Thursday, September 29, 2005

WILMINGTON, N.C. – The University of North Carolina Wilmington recognized the achievements of its minority students Sept. 23 at the 20th Annual Academic Awards Program for Minority Students.

Anna Kirk of Hallsboro is the recipient of the School of Nursing (SON) Graduate Student Excellence Award for May 2005. She is pursuing the Master of Science in Nursing-FNP Option. The award recognizes academic excellence, outstanding clinical performance, leadership and service to the SON. The nomination is submitted by faculty and/or students, but it must be endorsed by the faculty. Kirk’s name appears on a permanent plaque in the SON. Her academic excellence is demonstrated by a cumulative 4.0 grade point average (GPA). As an employed registered professional nurse, she finds the time to actively support the activities and events of the SON and the university. At Columbus Regional Medical Center, Kirk provides leadership and management in health care, with responsibility for staff and patient care.

Donnetta Warren of Snow Hill is the recipient of the Outstanding College Award for Cameron School of Business. She has been described as “impressive” and has a 3.537 GPA. An accounting major, she is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the honorary business fraternity; Beta Alpha Psi, the honorary accounting society; and the Cameron Executive Network.

Gerald Thompson of Wilmington received the Outstanding College Award for the Watson School of Education. Thompson is a double-major in elementary education and special education with a 3.663 GPA. After working for several years in private industry, Thompson came back to school to fulfill his dream of making a difference in the lives of children.

Ralph Harris of Fayetteville received the Outstanding Minority Freshman Award. He is majoring in French and computer science. Harris is very active with the French Club and the Honors Scholars Association and serves as Webmaster for both organizations. Harris is interested in working within the university community at large to facilitate greater cross cultural understanding. During his first year at UNCW, Harris achieved a 3.9 GPA.

Amanda Harke of Wilmington is the recipient of the Ralph Parker Scholarship. Harke is majoring in anthropology, with a Native American studies minor. She has a 3.69 cumulative GPA. A member of the Lumbee tribe, she is president of the Native American Student Association. She is a member of the Anthropology club. She interned at Cape Fear Museum for two semesters and spent her summer on an ancient Mayan excavation site in a Guatemalan refugee village located in Belize, Mexico.

Theresa Branigin of Restin VA is the recipient of the Ralph Parker Award for Excellence. She has extensive academic and cultural achievements. Since enrolling at UNCW, she has maintained the Dean’s List with a major in creative writing and minors in Spanish and sociology. She has a 3.8 cumulative GPA, and is a member of the Chancellor’s Diversity Advisory Committee, the Tuition Task Force and the Human Relations Advisory Committee. She is an NAACP executive board member, vice president of Multicultural Affairs with the Student Government Association, a Dreams of Wilmington tutor and Atlantis Literary Magazine staff member.

Genille Goldson of Charlotte is the High Achieving Minority Athlete. Goldson demonstrates ability and achievement in both academics and athletics. She is a junior and a communication studies major. She is secretary of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, a member of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, a 2005 Academic All-American, and is on the Dean’s List. Her athletic credentials include SAAC Track Representative and the 2005 CAA champion in the 4x100 meter.

From the UNCW College of Arts and Sciences, award recipients are Camilio Alvarez for physics, Jennifer Turner for sociology and psychology, Thomas Granado for history, and Pedro Esparza for the music.

Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo congratulated each of the award recipients who attended the ceremony, the majority of whom receive Academic Achievement Awards recognizing them for demonstrated leadership abilities and academic excellence by earning a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better during the previous academic year.

The ceremony was sponsored by the UNCW Office of Campus Diversity from the Division of Academic Affairs.