67th Robins Awards recognize students and staff

On April 4 at 7 p.m., Utah State University hosted its most coveted honors event. The 67th annual Robins Awards ceremony was held in the TSC Evan N. Stevenson Ballroom. Students, faculty and staff dressed their best to celebrate the night’s recipients and enjoy a night of jazz afterwards.

Sixteen awards were presented to students, faculty and organizations each with a unique recipient who the committee deemed most deserving. Three of the annual awards are named after the Robins family.

The Nicholas Robins award was presented to Ta’Mariah Jenkins, a political science major who is committed to addressing educational inequalities in marginalized groups. 2023-24 Miss USU Regan Tracy won the Geraldine Robins award. Tracy is an advocate for inclusivity for women and underrepresented groups in STEM. Finally, the Bill E. Robins memorial award was achieved by Student Events Executive Director Ashlynn Smith, who has a passion for education, personal connections and student involvement.

Robins Awards winners Ella Leonelli, Ta’Mariah Jenkins and Ashlynn Smith.

The Gerald R. Sherratt award annually goes to a member of USU administration or staff who shows unmatched dedication to the university and may be overlooked despite this. This year, it was earned by Tresa Barton. Barton has been the custodial supervisor of the TSC for over 20 years and will be retiring this summer.

“I hope that I made it a little bit better at the TSC for all the people who came through our building,” Barton wrote in an email to The Utah Statesman. “I feel a job is what you put into it, so my belief is “Be happy and enjoy what you do!” I have made many lifelong friends here at Utah State and I will miss them all!”

One of her favorite parts about working at USU was getting to watch the students she worked with graduate, and Barton said she hopes to have made even a small impact on their lives going forward.

The Scholar of the Year award is presented to a student who has shown excellent skill and knowledge and has contributed to research in their field. This year, the award was won by Sophia Hessami, biological engineering student. She is the editor-in-chief of USU’s undergraduate research journal Curiosity and works as a research assistant in the College of Engineering.

“Honestly, it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what set me apart, especially given how incredibly smart, involved, and dedicated the other finalists are,” Hessami wrote in an email to the Statesman. “If I had to guess, being named USU’s only Goldwater Scholar in 2024 likely played a role.”

Hessami received the Goldwater Scholarship in March 2024 by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. The scholarship is regarded as one of the most prestigious in STEM. Hessami said she considers this one of her proudest accomplishments.  

“The support I have received from professors and peers has truly shaped me into who I am today. Dr. Elizabeth Vargis, my mentor, has supported me since freshman year,” Hessami wrote. “I hope to continue supporting undergraduate students- just as I’ve been supported- by fostering curiosity, confidence, and collaboration in the lab and classroom.” 

 The Robins Awards ceremony was established in 1958 in honor of the Robins family. Bill E. Robins was USU’s student body president in 1949. During the event, John Mortensen, associate vice president for course management, analytics and strategy, explained some of the history.  

 “In 1954, Bill and his wife Geraldine traveled to a convention in Colorado. Shortly after taking off from the Denver Airport, the plane crashed,” Mortensen said. “Both Bill and Geraldine were tragically killed, leaving behind Nicholas, their one-year-old son.”  

 Sigma Nu, the fraternity Bill also served as president for, created the Robins Memorial Fund to raise money for Nicholas to use for college. However, Nicholas passed away at the age of eight due to leukemia.  

 According to usu.edu/involvement/events/robins-awards, the awards seek to honor the family’s memory and impact at USU. The event is orchestrated by the USU Division of Student Affairs and Traditions Committee.  

 “This year, more than 300 nominations were submitted. Nominees were reviewed by several committees comprised of administrators, faculty, staff and alumni,” said traditions director Easton Martin. “The finalists recognized in the program were the top students in each category, college and department.”  

 After the ceremony, refreshments were provided in the TSC lounges while students danced to live jazz music at Black and White Jazz Night.