LSU member, scholar wins Robins Award
Some of USU’s high-achieving faculty, staff and students gathered in the TSC Ballroom, wearing suits and formal dresses, to award the 2012 Bill E. Robins Memorial Award to senior Elisabeth Arellano, a member of the Latino Student Union and Business Council.
USU President Stan Albrecht announced the award and said, “Elisabeth will leave behind four years of amazing experiences, as she continues to excel at every opportunity she is given and leave each place better than she found it. Congratulations.”
“It will be great to leave knowing I made a difference,” Arellano said. “I learned people are always more important than things … a lot of diversity students believe they can’t get involved and can’t make a difference, but you definitely can. Learn about different cultures and that will make your college experience better all around.”
A senior majoring in both international business and marketing, Arellano is also a member of the Kappa Delta sorority and serves as vice president of community service, as well as academic excellence chair. She has served as secretary and president of Omega Greek Honor Society.
The Bill E. Robins Award is among the highest honors a USU student can receive. The award was named for Bill Robins, a past USU student body president who first established a vision for the Taggart Student Center. He and his wife, Geraldine, died in a plane crash in 1956.
This year’s Robins Awards recognized faculty, staff and students in 20 categories. Two students nominated for Talent of the Year, vocalist Kacee Cambron and artist Sally Rydalch, broke up the award announcements with entertainment that depicted their accomplishments.
A slideshow of Rydalch’s water-color paintings played with accompaniment by Cambron, who sang and opera-style piece. Rydalch, a non-traditional student who commutes to USU from Roy, Utah, walked away with the award and will graduate in May as Valedictorian for the Caine College of the Arts.
A student majoring in political science and economics, Logan Smith was called to stage as Man of the Year. He is a Huntsman Scholar and member of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences Council.
“I kind of feel inadequate, and I was shocked,” Smith said. “I imagine me as a little freshman years ago and where I am now, and it has all accumulated to this, and I’m just grateful.”
Luci Griffiths received Woman of the Year for her service as co-president of the Huntsman Scholars Program. She is involved in the Jon M. Huntsman School of business in many capacities and recently presented her research paper on local taxation issues at a Las Vegas convention.
“The Woman of the Year nominee process allowed me to really contemplate what my last four years at USU have meant to me,” she said. “I am honored and really quite shocked to have received such recognition when there are many other amazing ladies that could have just as easily been in my shoes last night.”
Though Robert Turbin was not present at the ceremony, he was named Male Athlete of the Year and is set to compete in one of the first few rounds of the NFL Draft.
Women’s soccer defender Natalie Norris was awarded Female Athlete of the Year. ASUSU Programming Board, composed of ASUSU Executive Council members, took Organization of the Year over the Student Organic Farm, Aggie Radio and USU Honors Program.
Professor of the Year went to Brian Warnick, an associate professor in the agricultural systems technology and education department, who won the 2011 Outstanding Early Career Member of the American Association for Agricultural Education.
“Brian is a fourth-generation USU Aggie,” said USU Provost Raymond Coward. “His great-grandfather graduated in 1915.”
The Gerald R. Sherratt Award is the only surprise award given out without nominees. The award is meant to recognize a campus group that USU could not operate without.
This year’s award went to the TSC Facilities staff for keeping the building a clean and enjoyable place to be, where students, faculty and staff can enjoy events and many forms of assistance, said Kylie Martinez, ASUSU Traditions director.
Joe Watson, senator of the College of Science, hosted the event with Britnee Bromley. Administrators and students, from President Stan Albrecht to ASUSU President Erik Mikkelsen, announced the individual awards.
“Each of these nominees has set themselves apart as individuals with outstanding academic achievement, impressive extracurricular involvement and a dedication to Utah State University,” Albrecht said. “Because of their contribution, this institution with continue to thrive.”
– catherine.meidell@aggiemail.usu.edu