2022 Hardin, Clark Scholars Named at Honors Recognition Banquet

Top student honors announced

2022 Hardin, Clark Scholars Named at Honors Recognition Banquet

The Hardin and Clark Scholars, the top academic honors at Midwestern State University, and other outstanding students were named during the annual Honors Recognition Banquet April 22 in D.L. Ligon Coliseum.

Zetta Noelle Cannedy was named Hardin Scholar. Cannedy is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science with a double minor in economics and gender studies. The Hardin Scholar is the university’s highest award for academic excellence and was begun in 1962 by the Hardin Foundation. It is presented each spring to a student during his or her senior year and a $3,000 scholarship award is given with the honor.

Cannedy is a member of the Redwine Honors Program, Student Government Association, MSU Crew and serves as president of Phi Eta Sigma. She volunteers at First Baptist Church teaching first graders, and is active as a coach with the local Upward Sports League for basketball, cheer, soccer, and more.

Cannedy has been a member of the MSU Texas Model United Nations team since Fall 2020, competing in 2021 to receive the highest award given of Outstanding Delegation. She is co-published with Dr. Juheon Lee in the Journal of Integrated Social Sciences with an article “Abortion Attitudes in American Society: Role of Sexism, Working Mother, and State Policies.” She is also an intern with SECURUS, an international strategic trade consultation company that takes only two student interns each semester. Faculty members describe her as an “amazing, focused, and dedicated student.” Upon graduation, Cannedy plans to attend a law school, and later practice law focused on women’s rights issues.

Finalists for the Hardin Scholar were Colin Brady Nelson and Brittany Nicole Roberts.

Andrés Christopher Revis, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a double major in political science and global studies, was named Clark Scholar. The Clark award was established in 1976 to honor E.B. Clark, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the MSU Foundation, and carries with it a $1,500 scholarship award. It is presented each spring to a student in his or her junior year.

Revis was the 2020-2021 Outstanding Freshman Man and named to the President’s Honor Roll, as well as the recipient of the Perkins-Prothro Scholarship. He is a volunteer for the food bank, a high school speech and debate judge and team consultant, and Underdog Express and Texas Pit Crew, dog fostering services. Revis’ goals consist of continuing his education in international affairs and pursuing a career in either a non-governmental organization or the U.S. State Department.

Revis is active on the MSU Texas campus as a member of the Model United Nations team, a Student Council Officer of the Redwine Honors program, senator of the Student Government Association, president of the French Club, and a tutor for the Tutoring & Academic Support Programs.

Finalists for the Clark Scholar were Holly Rene Ferguson, Yoseph Mahmoud Helal, Kierra Tai Hicks, Elizabeth Janelle Horn, and Carla Ariel Parra.

Leadership Awards

Leadership awards were presented to Woman of the Year Megan Widner, Man of the Year Anil Khanal, Outstanding Graduate Woman Leslie Cook, Outstanding Graduate Man Tony Twilligear, Outstanding Senior Woman Neila Jones, Outstanding Senior Man Brendon Miller, Outstanding Junior Woman Ebany Hanna, Outstanding Junior Man Nicholas Hubbert, Outstanding Sophomore Woman Fatima Marquez, Outstanding Sophomore Man Hunter Moore, Outstanding Freshman Woman Kassidy Comer, and Outstanding Freshman Man 

Jacob Pettigrew. The Viola Grady Leadership Award was presented to Amanda Threlkeld; the James L. Stewart Service Award was presented to the Redwine Honors Program; and the Howard Farrell Community Excellence Award was presented to Braelyn Ringwald, and the Outstanding Alumni Association Award was presented to Exziyah Greenlee.

Academic Awards

Academic awards presented to students in the Dillard College of Business Administration were Outstanding Accounting Student Galesha Henry, Outstanding Economics Student Megan Smith, Outstanding Finance Student Katrina Matamoros, Outstanding General Business Student Madison O’Neal, Outstanding Management Student Elaine Armstrong, Outstanding Management Information Systems Student Yohann Isaac, Outstanding Marketing Student Amira Johnson, and Outstanding Graduate Student In Business Administration Anil Khanal.

Students recognized from the Gordon T. and Ellen West College of Education were Outstanding Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Student Brooklyn Bunch, Outstanding Bilingual Education Student Serena Burns, Outstanding Elementary Education Student Savannah Schreiber, Outstanding 4th Through 8th Grade Education Student Bailey Brenek, Outstanding Kinesiology Student Julie Green, Outstanding Secondary Education Student Megan Thonsgaard, Outstanding Special Education Student Reagan Hughes, Outstanding Sport and Leisure Studies Student Mason Garrett, and Outstanding Graduate Student in Education Cynthia Stalnaker.

Awards presented to students in the Lamar D. Fain College of Fine Arts were Outstanding Art Student Andi Newberry, Outstanding Mass Communication Student Stephanie Robledo, Outstanding Music Student James Cating, and Outstanding Theatre Student Chelsea Chappell.

Students recognized from the Robert D. & Carol Gunn College of Health Sciences & Human Services were Outstanding Athletic Training Student Matthew Day, Outstanding Criminal Justice Student Brett Haight, Outstanding Dental Hygiene Student Darian Berend, Outstanding Exercise Physiology Student Lydia Acuna, Outstanding Nursing Student Cortni Haight, Outstanding Radiologic Science Student Karigan Brown, Outstanding Respiratory Care Student Reagan Branicky, Outstanding Social Work Student Sicily Franklin, and Outstanding Graduate Student in Health Sciences and Human Services Jeannie TallBear.

Students recognized from the Prothro-Yeager College of Humanities & Social Sciences were Outstanding English Student Callie Bishop, Outstanding Student in a Foreign Language Jaime Aleman, Outstanding History Student Shane Huizenga, Outstanding Humanities Student Sara Conyers, Outstanding Global Studies Student Madison Harris, Outstanding Political Science Student Brendon Miller, Outstanding Psychology Student Michael Hoang, Outstanding Sociology Student Autumn Fredline, and Outstanding Graduate Student in Humanities and Social Sciences Hettiyadura Karunaratne.

Awards presented to students in the McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering were Outstanding Biology Student Alyssa Brown, Outstanding Chemistry Student Hayley Liddiard, Outstanding Computer Science Student Allyson Warren, Outstanding Environmental Science Student Kathryn Brown, Outstanding Geosciences Student Wesmond Williams, Outstanding Mathematics Student Jaden Towe, Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Student Olivia Fadow, Outstanding Physics Student Hunter Baker, and Outstanding Graduate Student in Science, Mathematics Kyle Stuckey.