Angelo State Announces Top Graduates

SAN ANGELO - Emily Maxey of Phoenix, Ariz., has been selected to receive Angelo State University's 2023 Presidential Award as the top graduate in her class, while five other ASU graduating seniors have been selected for 2022-23 Distinguished Student Awards from their respective academic colleges.

Maxey will be recognized at ASU's May 12-13 commencement ceremonies, along with the five Distinguished Student Award honorees. The Distinguished Student Award recipients are:

Gracie Guy of Wall - Archer College of Health and Human Services
Camille Faught of San Angelo - College of Arts and Humanities
Avery Edinburgh of San Angelo - College of Education
Francisco Fuentes of San Angelo - College of Science and Engineering
Kaylee Crawford of Bastrop - Norris-Vincent College of Business.

ASU's Academic Excellence Committee hosted an awards ceremony May 1 in the Houston Harte University Center to honor all the award recipients and nominees. Each was presented a recognition plaque by ASU President Ronnie Hawkins Jr.

Emily Maxey was nominated by the Department of Physics and Geosciences.She is a physics and computer science double major with mathematics minor, and she graduates with High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. She received numerous scholarships, including the ASU Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Honors Scholarship, Alvin New Family Honors Scholarship, Chase Physics Scholarship and Dr. Mills Memorial Scholarship. Her stellar academic performance earned her induction into the Sigma Pi Sigma national physics honor society. She was also actively engaged in campus affairs, serving as secretary and president of the Honors Student Association and outreach coordinator for the Society of Physics Students, and participating in the Women in Physics organization. She also served the Department of Computer Science as a tutor and Summer Code Camp instructor.

Maxey excelled in undergraduate research, earning two separate Undergraduate Faculty-Mentored Research Grants and presenting at regional and national physics, science and honors conferences. Additionally, she secured highly competitive external placements, including a Research Experience for Undergraduates in applied computing at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and a software engineering internship with the Data Science and Machine Learning Team at CarMax's technology hub in Richmond, Virginia. She has been awarded a Distinguished Graduate Student Assistantship to pursue a Ph.D. in physics at Texas Tech University and plans to pursue a career in university teaching and research.

Gracie Guy was nominated by the Department of Psychology. She is a Wall High School graduate majoring in psychology with a minor in studio art, and she will graduate with High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. She received numerous scholarships, including the ASU Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Honors Scholarship and Ram Edge Scholarship. She also earned selection to the Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Chi and Order of Omega Greek Life national honor societies. She served as an officer in the Delta Zeta sorority, held a seat in the Student Government Association and hosted a Ram Radio show. She also received an Undergraduate Faculty-Mentored Research Grant and presented her work at the Southwestern Psychological Association Annual Conference. After graduation, Guy plans to begin preparation for mission work through the International Mission Board.

Camille Faught was nominated by the Natalie Zan Ryan Department of English and Modern Languages. She is a San Angelo Central High School graduate, and she will graduate ASU with High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. She received the ASU Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Honors Scholarship, Lucille Pearce Gragg Memorial Scholarship and Mary T. Simpson Scholarship. She was also inducted into the Alpha Chi national honor society and the Sigma Tau Delta national English honor society. She played violin in the ASU Symphony Orchestra and various ensembles, and she served as vice president of the Technical Communication Club and as general editor of ASU's Oasis art and literary magazine. She was also was active in the Honors Student Association. Faught will pursue a master's degree in technical communication and rhetoric at Texas Tech.

Avery Edinburgh was nominated by the Department of Teacher Education. A San Angelo Central High School graduate, she is an interdisciplinary studies major with early childhood through grade 6 and all-level special education teacher certification. She will earn High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. She received multiple scholarships, including the ASU Distinguished Scholarship, Distinguished Honors Scholarship, Ram Edge Scholarship, Kappa Delta Pi Scholarship and Retired Teachers Foundation Beginning Teachers Scholarship. She also earned induction into the Kappa Delta Pi international education honor society, served as Kappa Delta Pi secretary and published a literature review in the Educator's Perspective journal. She was also an active member of the Honors Student Association and presented research at the ASU Undergraduate Research Symposium. Edinburgh plans to begin her teaching career in the San Angelo ISD as a K-5 research/inclusions special education teacher this fall and concurrently enter the Master of Education in special education program at Texas Tech.

Francisco Fuentes was nominated by the Department of Biology. A San Angelo Central High School graduate, he is a biology and physics double major with minors in chemistry and mathematics, and he will graduate with High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. He earned the ASU Distinguished Scholarship, Honors Program Scholarship, Alvin New Family Honors Scholarship, Chase Sciences Scholarship and G. Sanderford Science Scholarship. He earned induction into the Sigma Pi Sigma national physics honor society and Beta Beta Beta national biological honor society. He served as an officer in the Society of Physics Students, was an active member of the American Chemical Society and the Honors Student Association, and served as a student board member for West Texas CREO and Meals for the Elderly. He also conducted research in both biology and physics, which resulted in presentations at regional and national biology, physics and honors conferences and a publication in the Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research. Fuentes plans to pursue medical studies and a career as a physician providing care for underserved populations.

Kaylee Crawford was nominated by the Department of Accounting, Economics and Finance. She is completing the integrated B.B.A. in accounting and Master of Professional Accountancy dual-degree degree program and will graduate with High University Honors after completing the Honors Program curriculum. She received the ASU Distinguished Scholarship and Distinguished Honors Program Scholarship, as well as selection to the Alpha Chi national honor society and Beta Alpha Psi national accounting honor society. She completed a tax internship with the Armstrong, Backus & Co. accounting firm, served as an officer in Beta Alpha Psi and the Financial Investment Organization, hosted a segment on Ram Radio and was actively engaged in the Honors Student Association. She also presented research at a regional meeting of the American Accounting Society, served as a student member of the Crime Stoppers Board and worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA summer volunteer. After graduation, Crawford will join the RSM accounting firm in Dallas with plans to specialize in environmental accounting.

Additional Award Nominees:

Elisabeth Dantzler, nominated by the Department of Management and Marketing, is a December 2022 graduate from Abilene. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.B.A. in marketing and High University Honors. She is currently enrolled in the MBA and Master of Science in business data science and analytics degree programs at Angelo State.

Hailey Dodson, nominated by the Department of Political Science and Philosophy, is a political science major and member of the Honors Program from San Angelo. She will pursue a Doctor of Jurisprudence law degree at the University of Texas and a career in international human rights or national security law.

Chloe Edinburgh, nominated by the Department of Kinesiology, is an exercise science major and Honors Program student from San Angelo. She will enter the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Angelo State this summer.

Doyeon Kwon, nominated by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is a chemistry major from Busan, South Korea. She will pursue a Ph.D. in biochemistry and biophysics at Texas A&M University.

Micaela Miller, nominated by the Department of Health Science Professions, is a health science professions major from De Leon. She will enter the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Angelo State this summer.

Cameron Poole, nominated by the Department of Agriculture, is an animal science major from Kerrville. She will pursue a Master of Science in animal science degree at Angelo State before pursuing medical studies.

Matthew Sims, nominated by the David L. Hirschfeld Department of Engineering, is a mechanical engineering major from Forsan. He plans to pursue a professional engineering license and a career in the aerospace industry.

Tristin Swisher, nominated by the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, is a music education major from Brackettville. She will begin her graduate studies in the master's degree in musicology program at Texas Tech this fall.