By Ashley Sidebottom, staff writer
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – “Today is one of those highlight days of the year in which we get to celebrate excellence in education and accomplishments,” said Dr. Michael V. Carter as he announced this year’s distinguished students during the annual Honors and Awards Day chapel program April 30.
Numerous students received awards and were given plaques, money, books and other gifts at the annual event held for the second time in Campbellsville University’s Ransdell Chapel.
Those named valedictorian, all of whom maintained 4.0 grade point averages were: Trent Elliott Creason of Campbellsville; Robert Carl Essler of Bowling Green, Ky.; Janna M. Jenkins Higgs of Campbellsville, formerly of Morganfield, Ky.; and Andrew Michael Hillard of Elizabethtown, Ky.
Salutatorian was Kimberly Michelle Jones Mattingly of Campbellsville. She maintained a 3.9516 GPA.
Others graduating summa cum laude, with GPAs of 3.85 to 4.0; magna cum laude from 3.70 to 3.84; and cum laude 3.5 to 3.69, were also honored.
Summa cum laude graduates were: Trent Elliott Creason; Robert Carl Essler; Janna M. Jenkins Higgs; Andrew Michael Hillard; Kimberly Michelle Jones Mattingly; Ann Louise Callaham of Bowling Green; Jessica Leigh Smith of Hawesville, Ky.; Claryssa Silva Tomaz of Bucharest, Romania;
Pamela Gaye Copley (posthumously) of Dunnville, Ky.; Iris Nicole Peyton of Hustonville, Ky.; Laura Dell Cromer of Eubank, Ky.; Terri Ann Wicker of Campbellsville; Kyle Garnett Norred of Kennesaw, Ga.; Christopher Neile Adkins of Somerset, Ky.; Jordon Travis Reinle of Springfield, Ky.; David Landon Dickens of Campbellsville;
Andrea Renee Reynolds of Bardstown, Ky.; Stephanie Carole Crabtree of Utica, Ky.; Candace M. Sanders of Lancaster, Ohio; Diana Michele Creech of Burnside, Ky.; Tyler Gregory Vessels of Vine Grove, Ky.; Brandi Lee Gulley of Lebanon, Ky.; Brad Alan Berryhill of Tuttle, Okla.; and Sara Lynn Branch of Paulding, Ohio.
Magna cum laude graduates were: Matthew Thomas Mittelkamp of Troy, Ohio; Annie Elizabeth Williams of Campbellsville; Kirk Joshua Deadrick of Duluth, Ga.; Emily Jo Hamlin of Kearney, Mo.; Renee Ann McBrayer of Louisville, Ky.; Kaci Jarelle Payne of Pulaski, Va.;
Madeline Louise Kitchens of Rineyville, Ky.; Molly Anne Boes of Elizabethtown; Veronica S. Kramer of Glens Fork, Ky.; Karen Rene McMaken of Quincy, Ohio; Amanda Brooke Barnett of Lebanon; Kevin Anthony Vicini of Cumberland, Ky.; Tara Elise Smith Rager of Elizabethtown;
Brittany C. Leone of Hilliard, Ohio; Stephen Chase Miles of Louisville; Brittany Dixon Bryant of Berea, Ky.; Hannah Ruth Jackson of Louisville; Dawn Allicia Clarke of Cordova, Tenn.; Richard Kyle Wheeling of Elizabethtown; Jana Meredith Calhoun of Lexington, Ky.;
Laura Wells Spragens of Lebanon; Amber Sheree Crawford of LaGrange, Ky.; Tammie Jean Collins of Campbellsville; Cari Lee Gaddie of Hodgenville, Ky.; Jacob Tyler Smith of Hawesville; and Amanda Marie Hicks of Georgetown, Ky.
Cum laude gradates include: Nell Catherine Haydon of Springfield, Ky.; Nam Hoang Vuong of Campbellsville; Chelsey Rae Redd of Campbellsville; Kasey Jaye Durbin of Louisville; Marcus Noah Stanfield of Campbellsville; Alicia Dawn Burkhead of Willisburg, Ky.; Rachael Danielle Stillwell of Elizabethtown;
Christian Wesley Whitmer of Radcliff, Ky.; Joshua Davis Houk of Munfordville, Ky.; Weston Drew Jones of Campbellsville; Hannah Sue Wise of Elk Horn, Ky.; Jessica Jo Garrett of Barbourville, Ky.; Megan Nicole Jessie Jones of Edmonton, Ky.; Kathyrn Lynn Kochersperger of New Albany, Ind.; Joseph Lee Mattingly of Springfield;
Jillian Nichole Carter of Owensboro, Ky.; Samantha Carol Graves of Elizabethtown; Carrie Ann James of Campbellsville; Thomas Paxton Redd of Campbellsville; Zachary Hill Shelton of Burkesville, Ky.; Whitney Morgan Murphy of Louisville; Matthew Thomas Moore of Campbellsville; Patricia Murungi Bamwine of Campbellsville; and Haley Michelle Parman of Lebanon.
