FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Rachael Wise of Sherwood, who is studying childhood education, was named as this year’s Presidential Scholar for the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas.

The university recognizes one student in each college each year as a Presidential Scholar, based on grade-point average, other academic accomplishments and faculty recommendations. The award was established in recognition of the investiture of James E. Martin as president of the university in 1980. The winner receives $1,500.

Wise is the daughter of Mike and Francis Wise. She is enrolled in the Honors College and is also pursuing a minor in psychology. She plans to enroll in the Master of Arts in Teaching program after finishing her bachelor’s degree and to pursue a career teaching children with special needs.

Wise is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. She is also a Chancellor’s Scholar and a Distinguished Governor’s Scholar and has been on the chancellor’s list the past two years.

The College of Education and Health Professions honored its top students in a ceremony on April 17 at the Chancellor Hotel in Fayetteville. The college enrolled 3,997 undergraduate students and 1,203 graduate students for the 2013-14 academic year, the second-highest total enrollment among colleges at the U of A and the highest number of graduate students.

“Our faculty and staff look forward each year to the opportunity to honor our students who have worked very hard and deserve a special evening,” said Tom Smith, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions. “This event gives us the chance to meet their families and friends and to make sure they understand that we recognize the commitment they have made toward their degree programs. We know these students will represent our college and the U of A well as they go on to serve our state and nation as nurses, educators, researchers and human service professionals.”

Martha Granderson, a junior from Rogers, and Elizabeth Freeman, a sophomore from Little Rock, won the Henry G. and Stella Hotz Awards in the college. The award is presented to the top student in the junior and sophomore classes based on grade-point average and other academic accomplishments.

Granderson is enrolled in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. She is the daughter of William and Susanna Granderson and is a Chancellor’s Scholarship recipient. She plans to work on medical missions in Colombia, South America, and would like to work with women and babies to promote good nutrition and prenatal care.

Freeman is majoring in childhood education. Her parents are Richard Freeman and Jan Cross. She is in Chi Omega sorority, the Honors College, and on the board of the Volunteer Action Center, where she works with the literacy program. She will be working this summer at Camp Barnabas, a camp for people with special needs, and plans to study abroad in spring 2015 in Ghana, Africa. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in special education after finishing her bachelor’s degree.

The college’s First-Ranked Senior Scholar is Heather Summers, nursing. Senior Scholars are Alexandra Cousin, kinesiology-pre-professional; Katelyn Fox, childhood education; Angela Haberer, elementary education; Lauren McDaniel, elementary education; and Susan White, childhood education.

Students graduating from the Honors College are (summa cum laude) Rachel Ferguson, Shelby Holden, Caitlin McAfee, Sadie Aronson, Anna Bono, Caillouet Clark, Corinne Perkins and DeEsta Shaffer; (magna cum laude) Hannah Anderson, Lauren Blankenship, Stephanie Bledsoe, Mary Kate Fortson, Fuad Haydar, Savannah Learned, Jade Mehlhoff, April Parkridge, Lauren Stewart, Bethany Anderson, Lauren Bleakley, Victoria Bradford, Meredith Cupp, Erika Davee, Andrea Dixon, Ellen Donoghue, Valeria Font Zorrilla, Bethany Hamilton, Kelly Harris, Jamie Hibbs, Katie Johnson, Shelby Knappen, Mary Konz, Emily Mclain, Rebekah Presley, Susan Smith, Margaret Strobel, Samantha Tejada, Hillary Walker, Kelsey Wendt and Brittany Willard; (cum laude) Melina Gonzalez, Madeline Galey, Rachel Garton, Jessica Moix and Hannah Smith.

The college also honored the top students in each academic program:

•  Curriculum and Instruction: Mindy Becker, undergraduate, career and technical education; Ohoud Al Tolass, master’s, career and technical education; Laura Wainwright, undergraduate, childhood education; Lindsay Grisham, Master of Arts in Teaching, childhood education; Ginney Wright, doctoral, curriculum and instruction; Maria Arnold, master’s, educational leadership; Kent Wire, doctoral; educational leadership; Holly Glover, master’s, educational technology; Karla Magarin, undergraduate, elementary education; Isela Mercado-Ulloa, M.A.T., secondary education; and Jessica Spriggs, master’s, special education.

•  Education Reform: Jonathan Mills, best conference paper; Collin Hitt, best original research project.

• Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Rachel Ferguson, Betty Battenfield student award; Rebecca McCann, graduate student award; Gary L. Pearson, student caregiver award; Patricia Curran, student manager award; Jade Mehlhoff, student teacher award; and Kristy Pullin, Pi Theta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Award.

• Health, Human Performance and Recreation: Ryne Eubanks, master’s, athletic training; Sandra Ellis, undergraduate, community health promotion; Mary Hunt, master’s, community health promotion; Page Daniel, doctoral, community health promotion; Melina Gonzalez, undergraduate, exercise science; David Lee, master’s, exercise science; Jordan Glenn, doctoral, exercise science; Ronald Bennett, undergraduate, kinesiology P-12; Elizabeth Andrews, master’s, physical education; Michael Merrie, doctoral, kinesiology-pedagogy; Kyla Krueger, undergraduate, recreation and sport management; Kaitlin Howell, master’s, recreation and sport management; Jae-Ahm Park, doctoral, recreation and sport management.

•  Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders: Kinsey Dickey, master’s, adult and lifelong learning; Brent Swearingen, doctoral, adult and lifelong learning; Valeria Font Zorrilla, undergraduate, communication disorders; Joseph Urps, master’s, communication disorders; Debbie Frederiksen, Chi Sigma Iota award, counselor education; Heather Spickard, master’s, counselor education; Carleton Brown, doctoral, counselor education; Brian Rickard, doctoral, educational statistics and research methods; Roman Ruiz, master’s, higher education; Marquita Smith, doctoral, higher education; Courtney DuCharme, undergraduate, human resource and workforce development; Chris Rink, doctoral, human resource and workforce development; Elecia Cole, doctoral, human resource and workforce development; Raylon Wilson, master’s, rehabilitation; and Philomena Tanui, doctoral, rehabilitation.