FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Elizabeth Freeman of Little Rock, a junior studying childhood education, was named 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.

The College of Education and Health Professions will honor its top students in a ceremony April 15 in the Verizon Ballroom in the Arkansas Union. The college enrolled 4,082 undergraduate students and 1,193 graduate students for the 2014-15 academic year. It has the second-highest total enrollment among colleges at the U of A and the highest number of graduate students.

“The faculty and staff in our college take great pride in the caliber and accomplishments of our students,” said Tom Smith, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions. “Our annual event gives us the opportunity stop and celebrate with these students and their families. It’s a special night for us.”

elizabeth freeman

Freeman is the daughter of Richard Freeman and Jan Cross. She won the college’s Henry G. and Stella Hotz Award last year for the outstanding sophomore. After she completes a bachelor’s degree in childhood education, Freeman plans to pursue a master’s degree in childhood education with an emphasis in English as a second language.

She wants to teach abroad after graduation. Freeman is studying this semester in Costa Rica. She said the experience has made her realize she loves the Spanish language and has a passion for traveling and experiencing new cultures.

Next year, Freeman will serve as the volunteer coordinator on the board of the Volunteer Action Center for the Razorback Food Recovery program. The program helps feed people in Northwest Arkansas.

hotz award winners

Kelsey Helyer, a junior from Arlington, Texas, and Madeline Ratcliff, a sophomore from Memphis, 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.

Helyer is majoring in childhood education and is pursuing minors in history and medieval and Renaissance studies. She is the daughter of Scott and Rhonda Helyer. She has been on the Chancellor’s List and plans to pursue a Master of Arts in Teaching degree and teach second or third grade.

Ratcliff is majoring in pre-nursing. She is the daughter of Karen Tronsor and Mike Ratcliff. She received the Pearl Drop award from her sorority, Kappa Gamma, for making a 4.0 grade point average every semester and has been on the chancellor’s list and dean’s list. She also received the Mr. and Mrs. James B. Ewart Scholarship. Ratcliff plans to become a nurse practitioner and work in a hospital emergency room or in private practice.

Freeman, Helyer and Ratcliff are members of the Honors College.

senior scholars and departmental award winners

The College of Education and Health Professions will also honor eight First-Ranked Senior Scholars and two Senior Scholars and present awards to outstanding students in each academic department.

First Ranked Senior Scholars – Marissa Atherton, public health; Kortlynn Cristy, nursing; Grace Gandy, elementary education; Kayla Meeks, childhood education; Rachel Stone, nursing; Kyler Verhelst, childhood education; Rachael Wise, childhood education; Laura Zaring, kinesiology; Senior Scholars – Claire Ashby, kinesiology, and Amy Brannan, family and consumer science education. Atherton, Cristy, Gandy, Meeks, Verhelst, Wise and Zaring also are Honors College students.

Curriculum and Instruction: Ashley Johnson, educational studies; Kent Woodard, UATeach; Ethan Robinson, career and technical education; Grace Gandy, elementary education; Jesse Grace, childhood education; Allison Spaulding, childhood education; Shelby Culver, secondary education; Kristan Elsken, special education; Stephanie Stallings, educational technology; Warren Collier, educational leadership; Wanda Van Dyke, educational leadership; Chris Grauf, educational leadership; Robert Lanier, curriculum and instruction; Bridgette Fincher, curriculum and instruction.

Education Reform: Albert Cheng

Health, Human Performance and Recreation: Lindsey Butler, public health; Victoria Bradford, community health promotion; Sasha Canan, community health promotion; Elizabeth McBee, exercise science; LynnDee Summers, exercise science; Matthew Tucker, exercise science; Nathan Whitten, kinesiology K-12 teaching; Paul Riggan, physical education; Cole Shewmake, kinesiology pedagogy; Caroline Lounsbury, athletic training; Christina Johnson, recreation and sport management; Chuck Bell, recreation and sport management; David Rolfe, recreation and sport management.

Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Devon Hill-Larson, Pi Theta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society Award; Anne Smith, Betty Battenfield Award; Rachel Stone, Outstanding Student Teacher Award; Kat Grotowski, Outstanding Student Manager Award; Danielle Slyman, Outstanding Student Caregiver Award; Emily Richardson, Outstanding Graduate Student Award; Haven Hughes, Arkansas Nurses Association Region 1 Award.

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders: Mikayla Wood, communication disorders; Mitchell Barker, communication disorders; Terri Johnston, human resource and workforce development; LaToya Roberson, human resource and workforce development; Jill Berta, educational statistics and research methods; Dewey Dykes, counselor education; Erika Perez, counselor education; Jihene Ayadi, counselor education; Jake Ayo, adult and lifelong learning; Gary Udouj Jr., adult and lifelong learning; Chas Thompson, higher education; Jeremy Battjes, higher education; Cortney Higgs, rehabilitation; Teresia Paul, rehabilitation.

departmental alumni awards

Three academic departments in the college also will present alumni awards at the ceremony.

• Curriculum and Instruction: Katy Moore, M.A.T. ’10, a teacher at Har-Ber High School in Springdale and ARTeacher Fellow. She will attend a professional development program this summer at the U.S. Holocaust Museum in Washington.
• Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Justin Morgan, B.S.N. ’13, a nurse who has worked on the cardiology floor at Washington Regional Medical Center and at MedExpress Urgent Care clinic. He is co-founder of Global Outfitters Medical Outreach, a nonprofit that provides medical care to homeless people in Northwest Arkansas.
• Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders: Clay Davis, Ed.D. ’07, executive director and treasurer of the University of Arkansas Foundation. He is a licensed attorney and former tax partner with the Rose Law Firm in Little Rock.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.