Southeastern Honors and International Initiatives recognizes top students

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Honors and International Initiatives Program was unable to host the traditional spring recognition ceremony due to coronavirus restrictions. Instead, the Honors Program announced its 2019-20 award winners online on April 29. Students submitted videos, biographies, and photos to create a gallery for the virtual celebration.

The virtual celebration also announced the 2019-20 Honors Student of the Year, biological sciences major Tyler Tran of Slidell. Each year the Honors Program selects one student who exemplifies the best spirit of academic achievement, community citizenship, and other service.

“Tyler Tran is one of the best-rounded candidates for this award I’ve ever seen. He is a great student and has presented his research on phylogenetics with Dr. April Wright’s lab at professional conferences,” said Honors Director Dr. Claire Procopio. “He is a leader in multiple campus organizations including Honors Ambassadors, DOA, and BUgS with a serious service mindset. He balances all of that with working and volunteering with underprivileged kids to inspire them to pursue STEM careers.”

The program also recognized Instructor of Acting and Directing Chad Winters as the 2019-20 Honors Professor of the Year. Winters was selected by Honors Program students.

Students were recognized in four areas – Scholars Diploma, Freshman of the Year Nominees, Sophomore Honors Distinction, and Thirteen Club.

Students who receive the Scholars Diploma have earned fifteen hours of honors core credit, nine hours of upper-level honors credit in their major, and successfully authored and defended an honors thesis. This is the highest achievement an Honors Program student can attain and marks them as dedicated scholars in their chosen majors.

Nominees selected for Honors Freshman of the Year were chosen for their leadership inside and outside of the classroom.

Honorees of Sophomore Honors distinction have completed fifteen hours of honors credit earning no grade lower than a ‘B’ by the end of the fourth regular semester.

Thirteen Club Honors Society inductees are seniors who have at least a 3.2 grade point average, never earned a grade lower than a ‘C’ and have completed all of their academic work at Southeastern. The Honors Program inducted 131 students into the Thirteen Club.

Ten students were recognized for earning the university’s Honors Diploma. Recipients included Katelynn Bartholomew of Tickfaw in Communication, Karley Bordelon of Hammond in General Studies, Pedro Jimenez Antenucci of Madisonville in Chemistry, Kristen Johnson of Liberty, Miss., in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Grace Klein of Covington in Kinesiology, Mollie Millet of Morgan City in Political Science, Surah Moss Muhammad of Laplace in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Ryker Rowe of Mandeville in History, Andrew Sherman of Ponchatoula in Biological Sciences, and Lindsey Watkins of Baton Rouge in English.

Students nominated for Freshman of the Year include the following:

• FRANKLINTON – Madison Ledet
• GONZALES – Zachary Poche
• HAMMOND – Zoe Burns and Andrew Loyacano
• MANDEVILLE – John Loftin and Razan Qamar
• METAIRIE – Mariana Aguilera
• PAULINA – Carter McComack
• PORT ALLEN – Braxton Michel
• PRAIRIEVILLE – Daniela Morales
• TERRYTOWN – Joshua Freeman
• ZACHARY – Maya Green

The list of students receiving Sophomore Honors distinction includes the following:

• BAKER – Kaela Moore
• BATON ROUGE – Dean Gautreau, Tianna Gotch, and Evian Vo
• BELLE CHASSE – Abbigail Guilbeau
• BOGALUSA – Joseph Ezell
• BUSH – Celina Hoover
• COVINGTON – Delaney Bright and Catherine Hamilton
• DENHAM SPRINGS – Anabelle Jennings, Ryleigh Magee, Phoenix Morel and Lorren Tannehill
• GEISMAR – Brian Bourg
• GONZALES – Jennifer Alvarado
• GRAMERCY – Victoria Rocquin
• GREENWELL SPRINGS – Kamryn Fouts and Caroline Leblanc
• HAMMOND – Katelyn Seghers and Rachel Yang
• HOUMA – Alvin Delaune
• LAGOS, NIGERIA – Mercy Agbo
• MADISONVILLE – Megan Caillouet and Pedro Jiminez Antenucci
• MANDEVILLE – Jacey Fitzmorris and Kate White
• METAIRIE – Emily Boudreaux, Renee Boudreaux, and Alaura Cervini
• NEW ORLEANS – Jamal Lawson
• PEARL RIVER – Colwyn Klemencic and Amy Schneida
• PENNSYLVANIA, PA – Chloe Jones
• PICAYUNE, MS – Alexandra Lawson
• PONCHATOULA – Miranda Bickford, Hannah Henderson, Chasity Kyzar, and Mallory Pecoraro
• PRAIRIEVILLE – Elizabeth Edwards
• SAINT AMANT – Julia Roubique
• SIMMESPORT – Saydie Rusk
• SLIDELL – Madison Peters
• SORRENTO – Amber Hebert