JACKSON, Tenn. — April 17, 2026 — Union University presented more than 80 awards to students, faculty and staff April 17 at the annual Awards Day chapel service.
The Carla D. Sanderson Faculty of the Year Award went to Jay Beavers, associate professor of English.
Katie Yeaglin, administrative assistant to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, received the Gary L. Carter Staff of the Year Award.
John Foubert, professor of education, received the R. Keith Absher Faculty Researcher of the Year Award, which recognizes a full-time faculty member who has made significant and sustained scholarly contributions to his or her discipline and the academy.
Other award recipients:
The Bettye and Kermit Whiteaker Freshman Chemistry Award was presented to Nathaniel Plucker.
The Curtiss E. Scott Business Excellence Award was presented to Jacqueline Harris.
The Kina S. Mallard Communication Arts Student of the Year Award was presented to Luke Smith.
The Bill Truex Award in Computer Science was presented to William “Tacker” Nash.
The EDGE Student Achievement Award was presented to Jonathan Harvey.
The Dorothy Woodard Myatt Intern of the Year Award was presented to Regan Sheddan for Secondary Intern of the Year and to Anna Daniel for Elementary Intern of the Year, and the award for Special Education Intern of the Year was presented to Haleigh Weaver.
The Service Through Engineering Award was presented to Zane Bolton.
The Dr. James Alex Baggett History Research Paper Award was presented to Amy De Groot.
The Helen Blythe Creative Writing Award was presented to Sarah Grace Patrick.
The Georgia Wilson Memorial Award for Clinical Nursing was presented to Diana Trejo.
The Pre-Pharmacy Excellence Award was presented to Gabe Taylor.
The Kyle L. Hathcox Memorial Physics Award was presented to Rachel Allabaugh.
The Wilberforce Award for Civic Engagement was presented to Katie Mullins.
The Bill Bouchillon Psychology Excellence Award was presented to Alexandra Reeder.
The Mary Anne Poe Outstanding BSW Student Award and the Roslyn Wilson Outstanding BSW Field Student Award were presented to Leia Meadows.
The Servant Leadership Program Student Employee of the Year award was presented to Samuel Moss. The Servant Leadership Program Supervisor of the Year was Jonathan Lafferty.
The John C. Moore Award for Excellence in Academics and Athletics was presented to Sydney Whittaker and Finn Jacobs.
The Fred DeLay Memorial Award, for a senior who is an outstanding athlete, a person of high academic standing, unquestionable loyalty and good character, was presented to Ayla Young Cook.
The Barnabas Leadership Award promotes the ideals of servant leadership in the Union community. This year’s recipients were Rebekah Ruth Basie and Riley Garrison.
The Broadman and Holman Award was presented to Finn Jacobs.
The Intramural Female Athlete of the Year was Aubrey Payne. The Intramural Male Athlete of the Year was Jonathan Carroll.
The Intramural Female Team Champion Cup was awarded to Zeta Tau Alpha, and Team Ben was awarded the Intramural Male Team Champion Cup.
The Greek Scholarship Cups, which are awarded annually to the two social fraternities with the highest average, were presented to the men of Lambda Chi Alpha and the women of Chi Omega (for the 79th consecutive year).
The Howard Newell Innovative Teaching Award recognizes faculty members who have demonstrated creativity and innovation in classroom teaching. Selections are made by a faculty committee. The award was presented to Jay Beavers, associate professor of English.
Academic Excellence Medals were presented by Union to the graduating senior in each major, as selected by the faculty members of the department. The following students received medals for academic excellence:
- Art – Abby C. Thomas
- Studio Art – Callie Paige Bodiford
- Pre-Professional Art Therapy – Joelle Rachel Cruver.
- Cell and Molecular Biology – Rose Elizabeth Kannankeril
- Biology - Gabriella G. Wiese
- Conservation Biology – John P. Fischbach
- Zoology – Aiden Nathaniel Starry
- Chemistry – Natalie Supine
- Medical Laboratory Science – Noah Traig Friedrich
- Communication Studies – Colin Emory Harris
- Journalism – Margee Rose Stanfield
- Public Relations – Amy Marie De Groot
- Digital Media Communications – Jessica Galvan-Guzman
- Computer Science – Alexander Thomas Keen
- Cybersecurity – Bennett Matthew Wilson
- Engineering – Shane Tendo
- English – Eliana Joy Maribel Isom
- History – Amy Marie De Groot
- Applied Linguistics – Evan Paul Eads
- French – Anna Claire Pitcher
- Spanish – Ellie Hong Bonesteele
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages – Autumn Virginia White
- Mathematics with Honors – Matthew David Sureda
- Music with Honors – Ashtyn Leigh Delk
- Music Education – Ella Kay Thornton
- Commercial Music – Gavin R. Kopko
- Music Performance – LeAnne Renee Dudley
- Worship Leadership – Caleb Joel Coleman
- Physics – Timothy Jan-Paul White
- Political Science – Eva G. Isom
- Psychology – Eliana Joy Maribel Isom
- Family Studies – Mallory Grace Hildebrand
- Sociology with Honors – Evan Paul Eads
- Criminal Justice – Alexandra Hope Reeder
- Accounting – Joshua Charles Russell
- Business Administration with Honors – Landrum Michael Redmond
- Interdisciplinary Studies – Corrie Ashlyn Myers
- Teaching and Learning – Michala Ann Crooks
- Special Education – Kaylee Phillips Quinn
- Physical Education and Health – Abigail Grace Fernandez
- Exercise Science – Chayselyn Victoria Dabbs
- Sport Management – Abigail Grace Fernandez
- Nursing – Anna Margaret Schuering
- Biblical Studies Languages with Honors – Sydney Marie Whittaker
- Christian Ministry and Missions – Caroline Avery Saunders
- Philosophy – Olivia Rose McMahon
- Social Work – Sydnie Paige Arnolds
- Professional Studies – Amy Dougan Wakefield
- Organizational Leadership – Gena Deshea Satterfield
- General Studies – Madelyn Boyce
Undergraduate Student Research Excellence Awards were presented to the following students: TJ Hjelte, Eliana Isom and Isabella Robertson.
The Graduate Student Research Excellence Award was presented to Zachary Turner.