William Carey University Honors Students at Convocation

HATTIESBURG, Miss., Apr 30, 2008 - William Carey University students were honored at the annual Honors Convocation held recently on the Hattiesburg campus. This annual event is set aside for students and faculty to be honored for their achievements and for scholarship donors and recipients to be recognized. 

Dr. Tommy King, president of WCU, presented  the Jenkins Chastain Citizenship Award to Chineme Enyioha of Nigeria and Matthew Olson of Waynesboro. The highest honor given by the university, it recognizes students who have made the most significant contributions to student and campus life in exemplifying those qualities of citizenship upheld by the university. Enyioha, who will attend Yale Medical School in the fall, also received the Senior Science Award. 

Brittany Aikens of Columbia and Allen Bonner of Waynesboro were named Mr. and Miss William Carey University. Mr. and Miss WCU are voted on by the student body as students who best represent the values of the school. Bonner also received the Student Leadership Award.

Dennis Ellzey of Orlando, Fla. received the Alumni Association School Spirit Award which is given to a graduating senior by the WCU Alumni Association. He was also named an Outstanding Leadteam Member by

Matt Sessums of Tylertown received the Allen Williams Award. The award is given to an athlete who shows Christian character and leadership abilities and is named in memory of Allen Williams of Petal, a former member of the Crusader baseball team.

Chris Knight of Petal received the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship. He will study at the University of Manchester in England, home of the premier social statistics programs in the world.

The Student Government Association presented the Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year Award to Brian Cleveland of the religion department. Dr. Brenda Waldrip, vice president of student support services, was named Administrator of the Year. Clark Mason, international student coordinator, was named Staff Member of the Year.  Dr. Read Diket, professor of art and education, received the Faculty Research Award.

Ashley Hobson of Ocean Spring was named an Outstanding Leadteam Member by the Baptist Student Union. BSU Service Awards were given to Victoria Sparrow of Colorado Springs, Co. and William Spear of Bay Springs. Sparrow also received the Smith Holliman Outstanding Freshman Writer Award and the Freshman Biology Award. Sarah Knox of Amory was recognized as the President of the BSU.

Brian Brister of McComb received the SGA President award for his service in 2007-2008. Abby Boykin of Taylorsville was recognized as the Miss WCU Scholarship Pageant Winner and Jessica Cofield of Wiggins was recognized as the Miss Hattiesburg Scholarship Pageant Winner.

Heather Campbell of Picayune and Tanya Mandishona of Zimbabwe received Smith-Holliman Outstanding Freshman Writer Awards. The Outstanding English Major Awards went to Britta Stephens of Jayess and Joel Bowman of Wiggins. Sarah Taylor of Petal received the J.V. McCrory Creative Writing Award for Short Story and Kendall Carnathan of Foley, Ala., received the J.V. McCrory Creative Writing Award for Poetry.

Shea Clanton of Waynesboro and Jerrel Miller of Summit received the Outstanding Spanish Student Award. Clanton also received the Senior Music Award.

The Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Award went o Beth McShea of Columbia.

Berquin Feese of Purvis received the Freshman Chemistry Award and Mark Holcomb of Lumberton received the Senior Chemistry Award. The Rose G. West Pre-Medical Award went to Trinh Ho of Gulfport.

The MSN Educator Award went to Jill Olsen of Gautier. Brian Padgett of Hattiesburg and Jenni Broome of Hattiesburg received the Nurse Crusader Award and the Nightingale Scholar Award went to Noel Bigham of Ellisville and Lauren Pace of Petal.

Robin Duncan of Tylertown was named Outstanding Elementary Student Teacher. Adam Walley of Waynesboro was named Outstanding Secondary Student Teacher and Bonnie Feese of Purvis was named Outstanding Elementary Education Major.

The Outstanding Physical Education Award went to Kristy Palmer of Eustis, Fla.

Deborah Ledbetter of Petal was named Outstanding Accounting Student and Khristinia Brown of Hattiesburg was named Outstanding Computer Information Systems Student. The Outstanding Management/Marketing Student is Daniel Murphy of Ireland.

Ashley Henderson Bolling of Petal was named Outstanding Student Teacher in Music Education and Carlena Speed of Seminary received the Music Teachers National Association Star Award. Christian Paul Olson of Waynesboro received the Delta Omicron Music Fraternity Senior Honor Pin.

The Joe Roberts Forensics Society Memorial Award went to Mike Perez of Gulfport.

The J. E. Byrd Memorial Award for students in church related vocations went to Brandon Davis of Clara.