ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA - Winthrop University awarded three graduating seniors the President’s Award for Academic Excellence during the Dec. 16 Commencement ceremony. The award is given to students who have the highest GPA of their graduating class.
The trio accepted their awards on the Winthrop Coliseum stage from President Edward Serna ’02.
They are:
*Millie Bridwell of Greer, South Carolina, who earned a concentration in accounting and minored in risk assurance. A first-generation college graduate, she served as a dedicated member and tutor for the TRiO program. She was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honorary society and was chosen as the chief student marshal for Commencement exercises. In the upcoming year, Bridwell will begin sitting for the CPA exam and will start work in January towards a Master of Professional Accountancy at Clemson University. Following graduation, she will begin her career at Rodl & Partner.
*Cody Cook of Clover, South Carolina, is a double major in history and French. During college, he studied abroad for a semester at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. While at Winthrop, he served as president of Phi Alpha Theta, a national history honor society. He continues to work at Winthrop’s Louise Pettus Archives, where he worked for two years as a student. He is currently applying to history graduate programs.
*Jessia Smith of Union, South Carolina, completed her degree in exercise science with a concentration in athletic training. She served as treasurer of Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society and as secretary of the Winthrop chapter of CHAARG to empower women through fitness training and education. She was a member of the Athletic Training and Exercise Science clubs as a program ambassador for the Richard W. Riley College of Education, Sport and Human Sciences. Smith will continue her studies at Winthrop in the Master of Science in Athletic Training program.
For more information, contact Judy Longshaw, news and media services manager, at 803/323-2404 or e-mail her at longshawj@winthrop.edu.
