b'P resiDentsA wArD forA cADemice xcellence f All2020 r eciPientsThe Presidents Award for Academic Excellence is presented to a high-performing graduating student in each of VSUs six collegesHarley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Science and Mathematics, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, College of the Arts, and James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services.h Arleyl AngDAleJ r . c ollege of c ollege ofh umAnities& s ociAls ciencesb usinessA DministrAtionl AurAA nnen orthuPof e linAA leksAnDrovnA Mulberry, Florida, is the recipient of b AbkinAof Conyers, Georgia,the Fall 2022 Presidents Award for is the recipient of the Fall 2022Academic Excellence for the College Presidents Award for Academicof Humanities and Social Sciences Excellence for the Harleyat Valdosta State University. She Langdale Jr. College of Businessgraduates summa cum laude with Administration at Valdosta Statea Bachelor of Arts in English University. She graduates summawith a concentration in literature, cum laude with a Bachelor oflanguage, and letters; a Minor in Womens and Gender Studies; Business Administration in Economics, a Bachelor of Businessand an Honors College Certificate. Administration in Finance, a Minor in Business Analytics, a Minor in Accounting, and an Honors College Certificate.If you had told me when I arrived at VSU three and a half years ago that I would be where I am now, I wouldnt have I remember coming to VSU thinking I wanted to be a biologybelieved you, she said. I truly transformed in my time here major before realizing my heart just wasnt in it, she shared. Ithanks to the support of this institutions amazing faculty and changed my major to something I was more interested in andstaff. More than anything, receiving this award makes me feel so could see myself doing in the futureeconomics. From therevalidated. I know Ive worked hard, but for the people I admire I added a major in finance, a minor in business analytics, andso much to commend my accomplishments hits home.another minor in accounting. I couldnt seem to get enough of business. Its crazy to think how I came in believing I wantedNorthup took full advantage of experiential learning to study biology and now Im one of VSUs top graduatingopportunities available to students at VSU. She served as editor business students. I guess it all goes to show the importance ofthen managing editor of Omnino, the universitys undergraduate being open to following your passions.research journal; editor of the Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference Program and Abstract Book; an Honors College As a student at VSU, Babkina served as secretary of the Honorsstudent assistant; an Archives and Special Collections intern; Student Association, vice president of Beta Gamma Sigma: Thea member of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force; and a International Business Honor Society, and vice president of themember of the Teagle Foundations Knowledge for Freedom Langdale FinTech Society.Initiative, a grant-based program that invites underserved high school students to study humanitys deepest questions about Babkinas commitment to academic and leadership excellenceleading lives of purpose and civic responsibility. resulted in her being named an Honors Scholar and a Zell Miller Scholar, as well as earning repeated Deans List honors, theNorthup shared her original research at a number of local, state, Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administrations 2022and national conferences. She presented Worlds Within Worlds Outstanding Senior in Economics Award, and the 2021 Georgiaat the 2022 Georgia Undergraduate Research Conference; Gulf Sulfur Finance Scholarship.The Consequences of Education: Liminality and Othering in the Life of Zitkala-Sa at the 2022 National Conference on After graduation, Babkina plans to begin her career as a riskUndergraduate Research, the 2021 Georgia Undergraduate insight analyst for Fidelity Information Services in Atlanta.Research Conference, and the 2022 VSU Undergraduate Research Symposium; Combining Community Outreach and Research Her supportive family includes parents Irina Babkina andto Build Classroom Libraries at the 2022 Georgia Collegiate Aleksander Babkina.Honors Conference and the 2022 VSU Undergraduate Research Symposium; Experiential Learning at Valdosta State University 24 |VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY'