Commencement Awards

Tillman Award receipts included Amy Haley '08, from left, Pohaikau'ilani Nu'uhiwa '08, Brooke Currie '08 and Christina Williams '08. Tracy Sims is pictured below.

Tillman Award Recipients

The Tillman Award, the university's highest academic honor, recognizes the undergraduates who have most consistently met the demands of academic excellence. The award winners, who received the Tillman Award bronze medallions, were: Brooke Ann Currie '08, a psychology major from Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Amy Suzannah Haley '08, a psychology major from Tega Cay, S.C.; Pohaikau'ilani Ann Nu'uhiwa '08, an early childhood education major from Honolulu, Hawaii; Tracy Ann Sims '08, a modern languages major from Fort Mill, S.C.; and Christina Ruth Williams '08, an English major from Aiken.

Faculty Awards

Lorraine Gorrell, professor of music, received the Distinguished Professor Award during undergraduate commencement. This award is the highest honor Winthrop can bestow upon a faculty member. Gorrell, who will retire this semester, scheduled all voice hearings and recitals in the department and as chair of the department’s voice committee, oversaw and heard more than 100 voice juries at the end of each semester. She has authored numerous books and scholarly articles, including a widely used textbook on 19th century German lied, or romantic songs.

Gerry Derksen, assistant professor of design, received the Outstanding Junior Professor Award, during undergraduate commencement. Derksen has been directly invested in the development of the design program and its curriculum. He has taken an active role in shaping, modifying and updating the curriculum in proposing several innovative classes, most notably a “student design studio” that takes on projects for a semester or year. Derksen also has played a vital role in development of the digital information design program of study involving collaboration with colleagues from four other departments.

Janice Chism, professor of biology and director of the biology graduate program, received the inaugural Graduate Faculty Award during graduate commencement. A member of the graduate faculty for 16 years, Chism chairs the Gradate Faculty assembly and has chaired for two terms the Graduate Council. She teaches a variety of upper level courses, including the theory and method of biology, which serves as the gateway course into the department's master of science program. Over the past few years, Chism's help in development of a new graduate curriculum, which brought back a non-thesis option, has increased enrollment and improved the program.