The College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences held its annual honors convocation in Pottle Auditorium. Several students and faculty won awards for academic excellence and service to Southeastern.
AHSS Dean Dr. Jeffrey Wright congratulated the award recipients, recognizing them for their ability to analyze and interpret complex information they gained during their education.
“Each of you being honored today has done more than earn strong grades or complete a degree. You have learned how to think – critically, creatively and with purpose. You have…developed the ability to see the world not just as it is, but what it could be…The world needs exactly what you have to offer,” Wright said.
All award winners are listed below.
Three professors won the President’s Award for Excellence, including The Lion’s Roar’s faculty advisor Dr. Chelsea Slack. She was honored for displaying excellence in service. Each professor will be recognized at the institution’s convocation in August.
Senior strategic communication major Yasmin Taylor was one of three communication graduates who won the Outstanding Senior award in Communication. Each were honored for graduating with the highest GPA in the department. She said she did not expect to receive this award.
“I’m very excited and honored to receive this award, so I’m excited, and I’m thankful,” Taylor said. She said after graduation, she will be pursuing her master’s in strategic communication and working as a graduate assistant with career services.
Senior theatre major Sophia Maranto, who won the Excellence in Theatre award from the Department of Visual Art + Design, also said she was surprised and honored by the recognition.
She said, “I got an email that said I’m getting the Department Award for Excellence in Theater. And I was like, ‘Are you sure?’”
Dr. Wright closed the ceremony with a speech about the value of the humanities degree, even during the time of artificial intelligence and evolving technology threatening to potentially replace employees with humanities backgrounds.
“At a time when the value of the liberal arts is often questioned, and when the headlines suggest that technical skill alone will define the future, your work tells a different story. We are living in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence…what they cannot do is replace human judgment, ethical reasoning, empathy or imagination,” Wright said.
There are several more college convocations taking place this week. The College of Computer Science and Technology’s convocation is today from 3:30-5 p.m. in the iHub and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences’ convocation is tonight at 5 p.m. in the Student Union Theater.
Commencement is next Saturday, May 16. Graduates from the College of Business and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences will be honored at the 10 a.m. ceremony, and graduates from the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Technology and the College of Education will be honored at the 3 p.m. ceremony.
Award winners from each department are listed below.
President’s Award for Excellence:
Excellence in Teaching: Political Science instructor Bridget Hester
Excellence in Service: Communication and Media Studies instructor Dr. Chelsea Slack
Excellence in Creative Activity: Music instructor Dr. Philip Schuessler
Department of Communication and Media Studies:
Outstanding Senior Award in Communication: Yasmin Taylor, Kayla Edwards, Katielynn Saxon
Department of English and World Languages:
Outstanding Senior in English (Creative Writing): Adam Taylor
Outstanding Senior in English (Language and Literature): Ainsley O’Brian
D Vickers Award in Creative Writing: Emily Drez
Outstanding Senior Award in World Languages: Paige Bigelow
Outstanding Senior Award in World Languages (Spanish Education): Sarai Guerrero
General Studies:
Outstanding Graduate Senior Award in General Studies: Austin Andrews
Director’s Award in General Studies: Cali Boudreaux
Department of History and Political Science:
Martina Buck Award in History: Lily McKean
Harold Leu Award in Political Science: Brett Angelou, Oreoluwa Onafowokan
Department of Music and Performing Arts:
James Wilcox Outstanding Graduating Music Major: Jessica Aime
Ralph R. Pottle Outstanding Freshman: Lewis Blakley
Department of Psychology:
Outstanding Graduating Senior in Psychology: Taylor Underwood, Morgan Kendrick
Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice:
Marc P. Riedel Outstanding Graduating Senior Award in Criminal Justice: Connor Smal
Dale Parent Outstanding Graduating Seniro Award in Sociology: Kaleigh Bourgeois
Department of Visual Art + Design:
Excellence in Theatre Design: Rhiannon Cook
Excellence in Theatre: Sophia Maranto
2026 Juried Student Exhibition Best in Show: Raynia Johnson
