2012–2013
ACADEMIC AWARDS March 27, 2013 at 10:30 AM | Hutchinson Auditorium
Devyn Jackson | Art Overcoming obstacles in any area of education can be daunting for an unimaginative mind. Some of us stumble into, through or around these impediments, but few there be who “leap like a gazelle” over them to sweet victory beyond. This year’s Academic Award for Art recipient continues to hone her artistic abilities in Design II at a level that never fails to exceed expectations! Her meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship throughout the design process is inspiring to watch. She embraces each design challenge with a willing heart and mind. Week after week she advances her exercises and projects until they shine. I believe she takes seriously Leonardo da Vinci’s statement that “Where the heart does not engage the hand, there is no art.” And so, it is with great merit that Devyn Jackson is receiving this year’s Academic Award for Art.
Olivia Craig | Behavioral Science This year’s lower division Behavioral Science winner is Olivia Craig. She has made an A in each of three Behavioral Science courses, one each semester she has attended Florida College; and she is currently taking Economics. She is a quiet but dedicated student who writes well and delivers interesting and astute observations when she does speak out. She has a genuine interest in learning; especially it seems for the science of human behavior. Whether or not she continues her study of Behavioral Science I expect her to make good practical use of the work she has done so far. Congratulations to this year’s Behavioral Science Award winner: Olivia Craig.
Andrew Dow | D. Philip Roberts Award in Upper-Division Bible Andrew takes his studies seriously and puts excellent thought into his written work. He is motivated by a desire to do his best, and he has grown as a scholar and as a leader among his peers. It is obvious that he loves the study and teaching of God’s word and is zealous in his work of preparation for further service. He is a humble servant of Christ who has dedicated himself to excellence in becoming the best teacher of the Word that he can possibly be. Andrew’s studies with us in the Biblical Studies Department over the past three years leave us with a singular conviction: that he is devoted to the pursuit of truth wherever that may lead him. Andrew is a dedicated, spiritual, and humble Bible student who will prove his value in the Kingdom of Christ in many ways. We will look forward for years to come to watching his work and life as a servant of Christ.
Christina Goosey | Bible (Lower) Christina is one of those exceptional students that every teacher lives for and, if we were honest, would want to take at least partial credit for their great accomplishments. The reality is that Christina would still learn and excel in her studies if one were the worst teacher in the world. She is attentive, punctual, respectful, prepared, studious—the ideal student. Her humility on top of her accomplishments demonstrates her true love for God.
Timothy Duke | Biology This year’s biology award goes to Mr. Timothy Duke. Tim has a high level of interest in biology and he demonstrates in his scores, writing and labs that he both understands and enjoys biology. He shows initiative to go beyond the subject matter covered in class, and he chooses advanced topics to explore. His plan is to major in health sciences, and his work in biology has demonstrated that this is a good selection for him.
Jon Wickersheim | Business (Upper) Jonathan has maintained a high GPA on his coursework all four years at Florida College. He has continued to be a leader in the business program, always giving his very best to everything that he does. He is a great example of a godly man and a positive influence to his peers. He will undoubtedly continue to provide much-needed ethical and moral leadership in his business career.
Jennifer Lynn | Business (Lower) Jenny has achieved a high GPA in her first three semesters at Florida College. She has done this with a lot of hard work and determination. Jenny is a constant academic and spiritual leader inside and outside the classroom. She goes beyond what is expected in every course attempting to learn as much as she can from each subject. Jenny has set the bar high for her peers for many years to come..
Michael Reeves | Chemistry The recipient of this year’s Chemistry Academic Award has a keen mind and a natural enthusiasm for learning; or maybe it’s a love of discovery. Whatever it is, it has motivated him to pursue a genuine understanding of the chemistry he has been asked to learn. He also possesses an outstanding work ethic, as shown in his willingness to assist in the teaching of chemistry to
others in a laboratory setting. For his academic achievement in the field of chemistry, it is a pleasure to present this year’s award to Mr. Michael Reeves.
Sarah Smetzer | Communication Communication is a challenging discipline. It examines the world from both a humanities and social scientific perspective. It requires students to excel at theory and application. Few students melded the interplay between those perspectives as well as Sarah Smetzer. Sarah is one of those students who tries to use what she learns in the classroom. Her mastery of the material was always evident in the classroom. However, her infectious enthusiasm for the discipline and the material made her a joy to teach. She always found challenge in the coursework and always rose to it with a smile. It was an honor to have her in class and as a representative of our program. We pray God blesses her as much as she has blessed us.
Kaylin Hinton | Elementary Ed. (Upper) Kaylin Hinton is our “Barnabas.” Her positive nature, care for others, and zeal for learning and teaching all have enamored her to the Elementary Education Faculty and her fellow pre-teachers. Miss Hinton has not “met a stranger” nor has withheld any questions she may have had about instruction or content that would help her in her quest for excellence as a molder of minds. All of the teachers she has worked with in her three internships have admired her love for children and learning and have rewarded her with accolades and high scores on her evaluations. Kaylin’s conscientious nature and spiritual focus continue to guide her work with young and old alike in a respectful, God -fearing manner. It is therefore an honor to acknowledge Miss Kaylin Hinton as this year’s recipient for the Elementary Education Upper Division Academic Award.
