Southeastern Honors and International Initiatives recognizes top students

Southeastern Louisiana University’s Honors and International Initiatives honored students at its spring 2021 recognition ceremony May 5. Students were recognized in four areas – Scholars Diploma, Sophomore Honors Distinction, Freshman of the Year, 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.

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. One hundred seventeen students were inducted into the Thirteen Club.

Honors Freshman of the Year finalists were nominated by a member of the honors faculty and selected by an essay-evaluation and interview panel process. Five students were selected as finalists. Finalists included Nicholas Breaux of Central, Gage Dawsey of Denham Springs, Fajr Fayed of Egypt, Alexandra Gomez-Resendiz of Ponchatoula, and Theresa Brown of Slidell, with Fayed claiming the title.

Thirteen students were recognized for earning the university’s Honors Diploma. Recipients included Rachael Tullier of Baton Rouge in psychology; Ryleigh Magee of Denham Springs and Victoria Rocquin of Gramercy, both in communication; Emery Foster of Hammond in art and Rachel Yang in general studies, both of Hammond; Basanta Khakurel of Nepal in biology, Lauren Ashley Griffin-Scudari in biological sciences, Hannah Henderson in finance, and Sabrina Hickey in kinesiology, all of Ponchatoula; Cameron Diez of St. Amant in kinesiology; Saydie Rusk of Simmesport in marketing; Rebecca Shields of Slaughter in sociology and criminal justice; and Victoria Santana of Slidell in management.

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

• BATON ROUGE – Nicholas Manchester
• BELLE ROSE – Kamian Buggage
• COVINGTON – Joshua Couture, Brittany Murdock and Tanner Rapier
• DENHAM SPRINGS – Madelyn Bernard, Jonathan Taylor, and Caroline Watson
• FRANKLINTON– Marissa Buttone
• GARYVILLE– Alyssa Duhe
• HAMMOND – Zoe Burns, Madalyn Duncan, Allie Ferrara, and Ally Holloway
• HATTIESBURG, MISS. – Erin Williams
• LACOMBE – Kaylee Bech
• MADISONVILLE – Stephanie Carter
• MANDEVILLE – Mateo Chaney
• PAULINA – Carter McComack
• PONCHATOULA – Jourdan Olmstead
• SLIDELL – Madison Garrett, DaJonique Johnson, Christinia Lindsly, and Zoe McKean
• TERRYTOWN – Joshua Freeman
• WALKER – Hannah Bridevaux