Student Achievement Celebrated at College of Behavioral and Social Sciences Awards

Academic excellence was on display April 24 at Lander University.

The annual awards ceremony for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences showcased students who have been successful in the classroom during their time at Lander.

“Our students study ourselves and our society,” said Dr. Lucas McMillan, dean of the college. 

“We examine both individuals and institutions, and we ask hard questions about the past, the present and the future. Our students learn and reflect upon their communities, their families, their friends and themselves. They dig deep to understand our shared history and culture. The students we honor today demonstrate persistence and curiosity. They revise and resubmit work. They understand that learning can be uncomfortable.”

Awards, and their recipients, are listed by academic department below.

Department of Military Science and Leadership

• James A. Lander Award – CDT Michael Hilley
• Col. Walter Roark Award – CDT Mykenzie Hart
• Gold ROTC Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution – CDT Juana Arce Jimenez

Department of Psychological Science and Human Services

• Human Services
  • Greenwood Vocational Rehabilitation Advisory Board Scholarship – Willow Beshers
  • Human Services Discipline Award – Zoey Fernstrom
• Psychology
  • Peggy ’81 and Ken ’80 Makins Scholarship – Jah’niya Miller
  • William T. Martin Scholarship in Psychology – Lanie Lawson
  • Timothy L. Snyder Scholarship in Psychology – Serenity Goethie
  • Departmental Service Awards – Chloe Davis, Eren Milhoan and Greyson Wallrath
  • Outstanding Initiative in Experiential Learning Award – Annabel Budreau
  • Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Award – Annaliese Weiss
  • Psychology Discipline Award – Nicholas Paige

Department of History and Philosophy

• History
  • Gilbert Sumter Guinn Scholarship – Clark Sinclair
  • Murrell Jones Huckabee Scholarship – Madalin Radcliffe
  • Barbara Jackson Scholarship – Madalin Radcliffe
  • Don Herd, Jr. Scholarship – Taylor Huss
  • William T. Lander, Jr. Scholarship – William Watts
  • John Marvin Rast Scholarship – Shawn York
  • William D. Tinsley Scholarship – Austin Thomas
  • Mary Neel Baker Scholarship – Karis Gary
  • Katherine Davis Cann Scholarship – Elias Carls
  • William Ricketson Scholarship – Elias Carls
  • Barbara A. Jackson Award – Andrew Goforth
  • History Discipline Award – Tanner Mott
  • Art History Award – Ashton Reid
• Philosophy
  • Philosophy Discipline Award – Katie Rau

Department of Government, Criminology and Sociology

• Criminology
  • Robert S. Mueller III Scholarship – Rylee Hoffman
  • Tannenbaum Study Abroad Fund – Rose Castillo
  • Walter Lanier Gorham Scholarship – Rose Castillo
  • Carson Criminology Discipline Award – Emily Nguyen
• Paralegal Studies
  • William D. Tinsley Scholarship – Isaiah Dawkins
• Political Science
  • Bill and Emily Bradford Scholarship – Sara Wilborn
  • Steve and Linda Bolton Scholarship – Caroline Campbell
  • William Jennings Bryan Dorn Scholarship – Yazmyn Ramirez-Saldana
  • Louise Willing McMullin Scholarship – Sophia Reyes
  • James A. Lander Scholarship – Isaiah Dawkins
  • Public Administration Award – Elias Carls
  • Alan Jones Award – Madalin Radcliffe
  • Political Science Discipline Award – Audrey Moon
• Sociology
  • Maybelle Coleman Scholarships – Laila Gore and Makenna Reagan
  • Display of Outstanding Sociological Imagination Award – Paige Schwark
  • Sociology Discipline Award – Mary Young

Dean’s Awards – Andrew Goforth, Madison Pigford and Rain Sopha

Recognition of Honor Society Inductees

• Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society – Laila Gore
• Alpha Phi Sigma, National Criminal Justice Honor Society – Mattye Geddings, Sophia Reyes and Jaziah Eaddy
• Tau Upsilon Alpha, National Human Services Honor Society – Jasmine Freeman, Abigail Goforth, Laila Gore, Abigail Loftis, Channing Owens, Chenasia Scott, Lacey Stoner, Kiersten Thatcher, Madison Weaghington, Chloe Davis and Greyson Wallrath
• Phi Alpha Theta, National History Honor Society – Jessi Patton
• Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honor Society – Elias Lee Carls, Sophia R. Reyes and Sara Caroline Robertson
• Psi Chi, International Honor Society in Psychology – Abigail Loftis and Morgan O’Brien

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Essay Contest

• High School
  • First Place – Elise Marner, of Abbeville High School
  • Second Place – Estella Casado, of Greenwood High School
• Middle School
  • First place – Garrett Cotrell, of McCracken Middle School
  • Second place – Meri Emma Lunsford, of Edgewood Middle School
• Honorable Mentions
  • Kinsley Butler and Lulu Gaylord, of McCracken Middle School
  • Avery Hill, of Edgewood Middle School

Faculty Recognition

• Part-Time Faculty Member of the Year – Prof. Tanner Stone, political science
• Faculty Promoted in Rank – Prof. Michelle Scott, senior lecturer of human services
• Retiring Faculty – Prof. Linda Carson, associate professor of criminology and sociology