Southern Miss College of Health Celebrates Student Success

The University of Southern Mississippi's College of Health recognized student success during its annual Student Awards Night held Tuesday, April 12 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.

The event is an opportunity for each school and department in the college to award outstanding students for their academic accomplishments and extracurricular activities.  

Mackenzie E. Thaxton, College of Health Ambassador president, recognized senior ambassadors Jasmine D. Adams, Natalie K. Alleman, Ian M. Benge, Kimberly S. Bennett, Sammi J. Chambliss, Amy N. Henderson, Marissa A. Jenkins, Tera D. Pisarich, Marianne M. Shaffer and  Jessica P. Thompson their service to the college.

Dr. Michael Forster, dean of the college, presented the Dean's Council Award for Campus Leadership to Mackenzie E. Thaxton, the Dean's Council Community Service Award to Jessica A. Seaton, the Dean's Council Research Award to Patricia N. Chastain and the Dean's Award for Academic Excellence to Michael J. Gilbert.

Students honored from the Department of Nutrition and Food Systems were Rebecca A. Sharpe as the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Nominee for Outstanding Dietetic Intern, Hallie R. Raybon as the Mississippi Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Nominee for Outstanding Student in a Didactic Program in Dietetics, Leslie N. Windham as the Southern Miss Outstanding Dietetic Intern, Margo E. Lamunyon as the Outstanding Junior in Nutrition and Food Systems, Sermin Aras as the Outstanding Senior in Nutrition and Food Systems, Molly R. Chaffin as the Outstanding Graduate Assistant in Nutrition and Food Systems, Cecilia M. Snyder as the Outstanding Master's Student in Nutrition and Food Systems and Kevin D. Haubrick as the Outstanding Doctoral Student.

In the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, the Peggy Revels Elward Outstanding Senior went to Caroline A. Little and the Helen Heidelberg Cullefer Memorial Audiology Award went to Kasi C. Saucier. The Sertoma Outstanding Graduate Student awards went to Kristen C. Saltzman in early oral intervention and Janette Hreish in speech language pathology. The Speech and Hearing Sciences Outstanding Graduate Student awards went to Sarah K. Shahbodaghi in audiology, A. Morgan Downey in early oral intervention and Patricia N. Chastain in speech language pathology.

The Department of Public Health honored Samantha S. Wells from the Hattiesburg campus and German L. Sifuentes from the Gulf Park campus with the Undergraduate Service Award. The Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship award was presented to Kari K. Ellis from the Hattiesburg campus and Dustin A. Necaise from the Gulf Park campus. Also receiving awards were Douglas M. LeBlanc Jr., Lynn Cook Hartwig Outstanding Undergraduate Student Award; and Hind S. Al-lami, Outstanding Master of Public Health Research Award. Joseph S. Miller and Ross W. Smith received the Alton B. Cobb Outstanding Master of Public Health Award.

The School of Social Work recognized students for their academic accomplishments. Awards of Merit were presented to undergraduates Kimberly S. Bennett, Amy N. Henderson, Amanda N. Hinton, Chelsea D. King and Brandy L. Overstreet from the Hattiesburg campus; and Maribel Barberi, Kemberli D. Brown, Alicia R. Clark, Sarah E. Cooley, Sarah G. Emery, Jaimie W. Hinson, Sandra L. Janes, Shelly P. Pepitone, Marianne M. Shaffer, Victoria R. Smith and Nicole Miller from the Gulf Park campus. Master of Social Work students Jillian N. Kimmel, Mary D. Takewell received Academic Excellence awards.

The School of Kinesiology presented awards for outstanding scholarship and distinguished leadership in the following academic areas:

*In athletic training, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Micah T. Davis and Distinguished Leadership Award to Alexandra E. Pfefferle.

*In exercise science, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Michael J. Gilbert and Distinguished Leadership Award to Sarah K. Lacoste.

*In kinesiotherapy, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Lauren E. McElroy and Distinguished Leadership Award to Shaquana S. Jones.

*In physical education, Outstanding Scholarship Award to G. Darin Farris and Distinguished Leadership Award to Rebekah J. Richard.

*In recreation, Outstanding Scholarship Award to Jonathan D. Reed, Jr. and Distinguished Leadership Award to Rhea P. Valentine.

*In sport coaching education, Outstanding Scholarship Award to J. Andrew Watson and Distinguished Leadership Award to Matthew C. Bergeron.

Overall School of Kinesiology awards were presented to Preston L. Bell for Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship, James T. Fox, III for Distinguished Undergraduate Leadership, Lena M. Cialdella for Outstanding Master's Student and Cody B. Bremner for Outstanding Doctoral Student.

For information about the College of Health, visit www.usm.edu/coh.