Kinley Yancey | Elementary Ed. (Lower) Kinley has already exhibited the potential to be an outstanding teacher. The Elementary Education professors that have had Kinley in class have noted her consistent work ethic and attention to detail. She is perceptive and thoughtful in her comments and coursework. Additionally, Kinley’s positive and collegial demeanor; in addition to her Christ-like spirit, contribute to the perception that she has the makings of a young person that will impact the future in a most beneficial manner. It is therefore an honor to acknowledge Miss Kinley Yancey as this year’s recipient for the Elementary Education Lower Division Academic Award.
Annemarie Nichols | English This year’s recipient for the Academic Award in English is passionate and enthusiastic for anything related to literature. Her sweet Southern charm is no mask for her keen mind in making connections between works she has read and studied and the works we discuss in class. Her excellent training and education coupled with her genuine desire to know more drive her to consistent excellence in her work, often raising the bar for other in class. The English Department is privileged to honor Annemarie Nichols this year with the Academic Award in English.
David Smelser | Liberal Studies Each year, because of the interdisciplinary emphasis of the Liberal Studies major, the Liberal Studies Department presents its academic award to a student who has demonstrated excellence in more than one discipline. This year’s recipient is David Smelser, whose degree program combines Biblical Literature, Biblical Languages, Behavioral Science, and Great Books, and who is currently working on a thesis to complete the Honors Curriculum. David has distinguished himself in each of the disciplines his program comprises. His professors in Biblical Literature and Languages commend David’s “ability to synthesize information from various disciplines” and “his skill in working in the original Greek text”; in Behavioral Science, David has demonstrated his willingness to undertake intellectually challenging work and—as an SI leader for General Psychology—to go far beyond the requirements of the position in order to help other students. David has engaged the Great Books with keen perceptiveness, frequently recognizing connections between books and between disciplines. He truly exemplifies the breadth of interest and the depth of intellectual curiosity the Liberal Studies program intends to cultivate.
William Hammontree | Math William shows great enthusiasm for learning! Academically, he has completed all math courses with excellence, served PTK, Math Lab leader and been on the Dean’s List of Scholars. Socially, he served as Freshman Class President, Phi Sigma Chi athletic director, Camp Friend and Yearbook Designer. Physically, he was a member of the Soccer Team and Phi Sigma Chi Athletic Director. Spiritually, he has spoken in Chapel, leads singing and prayers and is an active member of the Temple Terrace congregation. In all of this he maintains a wonderful balance and is a friend to all who know him. With genuine pride and pleasure, the math faculty acknowledges William Hammontree as the 2012–2013 recipient for the Mathematics Academic Award.
Amanda Spires | French In the study of foreign language, the goal is to be able to communicate effectively in that language. This involves continually building new structures onto the foundation of material already learned. This year’s recipient of the French award is an extremely busy student, but she has taken the time each week to build on what she has learned before in order to excel. For her dedication to excellence in scholarship, we congratulate Amanda Spires, this year’s outstanding French student.
Abigail Green | Spanish The 2012–2013 Spanish Award goes to Ms. Abigail Green. This honor has traditionally been given to the student achieving the highest cumulative percentage grade over two semesters at the intermediate level. Abby has achieved this goal by consistently demonstrating high levels of language proficiency in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Additionally, she has worked well with a gifted group of her peers, collaborating in lively conversation and in energetic participation in class activities. ¡Felicitaciones, Abby!
Virginia Maness | Music (Upper) Virginia Maness is this year’s upper-division Music award winner. Virginia is a very hard worker and a diligent student in all of her classes. Her study skills and practice habits set a standard of excellence that our younger students can look up to and emulate. As a piano major, Virginia has played many solos, ensembles and accompaniments on departmental recitals throughout her years at FC. She also has volunteered her time to work behind the scenes on drama productions and other events at the college. Virginia will give her senior piano recital on April 4 and graduate in May with a major in Music and a minor in Communication. Please join us in recognizing Virginia Maness as the outstanding upper-division Music student.
Christina Goosey | Music (Lower) This year’s recipient of the lower-division Music award is Christina Goosey. Christina always arrives at class with a smile on her face ready to learn and participate. She earns top grades on all of her assignments and tests. As a piano major who has maintained a high GPA, she has also played in orchestra and piano ensemble, sung in and accompanied the Chorus, played piano and violin on many recitals, played in the pit orchestra of the musical productions and accompanied the Bassett voice studio. While working toward finishing her Music degree in three years, she has also taken the science prerequisites to allow her to eventually pursue a double major in Music and dietetics. The Music Department would like to congratulate Christina Goosey on her outstanding achievement.
William Hammontree | Physics The Florida College Physics Award is given each year to the physics or engineering major who has achieved the highest academic performance in General Physics with Calculus. This year’s recipient demonstrated his excellence by encouraging participation in class, asking interesting questions, and helping his classmates with difficult homework assignments. In the lab, he demonstrated team work by encouraging the active participation of all his lab partners. One classmate comments: “He is consistently prepared, works hard, and demonstrates academic integrity.” The department is pleased to recognize William Hammontree with its 2013 Academic Award.
Elizabeth Greiving | Social Science It is a pleasure to award Libba Greiving the Florida College Academic Award for Social Science. Over her four years at Florida College, Libba has taken full advantage of the College’s offerings in history, as she has completed her Liberal Studies degree. In upper division seminars, Libba’s thorough research and analytical writing have been a benefit to her fellow students. Her sound historical instincts and flair for writing mark her intellectual work. Indeed, what truly marks Libba as an exceptional student is her desire to not simply “get a grade,” but to pursue her academic interests to the fullest degree possible.