Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University has honored three students with the Rankin Memorial Distinguished Senior Awards in recognition of their efforts to improve campus life.

Named for Alan C. Rankin, the university's seventh president who served from 1965-1975, the awards recognize outstanding seniors who have demonstrated dedicated membership and leadership ability in campus organizations and in the community. Recipients must also have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.25 on a 4.0 scale.

The 2012 Rankin Award recipients, who will be recognized during ISU's spring commencement May 5, are Katie Davis of Bedford, Shannon Rose Hayes of Danville, Ind. and Nicholas Long of Hope.

Davis is graduating with a bachelor's degree in human development and family studies and a minor in recreation management and youth leadership. Her campus involvement has included serving as student director of annual giving and on the fundraising committee for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, AmeriCorps, serving as an English as a second language tutor at the Vigo County Public Library, a writing consultant for the student writing center, English department tutor, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Intervarsity Campus Ministry.

Her community activities have included serving as a March for Babies intern and a special events volunteer for the March of Dimes, a program evaluation specialist for ISU and Wabash Valley Boy Scouts, recreation activities volunteer at Cobblestone Crossings, Walk Now for Autism Speaks, Special Olympics Indiana, funding review team member for United Way of the Wabash Valley and Ronald McDonald House Charities.

In addition to the Rankin Award, Davis is a Hines Medalist for being among graduating ISU seniors with the highest grade point average. She is also a National Council on Family Relations Honor Student, an Indiana Top Scholar and a Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholar for Kentuckiana.

Following graduation, Davis plans to move to Milwaukee with her husband. She intends to work for a health related or youth serving nonprofit organization and eventually attend graduate school. Within the year, she also intends to become a certified family life educator through the National Council on Family Relations.

Hayes is completing a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in sociology. While at Indiana State, she has served as vice president of internal affairs, secretary-treasurer and community service committee chair for Hulman Memorial Student Union Board; an organizational representative and Spirit Day committee chair for the homecoming steering committee; community service committee chair and coordinator for the Spring Week committee, dance marathon; University Honors Student Association; a campus tour guide; Summer Honors counselor; learning community peer assistant; tele-counselor, Office of Admissions student assistant; and orientation leader and Fall Welcome coordinator for New Student Transition Programs.

In addition to the Rankin Award, Hayes has received the President's Academic Excellence Scholarship: Sophomore Leadership Award; Richard G. Landini Outstanding Junior Award; Jerry Vargo Participation Award (Union Board); and Linda Eldred Distinguished Service Award (Union Board).

Her community activities have included Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service; College Relay for Life; Up 'Til Down for St. Jude's Research Hospital; and Walk Now for Autism.

Hayes plans to obtain employment either at a university or for a nonprofit organization before attending graduate school in the field of school counseling.

Long is completing a bachelor's degree in athletic training and plans to continue his education in a physician assistant studies program.

His campus involvement has included a variety of leadership positions with Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, homecoming; Spring Week; intramurals; Sycamore Move-In volunteer; Indiana Athletic Training Association; National Athletic Training Association; Athletic Training Student Association; alumni golf outing planning committee; student athletic trainer volunteer; athletic training research volunteer; and competitive athletic training program assistant.

His awards, in addition to the Rankin Award, have included the ISU Top Scholar award; Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship; Johan and Geneva Wickens Scholarship; Bartholomew County REMC Scholarship; Lucille Keller Foundation Scholarship; Garland and Hattie Ensley Memorial Scholarship; Alpha Tau Omega Zeta Omicron Papkoff Outstanding Spring Pledge; Robert S. Behnke Indiana Athletic Trainer's Association Undergraduate Award; Richard G. Landini Outstanding Junior Award; Ray Baggett Memorial Scholarship and three Order of Omega awards: Outstanding Sophomore Male Greek, Mark William Outstanding Greek Junior, and Most Outstanding Chapter Member.

Long's community activities included the Alpha Tau Omega/Buffalo Wild Wings Community Day for the Children's Museum of Terre Haute; Haiti relief fund; Heart Walk; Vigo County Toys for Tots; Habit for Humanity; Altrusa chili cook-off; Polar Plunge; Special Olympics Indiana; Fraternal Order of Police; Old U.S. Highway clean-up; and volunteering for the NCAA National Cross Country Championships and pre-nationals.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Headshot-Proofs/Commencement-Spring-2012/i-KQPQDcK/0/L/041112katiedavis-6470-L.jpg - Katie Davis

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Headshot-Proofs/Hayes-Shannon/i-BB9nLSK/0/L/042212hayesshannon-2949-L.jpg - Shannon Hayes

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/Other/Headshot-Proofs/Long-Nicholas/i-7b4hrc9/0/L/042212longnicholas-2957-L.jpg - Nicholas Long

Media contact: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu