Coastal recognizes students, faculty at Honors Convocation
Michael Slattery, a senior marine science major of Charleston, S.C., received the 2001-2002 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. During his junior and senior years, Slattery has served as editor of the student magazine Tempo and played in the University pep band, while maintaining a cumulative 3.9 grade point average. Slattery is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national academic honor society.
Michelle L. Ward, a senior physical education major of Trenton, N.J., received the 2001-2002 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. In addition to her academic and student committee work, Ward has taken a leadership role in many charitable activities. She has served as a volunteer for American Red Cross blood drives, the Street Reach Mission soup kitchen, Hurricane Floyd Relief for the City of Conway, Habitat for Humanity of Myrtle Beach and Special Olympics of Horry County. During her senior year, she has been a counselor for the Grand Strand Rape Crisis Center.
Linda Hollandsworth, professor of English and director of Advisement and Retention at Coastal, 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. Hollandsworth joined the Coastal faculty in 1988. She earned a bachelor's degree in theater and speech from Greensboro College in 1969, a master's degree in humanities from Hollins College in Roanoke, Va., and a Ph.D. in English from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1990.
Aaron Ard 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. Ard, an assistant professor of management, joined the Coastal faculty in 2000. He earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and a master's degree and Ph.D. from Cornell University. Prior to his higher education studies, Ard was a law enforcement officer in Darlington and Columbia.
Richard Oliver Collin, professor of political science, 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. Collin joined the Coastal faculty in 1984. He is the author of three political novels - Imbroglio (1981), Contessa (1994) and The Man With Many Names (1995), all published by St. Martin's Press - as well as many other books and articles on international affairs. Collin earned a bachelor's degree in classical languages and history from Canisius College, a master's degree in political science from Kansas University and a D.Phil. in politics from Oxford University.
Department awards were presented to 27 students in recognition of outstanding academic accomplishments and contributions to the academic quality of their respective departments. Candidates for academic awards are nominated by respective department faculty.
The following awards were presented:
E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration:
- Accounting - Alison Poling of Murrells Inlet - Finance - Nacole Edwards of Myrtle Beach - Management - Boris Menier of Myrtle Beach - Marketing - Joni Hucks of Conway - Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award - Melissa Kern-Basehoar of Myrtle Beach
College of Education:
- Early Childhood Education - Christina Cochran of Conway - Elementary Education - Kristie Shaulis of Myrtle Beach - Health Promotion - Natalie Buckley of Independence, Mo. - Physical Education - Charles Allen of Mount Croghan - Recreation - Michelle Ward of Trenton, N.J. - Secondary Education - Jaime Tiller of Myrtle Beach
Thomas W. and Robin W. Edwards College of Humanities and Fine Arts:
- Art Studio - Erin Ramsey of Conway - English - Lisa Galloway of Surfside Beach - Foreign Languages - Ginger Valasco of Conway - History - Eric Sauthoff of Surfside Beach - Music - Holly Strickland of Nichols - Philosophy and Religion - Mary Gray Boyd of Conway - Politics and Geography - Ashlee Bunting of Myrtle Beach - Theater - Amanda Nicolau of Delhaven, N.J.
College of Natural and Applied Sciences:
- Biology - Stuart Williams of North Myrtle Beach - Chemistry and Physics - Arnold Forman of Marathon, Fla. - Computer Science - Jeffrey Wolfe of Myrtle Beach - Marine Science - Erin Boyle of Bethlehem, Pa. - Mathematics - Margaret Smith of Surfside Beach - Psychology - Chris Malinky of Westerville, Ohio - Sociology - Susan McLean of Myrtle Beach
Candice Mickle of Piscataway, N.J., 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:
- Dorian Dalton of Rixeyville, Va. - Management - Ala'a El Masri of Conway - Computer Science - Alexander Harmon of Gaston - History - Cherie Jenkins of Tampa, Fla. - Marine Science - Paige Landry of Ontario, Canada - Marketing, Professional Golf Management - Paula Laughinghouse of Loris - Elementary Education - Michel Sabbagh of Myrtle Beach - Biology - Heather Szymczak of Temperance, Mich. - Marine Science, Biology - Rebecca Yurkovsky of Myrtle Beach - Management
The more than 300 members of Coastal's 16 honor societies and the 35 students listed in Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities also were acknowledged, as well as 27 students who made presentations at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).