FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas will hold its annual award ceremony April 19 in the Verizon Ballroom in the Arkansas Union. The college will recognize outstanding students and alumni with the Presidential Scholar award, Hotz awards, Senior Scholar designations, departmental awards and departmental alumni awards.

PRESIDENTIAL SCHOAR AWARD

Natalie Sherwood was named this year’s Presidential Scholar for the College of Education and Health Professions.

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.

 “We are thrilled that a student such as Natalie would choose our college for her major,” said Michael Miller, dean of the college. “Kinesiology is a challenging discipline, and she has truly excelled. She is an outstanding student who will have a tremendous career as a physical therapist! We look forward every year to this special evening when we honor our top scholarship winners, senior scholars, departmental student award winners and departmental alumni award winners. It’s a showcase of outstanding students and alumni.”

Sherwood is the daughter of Barton Sherwood and Lorra Sherwood. She is a junior from Rose Bud who is majoring in the pre-professional track of kinesiology. She is a member of the Honors College.

Sherwood plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy. She has received the Arkansas Governor’s Distinguished Scholarship, the Chancellor’s Scholarship and an Honors College Research Grant.

HOTZ AWARD

Allison Overdorf, a junior from Greenland, and Alicia Welch, a sophomore from Elkins, won the Henry G. and Stella Hotz Awards. The award is presented to the top student in the junior and sophomore classes based on grade-point average and other academic accomplishments.

Overdorf is the daughter of Valerie Harris and Michael Overdorf. She is also the recipient of the James Patterson Teacher Education Scholarship. She is majoring in elementary education.

Welch is the daughter of Lori and Gary Welch. She has been on the chancellor’s list each semester and plans to pursue a doctorate in physical therapy. She is majoring in the exercise science track of kinesiology.

SENIOR SCHOLARS

These awards honor students designated as First-Ranked Senior Scholars and Senior Scholars. First-Ranked Senior Scholars have a 4.0 GPA with all coursework completed at the University of Arkansas. Senior Scholars have a 4.0 GPA with at least half of their coursework completed at the U of A.

First-Ranked Senior Scholars: Bethani Hoelzeman and Emily Richter

Senior Scholars: Chelsea Coker, Morgan Fritz, Kendahl Hahn, Brooke Hollingsworth, Melanie Hosty, Zoe McKinney, Sydney Peterson, Lindsay Richards, Celine Siahmakoun, Madeline Wagnon, Cassandra Ward and Monica Ziebart

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS

These awards recognize outstanding students in each academic department.

Curriculum and Instruction: Mikayla Hopkins, UATeach; Dalton Delozier, educational studies; Kendahl Hahn, career and technical education; Grant Washburn, career and technical education; Alisha Holman, elementary education; Bethani Hoelzeman, childhood education; Jervae’ Franklin, childhood education; Samantha Morgan, secondary education; Candace Brown, secondary education; Lauren Turner, special education; Scott Schroeder, special education; Isis Trautman-Bastidas, special education; Della Adams, teaching English to speakers of other languages; Sharon Orlopp, educational technology; Michele Snyder, educational leadership; Summer Cox, educational leadership; Cory Gibson, educational leadership; Donna Owen, curriculum and instruction; Noushin Nouri, curriculum and instruction.

Education Reform: Heidi Holmes, outstanding doctoral student, and Elise Swanson, best conference paper.

Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Deborah Henderson, RN-BSN expert leader; Marie Britt, RN-BSN emerging leader; Natalie Manatt, RN-BSN exemplary capstone; Bethany Adams, Betty Battenfield award; Bailey Hutchens, clinical excellence in nursing; Janet Gardner, MSN nurse educator student; Leigh Ann Ellis, graduate student; Karen Williams, DNP best capstone project; Amy Spinella, DNP student.

Health, Human Performance and Recreation: Lauren Doran, public health; Casey Ward, community health promotion; Mary Hunt, community health promotion; Ethan Douglas, kinesiology exercise science; Melissa Anderson, kinesiology exercise science; J.D. Adams, kinesiology exercise science; Christopher Reed, athletic training; Melanie Hosty, kinesiology K-12 teaching; Kellie Zinchini, kinesiology physical education; Eric Lange, kinesiology pedagogy; Leah White, recreation and sport management; Kendall Ruff, recreation and sport management; Colin Cork, recreation and sport management.

Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders: Morgan Fritz, communication disorders; Rebecca Torres, communication disorders; Brianna Fondren-Mackey, human resource and workforce development; Thomas Steele, human resource and workforce development; Bentley Wallace, human resource and workforce development; Samantha Robinson, educational statistics and research methods; Anthony Suarez, counselor education; Danielle Raubuck, counseling; Ruben Herron, counselor education; Jackson Alexander, adult and lifelong learning; Ashley Aylett, adult and lifelong learning; Amanda Pickett, higher education; Jason “Jay” Falkner, higher education; Addie Stipp, rehabilitation education; Julie Hill, rehabilitation.

DEPARTMENTAL ALUMNI AWARDS

Four academic departments in the college and University Recreation will also present alumni awards at the ceremony.

• Curriculum and Instruction: Harvey Dean received a doctorate from the U of A in 1985. He is a founder and CEO of Pitsco Inc. in Pittsburg, Kansas. More than 200 million students studying in the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the United States and abroad have used STEM products and curriculum purchased from Pitsco. Dean, a former public school teacher in Oklahoma, started the company in 1971 as an after-school project with two other teachers. It offers more than 500 proprietary kinesthetic products and more than 2,000 supporting products. The Technology Student Association offers an outstanding recognition award in Dean’s name.
• Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Charleen McNeill earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the U of A in 2007 before she went on to earn master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing from other institutions. She held positions of increasing responsibility in her nursing career, including charge nurse and director of nursing. She has taught at the University of Maryland University College and Midwestern State University and is currently an assistant professor in the U of A Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society for Nursing, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.
• Health, Human Performance and Recreation: Zach Swartz earned a master’s degree in recreation and sport management in 2012. He is director of new and creative media for Ohio State University’s football recruiting program. He leads the creative team to produce engaging video and graphic content and manages the brand initiatives for all football social media channels, including launching the program’s first Twitter account last April, recently named the No. 1 college football account in the nation. While at the U of A, Swartz worked as producer and editor, production manager and senior production manager for videoboards and web content for many of Arkansas’ 19 sports.
• Rehabilitation, Human Resources and Communication Disorders: Gary McHenry earned a doctorate in workforce development education in 2009. He is executive director of the Schmieding Center for Senior Health and Education, a department of the Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He chaired the Arkansas State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights from 2007 to 2015 and served on the the Arkansas Fair Housing Commission from 2001 until recently. Last year, McHenry served on the Washington County Quorum Court representing District 11.
• University Recreation: Katie Helms earned a doctorate in recreation and sport management in 2010. She is an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock, where she serves as graduate coordinator of the sport management program. She is developing online courses that incorporate aspects of service learning. Previously, Helms worked as an assistant director of University Recreation from 2004 to 2016, most recently as assistant director for assessment, community programs and aquatics. She represented the U of A at local, regional and national levels within the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association and other professional associations. She was also an adjunct instructor in the recreation and sport management program.

About the College of Education and Health Professions: The College of Education and Health Professions offers advanced academic degrees as well as professional development opportunities and learning communities in service to the education and health systems of Arkansas and beyond. The college works closely with educational leaders across the state to continuously improve systems and educational outcomes for students and with health-care leaders to improve those systems and health outcomes for everyone.

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.