Seventy-four students recognized for scholarly achievement at MC’s 2023 Academic Awards
Academic achievement and a commitment to the Maryville College ideals of scholarship, respect and integrity were celebrated on Saturday night, when 65 awards were presented to 74 students at the school’s annual Academic Awards Ceremony.
Held in the Ronald and Lynda Nutt Theatre of the Clayton Center for the Arts, the annual event honors those MC students who have completed the 2022-23 academic year in ways that lift up the scholastic value of a liberal arts education. Numerous students, parents and family members were in the audience, and a procession of faculty members and administrators — led by macebearer Dr. Zachary Himmelberger, assistant professor of psychology — joined the honorees on stage.
“These students have shown a devotion to learning, a passion for understanding, a sensitivity to nuance, an appreciation for cultural and social diversity, and a willingness to use their growing wisdom for the common good,” said Dr. Dan Klingensmith, vice president and dean of the College, who served as the evening’s emcee. “I speak for all of my colleagues, I believe, when I say that there is no higher honor than to guide them along the way to these academic accomplishments, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to honor them at this annual ceremony.”
Below is a list of awards given and students recognized in all nine academic divisions, core curriculum and other departments. Additionally, the ceremony included the recognition of eight honor societies.
CORE CURRICULUM
Five students received the Liberal Arts Award, given to the graduating seniors who have earned the highest grade point averages in all core courses taken at Maryville College. Winners included Emily Bridges, a senior marketing major from Knoxville; Jace Brittain, a senior business analytics major from Cherryville, North Carolina; Lorri Jean Pulley, a senior psychology (counseling track) major from Nashville; Samantha Stacey, a senior biology major from Springfield, Tennessee; and Gigi Walker, a senior Spanish major from Johnson City, Tennessee.
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
The David H. Briggs Award recognizes the senior psychology major with the best academic performance in psychology as judged by classroom performance, overall scholarship and grade point average. This year, Haly Scott, a senior double majoring in psychology and sociology from Cookeville, Tennessee, was honored.
The Counseling Psychology Award, which acknowledges a senior psychology counseling major with the best academic performance in counseling as judged by classroom performance, overall scholarship and grade point average, was given to two seniors: Lily Winebarger from Brentwood, Tennessee, and Leah Alsobrooks of Knoxville.
Two students — Alexandra Braddy of Maryville and Maddie Cunningham of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina — were presented the Developmental Psychology Award, which goes to senior developmental psychology majors who have achieved outstanding academic performance in the major and within their field.
The Irma Young Outstanding Senior Award in Interpreting, which is presented to the student who has shown exemplary potential for interpreting by performance and scholarship, went to Kelsey Ivory of Cabot, Arkansas, an American Sign Language-English Interpreting senior.
The American Sign Language (ASL) Outstanding Senior Award is awarded to a senior ASL major who has demonstrated high competence with ASL as indicated by ASL performance and scholarship. This year’s recipient is Jordan Spencer of Knoxville.
Kordell Kah of Knoxville received the Lori A. Schmied Neuroscience Award, which acknowledges a senior neuroscience major with the best academic performance in neuroscience as judged by classroom performance, overall scholarship and grade point average.
EDUCATION
Two students were recognized for exemplifying the knowledge, skills and contributions of professional educators: Kris Seiber, a senior elementary education major from Maryville, was awarded the Outstanding Preservice Teacher in the Elementary Grades Award; and Meghan McKeehan, an English with licensure alumna from Friendsville, Tennessee, who graduated last December received the Outstanding Preservice Teacher in the Secondary Grades Award.
FINE ARTS
The Clark Family Prize recognizes rising juniors or seniors in art who have demonstrated outstanding academic and artistic achievement. This year, the award went to four students: Isabella Carroll, a junior design major from Corryton, Tennessee; Lauren Gaines, a junior writing communication and design double major from Knoxville; Sophie Turner, a junior design major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee; and Laura Reed, a junior art major from Knoxville.
