Honor Woman: Julie Coppedge

Honor Man: Nick Tatum

Trustees Award:

Mark Smith

Samuel Ewalefo

Ashley Close

Caitlin Bradford

B. Sherrod Scholarship:

Lindsey Meredith

Ryan Threadgill

Rebecca Clay

Kande Jones

Dean Adams Achievement:

Kande Jones

Katherine Bendel

Caston Boyd