MILLIGAN, Tenn. (April 24, 2025) — Milligan University held its annual Awards Convocation today, Thursday, April 24, to celebrate many of the university’s students and their accomplishments. The faculty and administration announced nearly 100 awards and scholarships during this year’s ceremony.
Bethany Hicks, of Sugar Grove, North Carolina, received Milligan’s most distinguished student honor, the Ivor Jones Outstanding Senior Award.
Milligan’s faculty nominate the Ivor Jones Outstanding Senior Award recipient each year. The award is presented to a graduating senior who demonstrates outstanding performance in service to the university, potential for continuing the objectives of Milligan, academic excellence and participation in college life.
Other award recipients include:
Biblical Learning: Issac Hurley (Johnson City, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; Joy Reks (Noblesville, IN), Outstanding Promise in Christian Ministry Award; Noah Blake (Loudon, TN), Earl R. Stuckenbruck Award for Excellence in Greek; Dillon Craig (Christiansburg, VA), Fred and Esther Meding Honorary Award for Biblical Studies; Samuel Sosebee (Dayton, TN), W. Dennis Helsabeck/Stone-Campbell Journal Promising Scholar Award
Business: Jenna Hare (Piney Flats, TN), Outstanding Business Student Scholarship Award; Mary Grace Biting (Waxhaw, NC), Bill Rhoades Outstanding Accounting Student Scholarship; Jack Allen (Kingsport, TN), Eugene P. Price Excellence in Economics Award; Alexandra Hayashi (Palatine, IL), Richard Phillips Outstanding Legal Studies Student Scholarship; Marcos José Moreno Prado Filho (Cambara, Brazil), Business Administration Award
Computer Science: Macy Hinkle (Midway, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; Emanuel Senso (Martinsville, VA) and Kaya Schroeder (Bremen, Germany), Computer Science Award; Daniel Morgan (Bluff City, TN), Information Systems Award; Jacob Miller (Roanoke, VA), Cybersecurity Award
Education: Abby Tramel (Johnson City, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; Misty Childers (Jonesborough, TN), Paul Clark Teacher Education Award; Marinda Walls (Gray, TN), Drs. W. Edward and Billye Joyce Fine Teacher Education Servant-Leader Award; Maggie Johnson (Elizabethton, TN), Delta Kappa Gamma Outstanding Teaching Award; Alexis Brown (Talbot, TN), Outstanding Student Teaching Award; Autumn Stanley (Bluff City, TN) Kappa Delta Pi Award
Engineering: Reginald Seigle-Brumit (Kingsport, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award and Nuclear Fuel Services Scholarship Top Mechanical Engineering Rising Senior; Isabelle Johnson (Gray, TN), Nuclear Fuel Services Scholarship Top Electrical Engineering Rising Senior; Jacob Russell (Johnson City, TN), Electrical Engineering Award; Corey Greeson (Murfreesboro, TN), Mechanical Engineering Award
Exercise Science: Jacob Rutledge (Hillsboro, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship; Flynn Carlson (Valparaiso, IN), Exercise Science Award; Annie McDermott (Cookeville, TN) and Isaiah Rogan (Springfield, OH), Award of Distinction; Hannah Brown (Anaheim, CA), Sport Management Award
Humane Learning: Marnie Tallon (Houston, TX), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; Rebecca Rendon (Indianapolis, IN), English Award; Owen Wampler (Blountville, TN), Humanities Award
Nursing: Makayla MacPherson (Corona, CA), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; Kevin Colbaugh (Elizabethton, TN) and Kaylen Fields (Roan Mountain, TN), Nursing Award
Performing, Visual and Communicative Arts: Kendall Arnold (Bluff City, TN), Outstanding Senior Fine Arts Student Award; Jocelyn Kain (Bluff City, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award in Fine Arts; André Bazzana Semensato (São Paulo, Brazil), Outstanding Senior Communications Student Award; Marnie Tallon, (Houston TX), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award in Communications; Hannah Decker (Limestone, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award in Music; Guadalupe Raya (Kingsport, TN), Orchestra Award; Ryan Jamerson (Limestone, TN), Outstanding Vocal Ensemble Member Award
Scientific Learning: Gavin Morelock, (Kingsport, TN), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; McKenna Myers (Maryville, TN), Dick Lura Honorary Pre-Med Award; Emma True (Kingsport, TN), Lone L. Sisk Award; Anna Jones (Murfreesboro, TN), Biology Award; Ashely Brown (Knoxville, TN), Chemistry Award; Zoie Larkens (Kingsport, TN), Mathematics Award; Maxwell Brown (Chuckey, TN), American Chemical Society Outstanding Student Award
Social Learning: Rachel Schnatterly (Joppa, MD), Outstanding Student Scholarship Award; McKinna Murr (Alcoa, TN), Criminology/Criminal Justice Award; Seth Bible (Telford, TN), Political Science Award; Suzanne Aguirre (Sarasota, FL), Psychology Award; Kate Castle (Mount Juliet, TN), Social Work Award
Scholarships awarded through Milligan’s Advancement Office were presented to Lauren Hawkley (Kingston Upon Thames, England), Greer-Mahan Scholarship; Annika Hoefler (Winter Park, FL), Gabrielle R. Jones Memorial Scholarship; and Kira Ryan (Myrtle Beach, SC), Wendy I. Walstrom Memorial Scholarship. Ravenn Monington (Elizabethton, TN) received both the Jeremy S. Duncan Memorial Scholarship and the Guy and Rhea Oakes Scholarship. Tessa Gibson (Cleveland, TN) received the Ruth Hawk Memorial Scholarship.
Receiving awards from Milligan’s Board of Trustees and Board of Advisors were Ashley Roberts (Kingsport, TN), Outstanding Academic Student; Zoie Larkins (Kingsport, TN), Outstanding Female Athlete; and Flynn Carlson (Valparaiso, IN), Outstanding Male Athlete.
The Institute for Servant Leadership presented Suzanne Aguirre (Sarasota, FL) and Emma True (Kingsport, TN) with the Servant Leadership Honor.
For research, the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Project Award was presented to Samantha Maldonado (Quito, Ecuador). The Research Scholar Award was presented to Maldonado, Suzanne Aguirre (Sarasota, FL), Maxwell Brown (Chuckey, TN) and Ashley Brown (Knoxville, TN). The Outstanding Undergraduate Research Faculty Mentor was awarded to Dr. Landon Holbrook, associate professor of mechanical engineering.
The SGA Student Distinguished Service Award was presented to Kajela Dersu (La Vergne, TN). Marcos José Moreno Prado Filho (Cambara, Brazil) received the Student Development Leadership Award. The SGA Faculty Appreciation Award was presented to Dr. Michael Blouin, associate professor of English and the humanities, and Joe Veeder received the SGA Staff Appreciation Award.