Columbus State honors its top students, faculty at 2017 convocation

Amber Terrell, who was a senior math and secondary education major at Columbus State University this year, received the most prestigious annual award CSU gives a student as the winner of the 2017 Faculty Cup.

Edward O’Donnell, associate professor of marketing in CSU’s Turner College of Business, was named CSU’s 2016-2017 Educator of the Year, a recognition from CSU’s Student Government Association based on student nominations.

Here is a roundup of the awards announced during CSU’s Scholastic Honors Convocation in Legacy Hall at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, according to the university’s news release.

Faculty Cup

In addition to the Faculty Cup, Terrell, who graduated with honors, received CSU’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship, the Hallmark Cards/Hall Family Foundation Scholarship, and the TSYS Future Scholars Scholarship. She has served as member, vice president and president of WeTeach, the student organization in CSU’s UTeach program. She also has been a mentor for Live United Youth Council and a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, March of Dimes, Relay for Life and local elementary schools. She is interested in teaching in high-needs school districts and serving as an advocate for active, hands-on learning in mathematics.

Educator of the Year

O’Donnell was CSU’s representative for the 2014 University System of Georgia Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award and the 2013 Scholarship of Teaching Award. In 2011, he received CSU’s Faculty Research and Scholarship Award. He earned his master’s degree in accounting from the University of Akron and his doctorate in marketing from Kent State University. He recently directed an honors thesis which resulted in a peer-reviewed publication.

State recognition

Amy Melton, who was a senior music education major, is one of 28 students in the University System of Georgia honored by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2017 Academic Recognition Day.

Students of excellence

The following students were selected as the most deserving to represent each department and were recognized during the convocation:

▪ Department of Biology: Rachel Pearson

▪ Department of Chemistry: Nicole Sikes

▪ Department of Mathematics: Amber Terrell

▪ Department of Modern & Classical Languages: Armando Fernandez

▪ Department of Earth & Space Science: Nicholas Garcia

▪ Department of Psychology: Amelia Barton

▪ Department of History & Geography: Jane Mader

▪ Department of English: Cailee Davis

▪ Department of Politics, Philosophy and Public Administration: Hugrun Elvarsdottir

▪ Department of Theatre: Constance Tolbert

▪ Department of Communication: Madison Ullman

▪ Schwob School of Music: John Rogler

▪ Department of Art: Julianna Wells

▪ Graduate Business Program: Richard Navratil

▪ Department of Accounting & Finance: Kaitlyn Moye

▪ Department of Marketing & Management: Kayla Forsythe

▪ TSYS School of Computer Science: Marko Maksimovic

▪ School of Nursing: Levie Jones

▪ Department of Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science: April Jowers

▪ Department of Teacher Education: Savannah Talley

▪ Department of Counseling, Foundations and Leadership: Karen Hancock

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Columbus State honors its top students, faculty at 2017 convocation."