For outstanding achievement in art history, Meredith Webb, a senior art major from Bristol, Tennessee, was recognized with the Sarah Hardrath Kramer Art History Award.
The Outstanding Senior Design Student Award, which is awarded to the graduating senior design major who has demonstrated the most outstanding achievement in the major field, went to Lauren Adams of Seymour, Tennessee.
The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts scholarships are awarded annually to two junior or senior students majoring in art or design, and covers tuition, room and board, and art supplies for a weeklong intensive workshop at that prestigious school in Gatlinburg. This year’s recipients are Megan Strunk and Brianna White, both junior art majors from Knoxville.
Elizabeth Brenneise, a music education (vocal) with teacher licensure major from Seymour, and Gabriel Bailey, also a music education (vocal) with teacher licensure major from Walland, Tennessee, received the Barraclough Choir Award, which is given to a senior who has been a Maryville College Concert Choir member for at least two years, who is judged to have been outstanding in service to the choir, and who has been a successful student.
The Robert Bonham Music Faculty Award for Superior Performance, which is presented to a music student with a high standard of performance, went to Gabe Hatcher, a sophomore music major from Seymour.
Hallie Garber, a junior theatre studies major from Knoxville, received the Bates Forensics Drama Award, which is awarded to the most outstanding student in drama.
Connor Goins, a junior theatre studies major from Cleveland, Tennessee, received the Evelyn Seedorf Prize in Dramatic Arts, which goes annually to the most deserving student majoring in theatre. The win marks the second year in a row Goins was named as the Evelyn Seedorf recipient.
Aaron Capps, a theatre studies major from Lyles, Tennessee, took home the Outstanding Senior Theatre Student Award, which is presented to the graduating senior theatre major who has demonstrated the most outstanding achievement in the major field.
HEALTH SCIENCES AND OUTDOOR STUDIES
Catelee Crow, an outdoor studies and tourism major from Clinton, Tennessee, was awarded the Phi Epsilon Rho Scholarship Award. The award goes to a rising senior in Health Sciences and Outdoor Studies who has at least a 3.0 GPA and has exhibited leadership in campus and departmental activities and in professional organizations.
Elly Jackson, an exercise science major from Bristol, Virginia, received the Health Sciences and Outdoor Studies Outstanding Senior Award. This award recognizes a graduating senior in Health Sciences and Outdoor Studies who has at least a 3.5 GPA, serves as role model in the classroom and community and is involved in professional organizations.
HUMANITIES
Alina Rosati, a senior philosophy major from Knoxville, received the T.T. Alexander Award, which is given to a student with the best paper on a subject from one of the following areas: the relationship of philosophical or theological inquiry to social issues; the application of such inquiry to social issues; the consequences of social, theological or philosophical problems on religious doctrine; the consequences of religious doctrine upon social, political or economic thinking or social science method; or the consequence of religious doctrine upon social, political or economic issues and conflicts.
Rae Fox, a senior history major from Maryville, received two awards: the Bates Bible Award, established in 1919 by the Rev. William and Mrs. Nellie Bates and presented each year to the graduating senior who has demonstrated the most ability in the study of religion or philosophy; and the Otto P. Pflanze Prize for Excellence in History.
The Verton M. Queener Award for History went to Carder Sprous, a history (with licensure) major from Natick, Massachusetts. The award recognizes outstanding study of American and English history by a junior.
Junior Katelyn Compton of Maryville was the recipient of the Frank A. Kramer Student Award, which is given to a history major who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, exceptional service to the college and significant involvement in extracurricular activities.
LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE
For achieving the best four-year record in the study of English, Rebecca Raney, a senior writing communication major from Knoxville, was awarded the Alexander English Prize.
Emma Henson, a sophomore writing communication major from Maryville, received the Charlotta Cook Hensley Memorial Award for outstanding academic achievement and significant involvement on the staff of The Highland Echo campus newspaper.
Literature in English major Charlotte Locke of Tupelo, Mississippi, received the division’s Edwin R. Hunter Award for Excellence in Research in English or American Literature, which goes annually to the senior judged to have produced the most outstanding Senior Study in English or American Literature.
