ASU prepares to celebrate 2010 Convocation of Scholars Week

April 6, 2010 -- The 32^nd annual Convocation of Scholars Week activities at Arkansas State University-Jonesboro, which highlight the university's academic achievements, include a series of special events and awards ceremonies. Activities  this year run from Monday, April 12 through Tuesday, April 27. Events include the Student Honors Awards, culminating with the presentation of the Wilson Award, ASU's highest student honor; the Faculty Honors Convocation announcing retiring faculty and award winners; the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter's achievement ceremony, and events sponsored by the various colleges at ASU-Jonesboro.

As part of the ongoing Centennial Celebration, ASU is launching a new student tradition with the burial of a time capsule from the Centennial Graduating Class of 2009. The burial takes place Monday, April 12, at 2 p.m. at the Arch in the Historic Quadrangle. Each year, members of the graduating class will select items symbolic of their time on campus for placement in a sealed time capsule.  The time capsule, inscribed with the appropriate class year, will be buried in one of 25 concrete benches surrounding the Historic Arch in the center of campus. 

Convocation of Scholars Week kicks off on Monday, April 12, with the Student Honors Awards, including the R. E. Lee Wilson Award and Distinguished Service Awards, which will be announced at the ceremony in the Student Union Auditorium beginning at 3 p.m.  The Wilson Award is presented annually to the university's outstanding graduating senior, with the recipient selected on the basis of character, determination, involvement and academic achievement. 

The honor is conferred in memory of R. E. Lee Wilson, a member of the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees from 1917 until his death in 1933. Presentation of the Wilson Award began in 1934. Perry Wilson, an attorney from Little Rock, will be present at the event to bestow the award.

Because many students are noteworthy for their involvement and service, the university also presents several Distinguished Service Awards, with the Wilson Award winner chosen by the selection committee from those they named Distinguished Service Award recipients. The selection committee consists of ASU faculty, staff members, students and former Wilson Award winners.  Previous Wilson Award recipients formed a Wilson Fellows Chapter of the ASU Alumni Association, and created a scholarship program for future recipients. The Wilson Award winner will receive a scholarship from the chapter to be used for post-graduate education. For more information on this event, contact Jill Bristow at jbristow@astate.edu or (870) 972-2220.

At 6 p.m. on Monday, April 12, the College of Business Honors Banquet will be held in Centennial Hall in the ASU Student Union. Tickets are $15. For more information, contact Julie Wyatt at jwyatt@astate.edu or (870) 972-3035.

On Tuesday, April 13, the Faculty Honors Convocation will be held in the Student Union's Centennial Hall at  2 p.m. This event includes recognition of retiring faculty as well as presentation of the Outstanding Academic Advising Award and presentation of the Faculty Achievement Awards in the areas of teaching, professional service, and scholarship. For more information, contact Peggy Pietz at ppietz@astate.edu or (870) 972-2030. 

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 13, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Convocation of Scholars will take place in Centennial Hall at the Student Union. Tickets are $12. For more information, contact Rachelle Tadlock at rtadlock@astate.edu or (870) 972-3973. 

On Wednesday, April 14, the Diversity Excellence Awards luncheon will be held in the Grand Hall of Fowler Center at noon. The event is by invitation. For more information, contact Kyla Dollar at kdollar@astate.edu or 870-972-2706.

Also on Wednesday, April 14, the College of Communications Honors Banquet will be held in Centennial Hall in the Student Union at 6:30 p.m. Guest speaker is Gene Foreman, a 1956 ASU graduate who is former editor of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Penn State faculty member. Tickets are $20. For more information, contact Terri Rolland at trolland@astate.edu (870) 972-2468.             

At 6:30 p.m. on April 14, the College of Engineering Student Awards and Seminar Program will be held at the ASU Convocation Center in Hames Rooms B and C. Guest speaker will be Ian Toohey, president, South Central Region of Engineers Without Borders-USA. For more information, contact Rick Clifft at rclifft@astate.edu or (870) 972-2088.

On Thursday, April 15, the College of Science and Mathematics Honors Banquet will take place in the Hames Room at the Convocation Center beginning at 6 p.m.  Tickets are $12. For more information, contact Jennifer Clack at jclack@astate.edu or (870) 972-3079.

At 6:30 p.m. on April 15, the College of Agriculture and Technology Honors Banquet will be held in Centennial Hall at the Student Union. For more information, contact Lori Fenner at lflenner@astate.edu or (870) 972-2383.

The ASU Music Student Honors Recital begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 15, in the Riceland Hall at Fowler Center. For additional information, contact Renee O’Connor at reneeo@astate.edu or (870) 972-2094. The Bradbury Gallery in Fowler Center is the site of the Spring ASU Senior Exhibition, Part II, which opens at 5 p.m. Contact Les Christensen for further information at lchristensen@astate.edu or (870) 972-2567.

On Friday, April 16, the College of Fine Arts Honors Luncheon will be held at noon in the Grand Hall of ASU's Fowler Center. Guest Speaker will be David Carson Berry, who received a Bachelor of Music degree from ASU in 1990. Tickets are $12. For more information, contact Renee O’Connor at reneeo@astate.edu or (870) 972-3053.

At 7 p.m. on Friday, April 16, the Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter of the ASU Alumni Association recognizes its 3.0 Club honorees, Freshman Scholar, and Achievement Ceremony  The event, which is by invitation, will be in the ASU Student Union Auditorium. The Strong-Turner Alumni Chapter focuses on African-American alumni and friends of the university. For more information, contact Jerrod Lockhart at jlockhar@astate.edu or Kimberly Johnson at krjohns@astate.edu or call 870-972-4058. 

The ASU Theatre presents, “The Foreigner,” Friday and Saturday, April 16-17, and Tuesday-Wednesday, April 20-21, at 7:30 p.m. in Fowler Center Theater. Contact O’Connor for more details.

On Monday, April 19, the College of Nursing and Health Professions Honors Banquet will be held in Centennial Hall in the Student Union at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10. For more information, contact Penny Head at phead@astate.edu or (870) 972-3112.

Tuesday, April 20, is the date for the University College Honors Reception. The event starts at 2 p.m. and is being held in the University College, Eugene Smith Lobby. For more information, contact Jill Simons at jsimons@astate.edu or (870) 972-4135.

Earth Day is scheduled April 22 at Tailgate City at ASU Football Stadium and near the Pavilion. The university is collaborating with the city of Jonesboro and numerous businesses, industries and organizations will have booths to highlight conservation and environmental initiatives.  

ASU will also have another tree planting opportunity to celebrate this event along University Loop East on the east side of the street (just south of Aggie and University Loop East).  Trees will be a deciduous mixture combined with a few flowering focal trees and are available for a $150 donation.  This donation includes the tree, planting and mulch, and recognition on the Earth Day plaque that will be constructed at the site. For more information, contact Dr. Jennifer Bouldin at (870) 972-2570 or jbouldin@astate.edu

The First 100 Distinguished Staff Members in ASU’s history will be announced and honored at a reception Tuesday, April 27, at 1:30 p.m. in Centennial Hall in the Student Union. At the same time, 2010 retirees will be recognized along with Distinguished Performance Award winners.

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