Several special awards were announced including Mr. and Miss Campbellsville University. Receiving Mr. Campbellsville University was Trent Elliott Creason, and Miss Campbellsville University was Heather Marie Campbell of Graysville, Pa.
Student Government Association special awards were also given, and those included: Extra Mile Award–Student, Patricia Murungi Bamwine; Extra Mile Award–Faculty/Staff, Faun Lobb, director of annual giving; and Challenger Award–Faculty, Dr. Susan Howell, professor of psychology.
Nevalyn P. Moore, assistant professor of music, was given the Servant Leadership Award–Faculty; Gloria Gean Wright, administrative assistant for admissions, was given the Servant Leadership Award–Staff; and the Servant Leadership Award–Student went to Shajuana Rosalia Ditto of Brandenburg, Ky., and Blake Steven Lawyer of Elnora, Ind.
Dr. Dwayne Howell, associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, received the Tenured Distinguished Faculty Award. This award is given annually by the Advancement Council and is the highest honor given a faculty member. Howell was honored with a stole, pin and monetary gift for receiving this award. His wife, Dr. Susan Howell, professor of psychology, received a bouquet of flowers.
Alumni Association Awards were presented as follows: the Talent Award was given to Joshua Daniel Hensley of Vine Grove and David Anthony Rodgers of Hawesville; the Leadership Award was given to Madeline Louise Kitchens; the Double A (academics and athletics) Award was given to Brad Alan Berryhill; the Don Doyle Spirit Award was given to Matthew Thomas Mittelkamp;
Outstanding Senior Award was given to Trent Elliott Creason; the Achievement Award was given to Claryssa Silva Tomaz; and Cristiane Priscila Alves of Sao Paulo, Brazil, was given the Athletic Award.
Trent Elliott Creason also received the Rotary Award.
Academic Awards that were given include: Biology, Laura Wells Spragens; Dr. Thomas V. Jeffries Chemistry, Dawn Allicia Clarke; Physics, Michelle Lynn Lash of Zeeland, Mich.; Mathematics, Jordan Travis Reinle and Janna M. Jenkins Higgs;
Accounting, Jacob T. Smith of Hawesville; Computer Information Systems, Josephine Rose Masterson of Campbellsville, and Nam Hoang Vuong; Management, Brandi Lee Gulley; Marketing, Jessica Leigh Smith;
Outstanding Senior Music Award (instrumental), Nell Catherine Haydon; Outstanding Senior Music Award (vocal/keyboard), Matthew Thomas Mittelkamp;
William K. Pennebaker Education Awards: P-5, Laura Dell Cromer; 5-9, Tyler Gregory Vessels; 8-12, Diana Michele Creech; P-12, Nell Catherine Haydon;
L.M. Hamilton Scholarship, Sarah Catherine Smith of Brandenburg; Ruby Curry English Award, Veronica S. Kramer; Beth Kemper Memorial Scholarship, Christopher Scott Branam of Clear Creek, Ind.;
Cinema/Television, Robert Carl Essler; Journalism, Madeline Louise Kitchens; Public Relations, Heather Marie Campbell;
Nursing, Christina Marie Ward of Lexington;
Biblical Studies, Andrew Michael Hillard; Pastoral Ministries, Trent Elliott Creason; Sports Ministry, Amanda Beth Hartsock of Pikeville, Ky.; Educational Ministries, Christopher Neile Adkins, Jr.; Worship Arts, Taran Elise Smith Rager of Elizabethtown;
Dr. William E. Bennett Political Science, Stephen Chase Miles; Criminal Justice, Kevin Anthony Vicini and Samantha Carol Graves; Social Studies, Kyle Garnett Norred; Sociology, Annie Elizabeth Williams; Psychology, Kristina Lynn Cooper of Greensburg, Ky.; Honors, Kerri Ann Nottingham of Hardinsburg, Ky.;
International Education, Kaoru Okada of Osaka, Japan;
Carver School of Social Work, Regina McMahan Hardin of Campbellsville;
Exercise Science/Sports Medicine, Richard Kyle Wheeling; and Health and Physical Education, Weston Drew Jones.
