Annual Scholastic Honors Convocation spotlights ‘top’ students

May 2, 2024

Held on Friday, April 26, Columbus State University’s annual Scholastic Honors Convocation bestowed awards on more than 130 students for their academic and service accomplishments at the university, departmental and program levels.

Awards included the Faculty Cup Award and Educator of the Year Award—considered to be the university’s “top” awards for students and faculty.

Faculty Cup: Bailey Melton

Melton (pictured, main image), a Columbus native, will graduate in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in digital humanities. She has demonstrated her international interests by earning the prestigious Boren Fellowship and study abroad experiences through Columbus State in Jordan and at the University of Oxford. She is a member of the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society and serves in the Student Government Association, in addition to other campus and community activities.

The Faculty Cup is the highest student award bestowed by the university, recognizing a student classified as a senior for their superior academic achievement, student engagement, leadership, service and potential for future achievement.

Educator of the Year: Dr. Kerri Taylor

An associate professor of chemistry, Taylor (pictured) has served on the faculty since 2016. Her nomination cited her for the dedication she shows her students and her commitment to remaining in touch with them even after they graduate. Her students benefit from her extensive teaching and research experience, which focuses on breast and prostate cancer. 

The Educator of the Year Award is presented annually by the Student Government Association to recognize and promote teaching excellence among the university’s faculty. Awardees are nominated by students and evaluated based on knowledge, consistency, dependability and creativity.

OTHER AWARDS

The program also recognized recipients of departmental- and program-level Student of Excellence and other awards. The ceremony also recognized eight students who received graduating senior honor cords, 162 students inducted into the Honors College's Honoris Causa organization, and 21 students, faculty and administrators inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi international honor society.

The Scholastic Honors Convocation website provides information about the awards and downloadable programs from this and previous years’ ceremonies. Photos from the ceremony are available from the university’s online Flickr account.

Media contact:
Michael Tullier, APR, Executive Director of Strategic Communication + Marketing, 706.507.8729, mtullier@columbusstate.edu