Phyllis G. Betts Award for Academic Excellence
The Phyllis Betts Award is given annually to the graduating Honors student who most embodies the liberal arts ideal of polymathematics and well-roundedness, having excelled in distinct and often distant fields of study. The graduating class of 2018 includes several such students, but one in particular who for their academic excellence, commitment to discovery, and all-around creative energy, is highly deserving of this special honor.
History major Abigail Stephens received the 2018 award for her countless contributions to the Honors Program and History Department, as well as to the university and the community beyond through work with the Center for Diversity Education and Pisgah Legal Services.
Honors Program Citizenship Award
Established in 2016, Honors Program Citizenship Award is given to the student who best exemplifies engagement in the community of the Honors Program. Recipients of this award may demonstrate outstanding commitment to the Honors Program through planning and attending co-curricular and extracurricular activities, leadership on Honors-related organizations, and service opportunities related to the Honors Program.
Math and computer science major Emanuel Levi Hartman received the 2018 award for his participation on the Student Honors Advisory Committee and initiating the Sparks seminar series, being a fixture at Honors events, and fostering a sense of community in the program.
Great Ideas Grants
These small grants are given to students who successfully propose to use the funds given them to further scholarly and creative projects that showcase their innovation and talent.
2017 recipients include Morgan Fuller for founding the “Green Room Library,” a library of play scripts produced by drama faculty and students; Alexis Moon for “Conservation and Analysis of a Dorothy Gillespie ‘Study Piece,'” an effort to conserve an art piece by local artist Dorothy Gillespie; and Page Nevel for “According to Them: A Community-Based Needs Assessment of Asheville’s Hillcrest Apartments Housing Development,” focus groups for members of Hillcrest Community designed to help Page understand the success of community-based programs in addressing the needs of low-income individuals.