The Ruth Lloyd Kramer Memorial Award is given to a junior English major who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, exceptional service to the College and significant involvement in extracurricular activities. The 2023 recipient is Calista Jones of Maryville, majoring in English for teacher licensure.
The Outstanding Spanish Major Award recognizes the Spanish major who demonstrates the best academic performance judged by classroom performance, overall scholarship, study abroad experience and grade point average. The award went to Gigi Walker, a senior Spanish major from Johnson City.
Impressions, MC’s campus literary magazine, presented awards to magazine contributors. The award for best art or photography went to Anna Price, a first-year student from Walland; the award for best poetry went to Corey Randolph, a sophomore psychology major from Madisonville, Tennessee; and the award for best prose went to sophomore Song Jones, an international business major from Louisville, Tennessee.
Six students were recognized for outstanding achievement in foreign language study:
- Michael Bailey, a sophomore neuroscience and criminal justice double major from Jamaica was honored for outstanding achievement in French.
- The award for outstanding achievement in Italian went to Joshua Cornell, a first-year student from Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- Recognition for outstanding achievement in Latin went to Aaliyah Bowman, a sophomore theatre studies major from Maryville.
- Jonathan Meystrik, a senior mathematics and computer science double major from Knoxville was recognized for outstanding achievement in German.
- The award for outstanding achievement in Japanese went to Lindsey Brasfield, a first-year student from Lenoir City.
- Rukhshona Isomova, a first-year international studies major from Uzbekistan, was recognized for outstanding achievement in Spanish.
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
Esther Proctor, a junior math with licensure major from Cleveland, Tennessee, was the recipient of the Russell N. and Frances Lane Edwards and Troy Bell Lane Waggoner Award. The award is presented to the most outstanding junior or senior in the Division of Mathematics and Computer Science.
Proctor also was presented the William H. Dent Calculus Award for having the most outstanding performance in calculus.
In addition to recognition for achievement in German, Jonathan Meystrik was also presented with the Jerry L. Pietenpol Computer Science Award, which recognizes the most outstanding and most promising junior or senior student majoring in computer science.
The George A. Knapp Mathematics Award, which goes to the most outstanding and most promising junior or senior student majoring in mathematics, went to Lainey Hudolin, a senior mathematics major from Maryville.
Hudolin also received the Outstanding Achievement in Statistics Award.
The West Chevrolet Academic Award recognizes a student who scores in a top 10 on the mathematics competition conducted by Maryville College’s Division of Mathematics and Computer Science or to an outstanding first-year or sophomore from Blount, Loudon or Sevier County majoring in the division. Two students were recognized: Riley Gaston, a sophomore mathematics major from Lenoir City; and Azusena Hernandez, a sophomore mathematics major from Alcoa, Tennessee.
NATURAL SCIENCES
Brady Thompson, a first-year student from Knoxville, received the Robert K. Godfrey First-year Biology Award for demonstrated excellence in the study of biology in the first year.
Grace McDonald, a biology major from Athens, Tennessee, received the Sophomore Biology Award for outstanding ability and promise in the biological sciences.
McDonald also received the Outstanding Performance in Organic Chemistry Award, which recognizes outstanding ability in the study of organic chemistry and structural analysis.
The Susan Allen Green Award is annually presented to the most outstanding biology major in the junior or senior class. This year’s award was presented to Carmela Lewis, a junior biology major from Knoxville.
The A. Randolf Shields Award, which recognizes the graduating senior who has the most outstanding four-year record in biology, went to Samantha Stacey from Springfield.
Recognized as a woman in the junior class who shows excellence in the study of chemistry, Arianna Brown, a biochemistry and exercise science double major from Maryville, was awarded the Elizabeth Hillman Award.
The award for Outstanding Performance in General Chemistry was given to Jordan Crain, a first-year student from Louisville, Tennessee.