The June Winslow Carter Scholarship was awarded to Magaline Grace Argenbright of Lebanon Junction, Ky.
Students named to “Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges” for 2007-2008 were: Christopher Neile Adkins; Christie Nicole Bagley of Mt. Washington, Ky.; Brittany Colleen Benningfield of Hodgenville; Sara Lynn Branch; Juliana Marie Brown of Antioch, Tenn.; Laura Dell Cromer;
James Jae Dean of Williamsburg, Ohio; David Landon Dickens; Jeremy David Elmore of Campbellsville; Corey Allison Evancho of Louisville; Theresa Rosanne Fagundes of Campbellsville; Kerri Crystal Fathergill of Nicholasville, Ky.; Samantha Carol Graves; Jessica Renae Gunby of Madisonville, Ky.; Janna M. Jenkins Higgs; Joshua Davis Houk;
Daniela Noelani Johnston of Louisville; Dana Carol Jones of Sturgis, Ky.; Travis Lee Kennon of Campbellsville; Shad Jordan Lacefield of Guston, Ky.; Blake Steven Lawyer; Jeffrey Grant Litton of Somerset, Ky.; Alan Robert Mullikin of Richmond, Ky.; Kegan Lyndsay Nall of Radcliff; Angela Dawn Pace of Campbellsville;
Edwin Carol “E. J.” Pavy of Campbellsville; Taran Elise Smith Rager; David Anthony Rodgers; Bryan Smith Short of Louisa, Ky.; Marcus Noah Stanfield; Drew Allen Underwood of Campbellsville; Brandon Lee Warf of Greensburg; Casey Douglas Young of West Van Lear, Ky.; and Corey Douglas Young of West Van Lear.
2008 Alpha Chi inductees were: Huang He Luo of Bardstown; MaryGrace Lee of Liberty, Ky.; Whitney Lynn Smyser of Mt. Juliet, Tenn.; Laura Wells Spragens; Kenneth Earl Jackson of Louisville; Melody Renee Hall of Rockfield, Ky.; Corey Allison Evancho; Kyle Douglas Hester of Stanford, Ky.; and Trent Elliott Creason.
Students named Champions of Character were: Chad Lee Payne of Campbellsville, men’s cross country; Amy Rose Etherington of Versailles, Ky., women’s cross country; Samuel David Crisp of Philpot, Ky., men’s track; Kaitlin Nicole Pritchett of Clay, Ky., women’s track; Clifford Paul Engels of Fort Thomas, Ky., men’s tennis; Iris Nicole Peyton, women’s tennis;
Blake Steven Lawyer, football; Casey Anne Bradstreet of Campbellsville, swimming; David William Lee of Monroeville, Ala., men’s golf; Jillian Nichole Carter, women’s golf; Eric Allen Doane of Mascot, Tenn., cheerleading; Cara Whitney Montgomery of Bardstown, women’s soccer; Tyler Gregory Vessels, men’s soccer;
Robert James Elliott of Byron Center, Mich., baseball; Clinton Keith Graham of Campbellsville, men’s basketball; Meagan Lyndsey Murphy of Liberty, Ky., women’s basketball; Bethany Grace Rothermund of Lexington, softball; Esther Tindi Munyasia of Nairobi, Kenya, volleyball; and James Hicks of Belle Glade, Fla., wrestling.
Champions of Character is an initiative of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and CU has been recognized as a Champions of Character institution for seven years in a row.
Students on the president’s academic honors list and the dean’s academic honors list were also recognized.
Campbellsville University is a private, comprehensive institution located in South Central Kentucky. Founded in 1906, Campbellsville University is affiliated with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and has an enrollment of 2,405 students who represent 98 Kentucky counties, 25 states and 29 foreign nations. Listed in U.S.News & World Report’s 2008 “America’s Best Colleges,” CU is ranked 22nd in “Best Baccalaureate Colleges” in the South and eighth in the South for “Great Schools, Great Prices.” CU has been ranked 15 consecutive years with U.S.News & World Report. The university has also been named to America’s Best Christian Colleges®. Campbellsville University is located 82 miles southwest of Lexington, Ky., and 80 miles southeast of Louisville, Ky. Dr. Michael V. Carter is in his ninth year as president.