The departmental awards are presented during Convocation of Scholars each year to the graduate in each degree program who has excelled in scholarship, leadership and service to the department.

Those receiving awards and their respective degree programs were:

Melanie Hulsey of Judsonia, Spanish education; Brent Baker of Walnut Ridge, French education; Natalie Bari of Jonesboro and Edward Dodge of Gower, Mo., history; Travis Crader of Bald Knob, social science education; Allison Marus-Fowler of Jonesboro, wildlife ecology and management; Kara Ashlei Williams of Monette, professional studies; Terry Lee Rhodes of Paragould, biology education; Lori Gearhart of Salem, zoology; and Jason Warnick of Jonesboro, philosophy.

Others were Lisa Moore of Marmaduke, English education; Leslie Hatcher of Jonesboro, English; Steffany Belcher-Novosad of Brinkley, mathematics; Marty Riley of Marion, mathematics education; and Joseph Burleson of Hardy, computer science; Jacqueline Davis of Jonesboro, criminology; Elizabeth White of Paragould, geography; Erica Brown of Little Rock and Carrie Clubb of Jonesboro, social work.

Also receiving awards were Ryan Brooks of Jonesboro, sociology; Matt Tilley of Jonesboro, physics; Andrea Minor of McCrory, chemistry (BA); Melissa Arnold of Franklin and William Trent Franks of Harrison, chemistry (BS); Gaylon Rainwater of Knobel, political science. Neva Simunkovic of Croatia was named outstanding German student.

Graduate awards went to Lynn Alterman of Warwick, R.I., master’s in biology; and Stacy McHatton of Jonesboro, master of public administration. Jeffrey Cline of Bald Knob and Elijah Stancel of Dacula, Ga. won the Galloway Award as the outstanding graduate students in the Department of History.

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