Student Life Recognizes Campus Leaders For Their Many Contributions

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - The co-captain of the women's soccer team and a transfer student active in leadership roles captured top honors at the 2017 Winthrop University Student Life Awards ceremony on April 20 at the DiGiorgio Campus Center.

Anne Cushman, who is an English major and biology minor from Raleigh, North Carolina, was given the Mary Mildred Sullivan Award. A member of the honors program, Cushman was a peer mentor, the community service coordinator for the NCAA Student Athlete Advisory Council and the Winthrop representative at a national conference on improving drug and alcohol awareness among student athletes.

William Keen, a theatre major and religion minor of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was presented with the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. Once Keen arrived at Winthrop, he became a New Student Orientation intern, Student Safe Zones coordinator, Orientation staff coordinator, Orientation Leader and chair of his Pi Kappa Phi fraternity's philanthropy. He plans to attend graduate school at Grand Valley State University in Michigan to pursue a degree in college student affairs leadership.

The April 20 ceremony was sponsored by the Division of Student Life. Various staff members and Frank Ardaiolo, vice president for student life, presented the awards.

The prestigious American Legion Award was given to Delayna Burroughs of Clinton, South Carolina. The award is presented annually to graduating students who display outstanding courage, companionship, character, service and scholarship. The early childhood education major helped with the TRiO leadership council and the S.C. YMCA Youth in Government, coached students in tennis and lacrosse and advocated strongly for children in need.

The James C. and Kimberly Dickens Williamson Leadership Award is given to an undergraduate who demonstrates campus or community leadership. Ximena Perez-Velazco, a junior human nutrition major from Cheraw, South Carolina, was an Orientation Leader and the Panhellenic delegate in the Zeta Tau Chapter of Alpha Delta Pi.

Senior Lindsay Bradley, a mathematics major from Rock Hill, was recognized with the Gloria Godfrey Jones Outstanding Tutor Award for her enthusiasm, patience and ability to help engage every student in an engaging way. The honors student helped tutor for three and a half years in the Academic Success Center and math department.

The Student Environmental Action Coalition won the Outstanding Student Organization Award, which was accepted by Co-Presidents Clara Kress and Savannah Moritzky. In two years, the group has gone from nonexistent to a thriving socially conscious organization to raise awareness on campus about environmental issues.

The Outstanding Student Organization Program Award went to Dancehall: Africa, a global learning cultural event sponsored by the Gentlemen's League. Accepting the award was event organizer Antonio Martin and the group's president, DeVon Ford.

Additional awards given were:

The Diversity and Student Engagement Award: Amandine Farrugia, a French student who has spent seven years at Winthrop, most recently as the graduate assistant for the Office of Diversity and Student Engagement. She will graduate in May with an M.B.A. in accounting.
Exemplary Service by an Individual: Garcelle Franklin, a senior history major with a double minor in African American studies and social science from Blythewood, South Carolina.
Exemplary Single Service Project by a Group: Meagan Holland, a junior political science major from Greenville, South Carolina, and Cameryn Mitchell, a sophomore human resource major from Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Serving Others and Reflecting (SOAR) Award: Verneisha Smith, junior English major with a minor in leadership studies from Pawley's Island, South Carolina.
The Engaged Community Partner: Rock Hill Police Community Services Officer William Andrews Jr., who works with Wards 1 and 5 and went door to door with new VISTA staff members, in addition to helping with other university and neighborhood projects.
Intern of the Year: Katie Cantrell, a senior integrated marketing communication major from York, South Carolina, who worked at the Carolina Wildlife Center.
Faculty Award for Service Learning: Shawnna Helf, assistant professor of literacy education in the Richard W. Riley College of Education, who started a "Growing Readers" service learning project in her literacy course.
Cynthia A. Cassens Resident Assistant of the Year: Aaron Parris, a junior early childhood education major from Simpsonville, South Carolina, who worked as an R.A. for two years in Roddey Hall and then Wofford Hall.
Greek Chapter of the Year Award, Sorority: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Greek Chapter of the Year, Fraternity: Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity
Greek Woman of the Year Award: Chelsea Brown, a senior early childhood education major from Charleston, South Carolina, of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority.
Greek Man of the Year Award: Aaron Howell, a senior psychology major from Boiling Springs, South Carolina, of Pi Kappa Phi.
Club Sport Officer of the Year: Abby Roe, an early childhood major from Clemson, South Carolina, and president of the Horseback Riding Club.
Club Sport of the Year: the Horseback Riding Club, a group of 24 men and women who trained at the Gaston Farms in Chester, South Carolina, and competed and placed in competition as a club.
Grant Scurry Dedication Award: Holly Rittenberry, a senior athletic training major and health minor from Warrenville, South Carolina.
Wellness Alliance: Gentlemen's League won this inaugural award for spearheading wellness initiatives on campus.
Wellness Advocate Award: Antonio Martin, a senior biology major from Elloree, South Carolina.
Active Bystander Award: Kristin Streetman, a junior visual communication and design major with a concentration in graphic design from Simpsonville, South Carolina.
Fred Angerman Quality Staff Award: Ricky Boler, an ARAMARK employee who has worked on campus for more than 25 years and is considered indispensable to the catering team.

For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or longshawj@winthrop.edu.