NSU presents 11 students the Outstanding Seniors Award

During the 2010 Ovation Ceremony on April 23 in the Webb Education Technology Center, 11 Northeastern State University students were presented the Jack Kaufman Outstanding Seniors Award.

Rachel Lynn of Broken Arrow was named the top female recipient of the award.

"I was very surprised to receive the top outstanding female award," she said. "All the candidates were equally qualified and were very involved students on NSU's campus. This award is something I am honored to cherish."

The top male recipient was Patrick Vaughan of Cleveland, Okla.

"It's quite an honor," Vaughan said. "It's very humbling when someone else recognizes the hard work you've put in and to be named."

Lynn and Vaughan are Hospitality and Tourism Management majors.

The seniors receiving the award were nominated by NSU faculty and staff. Each recipient must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25, have demonstrated a commitment to Northeastern through campus involvement and be regarded as all-around students who typify the spirit of NSU.

Daniel Johnson, director of Alumni Services, said selection of the outstanding seniors is administered fully by the Alumni Association Board of Directors, which establishes an awards committee to review all nominees and select the finalists.

"These finalists then participate in an interview process with the awards committee selecting the male and female who are then named the Jack Kaufman Outstanding Seniors," Johnson said."The committee considers the nominees' entire body of work and service over their entire college career.Given their level of committment to the university as a student, it is our hope that those who are considered for this honor become some of our most active and engaged alumni."

"It's awesome that they take the time to do something like that to recognize the seniors and it's something they should continue doing in the future," Vaughan said.

Other Kaufman Award winnersinclude Erin Cole, a Human Resources and Business Management major from Owasso; April Collins, a Hospitality and Tourism Management major from Westville; Ashton Dobbs, an International Business major from Sallisaw; Martin Evans, a Public Relations major from Locust Grove; Sarah Millar, a Chemistry major from Bayswater North, Victoria, Australia; Todd Newcomb, a Political Science major from Oologah; Jordyn Raney, a Biology major from Jay; Ellen Slack, a Spanish major from Broken Arrow and Amanda Woods-Catterlin, an Early Childhood Education major from Tahlequah.

The award is named for the late 1934 Northeastern alumnus Jack Kaufman, who is regarded as one of the most influential and vigorous alumni in NSU's history. He was also one of Tahlequah's most civically active citizens. He was instrumental in the effort to save Bacone House, which today is home to the Center for Tribal Studies. He lived by the philosophy, "Leave the woodpile a little higher than you found it."