Top honors presented to top faculty, students at Coastal
Kara M. Koppel received the 2002-2003 Faculty's Academic Excellence Award. Candidates for this award must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5, the endorsement of a faculty adviser and a record of academic honors. A psychology major, Koppel has maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point, has been on the indoor and outdoor track and field teams and was team captain of the women's cross country team in 2001 and 2002. She was a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Council and treasurer of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She received the Big South Scholar Athlete of the Year for the last three years, as well as the Verizon Academic All American Award for both cross-country and track for 2001 and 2002.
Brian C. N'ez received the 2002-2003 Ronald D. Lackey Service Award. Named in honor of the late Coastal faculty member and university chaplain, the award is given annually to a senior on the basis of conspicuous service to the university through involvement and leadership in campus organizations. N'ez, who went from Coastal mascot to a two-year term as president of Student Government Association (SGA), was cited for his leadership abilities, his high principles and reliability as well as participation in extracurricular activities. He plans to pursue a career in dentistry.
Susan M. Libes received the Distinguished Teacher-Scholar Lecturer Award. Sponsored by HTC, Inc., this award was initiated in 1996 to recognize faculty members who distinguish themselves as teachers, scholars and communicators. During the fall, the recipient delivers a public lecture drawn from his or her area of expertise. Libes is the author of one of the first textbooks in marine chemistry, has secured grants to upgrade teaching laboratories in science and to support her research, and is one of the leaders in overseeing independent undergraduate research projects. During the present semester she was one of the first four faculty members selected to participate in Coastal's new Public Engagement Directed Studies program and is working with the City of Conway and the Environmental Protection Agency to facilitate tthe Waccamaw Riverkeeper program.
Darla J. Domke-Damonte was presented the Student Affairs Division Award, which honors faculty who make significant contributions to the quality of student life through participation and leadership in the co-curricular activities of the university. An assistant professor of marketing, she serves as director of international programs, chairs the university scholarship committee and was nominated for the distinguished teacher of the year award in 2002. Domke-Damonte has been instrumental in establishing exchange programs with universities abroad, particularly in Germany, and she has served as faculty adviser to Coastal's Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) club.
Gregory L. Krippel was named the Distinguished Teacher of the Year, an annual honor presented by Coastal's Student Government Association to faculty who demonstrate excellence in teaching. He received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in empirical financial research and was previously an assistant professor of accountancy at Auburn University before joining the Coastal faculty as associate professor of accounting, finance and economics.
Department awards were presented to 37 students in recognition of outstanding academic accomplishments and contributions to the academic quality of their respective departments.
The following awards were presented:
E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration:
- Accounting - Jeffrey D. Embt of Attica, N.Y. - Finance - Arnaud Caffin of Jonquieres, France - Management - Nathan P. Forester of Saskatoon, Seskatchewan, Canada - Marketing - Garry L. Hetrick of Somerset, Pa.
College of Education:
- Early Childhood Education - Jessica T. Perry of Johnsonville - Elementary Education - Lori B. Gorman of Myrtle Beach - Health Promotion - Tammi L. Barfield of Conway - Physical Education - Elisa M. Chappelear of Waldorf, Md. - Recreation - Thomas Rutter of Wailsworth, Gloucester, England - Secondary Education - Linda E. Martin of Myrtle Beach
Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts:
- Art Studio - Edward J. Kerr of Little River - English - Rebecca Hamill of Myrtle Beach - Foreign Languages - Ashley Bunting of Myrtle Beach - History - Stephanie G. Little of Loris - Music - Scarlet L. Livingston of Aynor - Philosophy and Religion - Michael Rivers of Pageland - Politics and Geography - Tiffany Turner of Aiken - Theater - Jason C. Adams of Conway
College of Natural and Applied Sciences:
- Biology - Melissa Yencho of Fairfield, Conn. - Chemistry and Physics - Suzette R. Lopez of Bel Air, Md. - Computer Science - Chika P. Ekeji of Nigeria - Marine Science - Melissa Yencho of Fairfield, Conn. - Mathematics - Lisa M. Holsinger of Hagerstown, Md. - Psychology - Kara M. Koppel of McDonald, Ohio - Sociology - Katie L. Knutson of Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada
Doris M. Lyerly of Myrtle Beach received the Interdisciplinary Studies Award from Coastal's School of Continuing Studies.
Medallions were presented to the following students who have successfully completed the requirements of Coastal's Honors Program:
- Jennifer L. Akins of Myrtle Beach - Political Science - Aaron J. Beck of Huntington, W.Va. � Marine Science - Katherine E. Cilwa of Cincinnati, Ohio - Chemistry - Amanda A. DeGrendele of Patterson, Calif. - Biology - Kara M. Koppel of McDonald, Ohio - Psychology - Caitlin T. Lamb of Bel Air, Md. - Marine Science - Suzette R. Lopez of Bel Air, Md.- Marine Science and Chemistry - Caitlin C. McDonnell of Bexley, Ohio - Marine Science - Eric W. Teague of Cincinnati, Ohio - Biology - Chika P. Ekeji of Nigeria - Computer Science - Kristen Schulte of Crestview Hills, Ky. - Biology
The nearly 400 members of Coastal's 16 honor societies and the 36 students listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities also were acknowledged, as well as 93 students who made presentations of papers at various academic conferences.