Recognized as the graduating senior who has demonstrated the most outstanding accomplishments in chemistry, Mackenzie Lamb of Powell, Tennessee, was awarded the Distinguished Achievement in Chemistry Award.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
The John W. Burgess Award for meritorious achievement in the field of political science went to two students: Lacey Hunter, a junior political science major from Sevierville, Tennessee; and Maddie Taylor, a senior political science major from Arlington, Tennessee.
The Judson B. Murphy Endowed Business Award, which is presented annually to a senior who demonstrates outstanding work in business and organization management with outstanding character and well-rounded achievement and career promise, went to two students: Emily Bridges, a marketing major from Knoxville; and Chloe Parris, a finance/accounting major from Canton, North Carolina.
Abby Dowell, a sophomore political science major from Maryville, was presented the Agnes Thornton Bird Award, which is given to a locally residing sophomore or junior woman interested in pursuing a career in the legal profession.
Phoebe Deering, a criminal justice major from Knoxville, earned the Gina Benedict Outstanding Senior in Criminal Justice Award, named in honor of Dr. Gina Benedict, the first coordinator of Maryville College’s major in Criminal Justice. The award is given to a senior student demonstrating superior work in the field of criminal justice, has outstanding character, well-rounded achievement and career promise.
The Kyle and Roberta Myers Petree Endowed Award is given to an outstanding local student majoring in business. The 2023 recipients are Connor Gahagan, a sophomore history with licensure major from Maryville, and Colby Vesser, a junior finance/accounting major from Alcoa.
The Outstanding Senior Award in Sociology, which is awarded to a senior with high achievement in the sociology major, went to two students: Angela Stolpe of Knoxville, and Haly Scott of Cookeville.
Natalie Watts, a senior from Alabaster, Alabama, was awarded the Outstanding Student in Environmental Studies award, given to the student who demonstrates outstanding work in the environmental studies major, has strong character, and a commitment to environmental sustainability.
The Hall “Ethical Thinking” Award recognizes a member of the junior class whose creative or practical essay on ethical thinking on a particular theme from a variety of perspectives, including historical, literary, theological, psychological and sociological analyses, could be published in a journal or magazine. Two students were recognized with this award: Lacey Hunter, and Amelia Shelton, a junior religion major from Lenoir City.
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Betty Asha Adullyi, a senior international business and political science double major originally from South Sudan but residing in Maryville; and Madelyn Harper, a junior international business and Spanish double major from Powell, both received the Ryan Newhouse Award. The recognition goes to the junior or senior student who, in the judgment of the business, fine arts and humanities faculty, typifies the finest characteristics of the liberal arts by uniting the fields of business and the humanities or fine arts in his or her academic life, personal growth and values.
Adullyi was also presented the Jackson Outstanding International Student Award, which goes to a senior who has been a student at the College for one academic year, has a minimum GPA of 3.5 and has shown leadership inside and outside the classroom.
Samantha Stacey, a senior biology major from Springfield, was presented the prestigious LeQuire Award by Maryville College President Dr. Bryan F. Coker. Named for Granville Dexter LeQuire, a Maryville physician, and his wife, Ellen Brickey LeQuire, the award was created in 1987 to help defray the expenses of applying to medical school, so preference is shown to a student who has chosen medicine as a career goal.
CARL ’63 AND JEAN MCDONALD OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD
Proceeding the introduction of the 2022-23 Outstanding Senior Award nominees, Carl McDonald ’63 and his wife, Jean McDonald, were recognized for endowing the award, which is one of the most prestigious honors given to a student. It recognizes a senior who has been active in a broad range of activities, who most exemplifies the “ideal” Maryville College graduate and who has the potential to be an outstanding alumnus.
Maddie Taylor, a political science major from Arlington, was named the 2022-23 Carl ’63 and Jean McDonald Outstanding Senior.
Finalists for the award included Kris Seiber, an elementary education major from Maryville; Ellen Rossano, a psychology major from Farragut, Tennessee; Parker Owens, a health and wellness promotion major from Caryville, Tennessee; and Emily Jo Christian, a management major from Church Hill, Tennessee.
