The College of Education and Health Professions celebrated more than 100 outstanding students last week at its annual awards ceremony.

The college recognized exceptional students from every degree program, honors student researchers, senior and first-ranked senior scholars and college-wide award winners.

"These students represent the best of the best of our college's more than 6,000 students," Dean Kate Mamiseishvili told the large crowd at the April 21 celebration. "For me, tonight's event is one of the main highlights of the entire year. In my role as the dean, I don't often get to interact directly with students as much as I'd like. But time spent with them is always the most meaningful part of my day."

Mamiseishvili said students bring purpose to all that happens in the college.

"When we advance impactful research, engage in outreach and recruit exceptional faculty and staff, we do it so that we can provide you with transformative educational experiences and expose you to cutting-edge scholarship," she told them. "You are why we show up every day and work hard to make our college better."

Mamiseishvili congratulated the student awardees on their willingness to put in the time and effort required to achieve this academic accomplishment. "Look around you, and you'll see a room full of future teachers, nurses, athletic trainers, coaches, principals, counselors, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, educational leaders, policymakers and researchers, public health specialists and exercise scientists," she said. "This is a room full of people who have the will to do what it takes to become the best in their chosen professions and change the world for the better."

Linden Mountain, who earned this year's outstanding student award in Career and Technical Education and will begin teaching in the Rogers School District this fall, served as the student speaker. She also commended her peers for their willingness to prepare.

"Students, I want you to know that the hard work and countless hours you have dedicated to your coursework, research endeavors, community involvement, internships and more do not go unnoticed," she said. "As Colin Powell, former secretary of state, eloquently said, 'There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.' The success that we are celebrating tonight is the result of your preparation, hard work and resilience."

HOTZ AWARDS

The Henry G. and Stella Hotz Awards are presented to exemplary junior and sophomore students each year. These awards were established in honor of Henry Hotz, a U of A faculty member for 24 years and dean of the college for 11 years, and his wife, Stella, the first woman to obtain the rank of full professor at the U of A. The Hotz Award recipients are determined by grade point average and academic accomplishments.

The 2025 Henry G. and Stella Hotz Award for outstanding sophomore was presented to Keegan Butler, a student in the college's Eleanor Mann School of Nursing. The Henry G. and Stella Hotz Award for outstanding junior was given to Zhiping Xu, also a nursing student.

PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR AWARD

Each college at the U of A names one undergraduate student as their presidential scholar every year. The 2025 Presidential Scholar Award was presented to Anna Matusiak, a junior Eleanor Mann School of Nursing student.

The Presidential Scholar program was established in 1980 in recognition of James Martin's investiture as president of the U of A. Presidential scholars are selected based on academic achievement.

FIRST-RANKED SENIOR SCHOLARS

Since 1942, special recognition has been given to students with the highest grade point averages in the college. First-ranked senior scholars completed all their studies at the U of A and have a 4.0 GPA in all their coursework.

The 30 first-ranked senior scholars are Jordan Anthony, Caroline Ausley, Aubrey Avlos, Evelyn Rose Bercher, Kathryn Bishop, Abigail Bordelon, Braden Branscum, Emma Grace Brown, Emily Chasteen, Raygan Davis, Alexandra Dierks, Savanna Green, Laura Hansen, Kristin Hartley, Kyleigh Hood, Lilly Humphreys, Caroline Kilo, Raigan Kramer, Georgia Lewis, Shelbie Merriweather, Julia Katelyn Molleston, Timmy Nguyen, Abigail O'Malley, Matthew Richardson, Jane Rounds, Margo SalaczPlantz, Ellie Schaeffer, Tsion Selassie, Hannah Spear and Mary Wilhelm.

SENIOR SCHOLARS

Senior Scholars have a 4.0 GPA but have taken at least one course at another college or university. These 29 outstanding students are Tate Abbott, Joseph Anderson, Alondra Apodaca, Caroline Bertalotto, Alice Brandt, Addilin Brown, Faith Canterbury, Jordan Chancellor, Madison Cozad, Kandis Lyndsey Dodson, Deryck Flower, Halle Flynt, Natalie Gardner, Madelynn Greene, Hanna Kay Hilsabeck, AnnMarie Ippolito, Lauren Lisko, Emily McMennamy, Gavin Miller, Grace Ontiveros, Ashley Reiter, Carson Sanders, Janson Sanders, Julia Schlundt, Bryn Shirley, Lily Stone, Reagan Valenta, Scott Whittingham and Joseph Ryan Wiltshire.

HONORS RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM WINNERS

The college's 14th Annual Honors Research Symposium winners were also recognized.

Anna Claire Gardner, an exercise science major, won the Best Research Project Award for her poster presentation, "Comparing Gait Patterns of Individuals with and without Cancer."

Ella Hollingshead, also an exercise science major, earned the Best Literature Review Project Award for her presentation titled "An Overview of Sport-Related Concussions in American Football: Biomechanics and Challenges to Prevention."

DEPARTMENTAL AWARDS

The College of Education and Health Professions has six academic departments and 20 research and service units. The college's 187 full-time faculty members are internationally known for their scholarly work and research. As of fall 2024, the college had 6,177 students enrolled.

The college honored outstanding students in each academic department at the banquet.

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy: Marie Bruck, Kyra Sampaio Resende and Kayla Michelle Roat.

Counseling, Leadership and Research Methods: Jiaying Chen, Smruthi Chintakunta, Blythe Eggleston, Savannah Endsley, Aubree Hughart-Thomas, Sarah Isaac, Callie Rose Jackson, Brittney Laney, Amy Maffei, Brenda Maxwell, Arieanna Len Minshew, Blythe B. Mullins, Elizabeth Vaccaro, Adela Vavrinova and Natalie Piper Williams.

Curriculum and Instruction: Maria Angelica Alcala, Angelita Rodriguez Dobbs, William Jacob Dunn, Samantha Fitzsimmons, Anna Gilbert, Laney Hoggatt, Kyleigh Hood, Ivette Guadalupe Gonzales, Ashlee Hanson, Kelly Moreno, Linden Mountain, Juana Nájera, Holly Sheppard Riesco, DeShea L. Rigg, Carley Ryerson, Ashanti Salazar, Bradley Schaefer, Taylor Lynn Stiegler, Aly Sylvester, Isabella Thomas and Sabine Volcy.

Education Reform: Kate Barnes and Daion L. Daniels.

Eleanor Mann School of Nursing: Jamie Nicole Bellers, Heather Hairston, Linda Jackson, Tim Kimball, Alicia Meza, Timmy Nguyen, Abigail O'Malley and Hannah Seelye.

Health, Human Performance and Recreation: Abigail Bordelon, Katelyn Cantrell, David Dennis III, Zach Friedman, Ashlyn M. Jendro, Zander G. Lichosik, Kylie Brooke Lovett, Amy Modzelewski, Kara Elise Price, Sadie Thompson and Tyler Wilson.

Mamiseisvhili ended the evening with a few final words of encouragement for the students: "I hope we made you feel extra special today and you take this feeling with you as you embark on your life and career journeys and proudly represent 'the college of caring professions.'"