ASUSU recognizes USU’s best at Robins Awards
As Young MC was busting a move in the Spectrum, ASUSU was busting out the trophies at the 2001 Robins Awards Saturday night at the Taggart Student Center at Utah State University.
Ben Riley, the outgoing president of the Associated Students of USU, was the winner of the prestigious Bill Robins Memorial Award.
Robins was the student body president at USU in 1949 and died in a plane crash in 1954. The Sigma Nu fraternity, of which Robins was a member, hosts the award ceremony each year in his honor.
Riley, who received the last award of the evening, was praised by presenter Patricia Terrell, vice president of Student Services, for his commitment to USU and his involvement in a number of organizations, including the Special Olympics and Best Buddies.
Riley said he felt honored but almost embarrassed to get the award.
“Everyone who was nominated for this award deserved to win it,” Riley said. “The people I’ve associated with are extraordinary. I’m grateful for the opportunity to get involved. A lot of times I feel like I’m the one benefiting, so it’s strange to get an award for that.”
There were a number of other awards presented over the course of the evening.
Megan Goates was awarded the Woman of the Year Award, and Rex Hansen the Man of the Year Award. Goates is about to earn a graduate degree in English and is the assistant director of the writing program at USU, among other things. Hansen, who is the outgoing vice president of ASUSU, said he felt it was important not to “let schooling interfere with your education.”
The Val R. Christensen Service Award was split between Daniel Lemon, who died earlier this year, and Taunya Swallow. Both volunteered with the Special Olympics.
The Achievement of the Year was awarded to Design, Build & Fly, which won an international model airplane competition for the second year in a row.
Nicole Forsgren, from the college of Business, was selected as the Scholar of the Year. Chief Information Officer and Dean of Information and Learning Resources Barbara White, who presented the Scholar of the Year Award, said Forsgren’s internship with IBM led the company to recruit at USU for the first time ever.
Emmett White won the award for Male Athlete of the Year. White, a junior, lead the nation in all-purpose yards with 238 per game. He thanked his team, his dad and his family.
Describing White’s approach to the stage to receive the award, Athletic Director Rance Pugmire said, “that might be the slowest I’ve ever seen you move.”
Female Athlete of the Year was awarded to volleyball player Amy Crosbie, who set a number of USU records, including most kills, with 1,463 over her career.
She thanked her family, her teammates and students at USU for their support.
Alena Johnson, of the college of Family Life and Human Development, was recognized as the Graduate Teaching Assistant of the Year. Lan-Szo “Bob” Chou, of the Nutrition and Food Science department, was honored as the Graduate Research Assistant of the Year.
Carol Sainsbury, who works with USU students who are “at risk,” was awarded the Professional Adviser of the Year Award. M. Isela Chu, of the Language and Philosophy department, was awarded the Faculty Adviser of the Year.
Basudeb Biswas, of the college of Agriculture, was awarded the Professor of the Year. One of his colleagues said that Biswas “epitomizes all that is best in the teaching profession.”
Jon C. Savage, of the Theater Arts department, was honored as Talent of the Year. Gerald R. Sheratt, a former USU vice president who was also instrumental in starting the Robins Awards, was on hand to present the award named for him to Joyce Anderson for her work with Student Activities. Sheratt joked about his age as he presented the award.
“When this program first began, I was 25, so you can see how ancient these awards are.”
The Darlene Lewis Music Scholarship went to incoming freshman Chelsea Ann Hamilton.
The Organization of the Year award went to Chi Omega.