FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The College of Education and Health Professions will honor students who have won scholarships and college and departmental awards at its annual Honors Convocation on Wednesday, April 16, at the Center for Continuing Education. The ceremony also gives the college the opportunity to recognize benefactors for their private gift support that funds scholarships.

The college awarded scholarships totaling $403,257 to 222 students for the 2008-09 academic year. Last year, the college awarded scholarships totaling $374,000 to 199 students.

“As you can see, we have many generous contributors to the college and many deserving students,” said Reed Greenwood, dean of the college. “We are extremely proud of these students, and our faculty and staff members enjoy the opportunity to meet them as well as our donors at the annual Honors Convocation. Giving benefactors a chance to meet the recipients of scholarships makes for a joyous event that we look forward to taking part in each year.”

Greenwood also praised the students who will take home top awards in each academic program.

“These are some of the brightest students in their fields, and many are practitioners in the education and health fields who have returned to the college environment to enhance their skills with advanced degrees,” he said.

Hotz scholarships were awarded to Jennifer Fall of Mahomet, Ill., a health science major, as outstanding sophomore and to Lindsey Sarratt of Goodman, Mo., a childhood education major, as outstanding junior. The Presidential Scholar Award went to Jacquelynn Booker of Goshen, a kinesiology major.

Booker is finishing her sophomore year and is in the process of changing her concentration to pre-athletic training. She plays varsity soccer for the university.

She plans to apply to physical therapy school once she completes her bachelor’s degree. Following that, she would like to work for the Army as a physical therapist for U.S. troops.

“I have a sister who has been in the Army for four years, and it seems like there is a real need for physical therapists in the military,” Booker said. “I could work either in rehabilitation for soldiers returning home or be deployed to travel from base to base. I think it will be a great experience.”

Fall has taken several health science courses but has not decided yet on what sort of career she would like to pursue. She’s interested in corporate fitness or possibly working in a health promotion role for a nonprofit organization.

Sarratt plans to teach on the upper elementary level after she completes the Master of Arts in Teaching program in 2010. She said she has wanted to be a teacher since she was in kindergarten.

“My mom was a teacher so it’s in our bloodline,” she said. “I never wanted to do anything different.”

First-ranked senior scholars are Margaret Adair, Christy Cameron, Katelin Hornaday and Jennifer Walker. Senior scholars are Tracy Hager, Anna Kate Morgan, Amber Stout and Natalie Wagner.

Seniors in the Honors Program are Margaret Adair, Lisa Asbury, Alisa Beachy, Brandyn Buss, Rachel Cashion, Jillian Martin, Molly Muck, Julie Nelson, Kala Price, Jennifer Walker and Myranda Weese.

The college will also honor faculty members who won awards for the academic year: Chris Lucas, professor of higher education and educational foundations, for teaching; Jay Greene, professor of education reform, for research; Cheryl Murphy, associate professor of educational technology, for service; Susan Riggs, instructor of curriculum and instruction, for advising; Michael Wavering, associate professor of secondary education, for all-around performance; and Charles Riggs, professor of kinesiology, for career achievement.