b'c ollege ofn ursing& h eAlths ciences c ollege of theA rtsh AnnAm Ariey eAger oft Aylorm Arieg rAy of Valdosta, Hahira, Georgia, is the recipient ofGeorgia, is the recipient of the Fall the Fall 2022 Presidents Award for2022 Presidents Award for Academic Academic Excellence for the CollegeExcellence for the College of the of Nursing and Health SciencesArts at Valdosta State University. She at Valdosta State University. Shegraduates summa cum laude with a graduates summa cum laude with aBachelor of Arts in Art and a Bachelor Bachelor of Science in Health Scienceof Fine Arts in Art Education. and an Honors College Certificate. Over the last four years, Valdosta State University has served I knew long before graduating high school that I wantedas a place of great comfort for me, she said. The outstanding to attend VSU, a decision that would allow me to receive anprofessors and staff I have encountered, the relationships excellent education and go through unforgettable experiencesI have built with them and with classmates, and the many in the town that has built and shaped me into the person I amopportunities VSU has offered me will be at the forefront of my today, she said. While I would like to say this was an easymemory for years to come. feat, I know I could not have achieved this without hard work, dedication, and the unwavering support of my family, friends,I extend my gratitude to the faculty at VSU for pushing and community. I have been challenged both in and out ofme to succeed at the highest standard. The professors and the classroom, but I am fortunate to be a part of this upliftingadvising staff at the College of the Arts make it their mission to community, which I have been able to lean on for strength andsupport their students and ensure their success. Their constant encouragement through it all.encouragement allows me to be a better artist, and their dedication sets an example as I enter my field in education. As a student at VSU, Yeager completed the CollaborativeReceiving this award, I know that I will excel as an art educator Institutional Training Initiative program and the QPRand inspire my future students.(Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training program. She was a Zell Miller Scholar and an HonorsGrays artwork was featured in several exhibitions at VSUs Scholar. She earned repeated Deans List honors and was activeDedo Maranville Fine Arts Gallery, including the annual Juried with Baptist Collegiate Ministries and the Wesley Foundation.Student Art Competition, where she earned honorable mention recognition (2020); the annual Foundations show (2021); In Dedicated to serving others, Yeager had the privilege ofSitu, the annual spring senior showcase (2022); and Teeny Tiny attending the 2020 South Georgia Chrysalis, a three-dayPrint Exchange (2022). She also shared her work during a VSU worship, prayer, fellowship, creative expression, recreation,Office of Diversity and Inclusion-sponsored event (2021). singing, and discussion event. She returned the following year to support and encourage youth and young adults throughout theirOutside of VSU, Gray showcased her work at the Annette unique chrysalis journey.Howell Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta as part of the 2022 Spring Into Art, an annual regional tradition, as Yeager plans to continue her education at VSU and pursue awell as the 2021 and 2022 DrawProject, an annual drawing Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration.invitational that raises funds for VSU Department of Art & Design scholarships. She celebrated her first independent show, Through the knowledge and experience I gain through thisGrounds & Roots, at Plough Gallery in Tifton, Georgia. program of study, I hope to aid in the quality improvement of the administration and outcomes of healthcare in any facility that IGrays research titled Mamias Monuments and Womens Social might have the privilege to work for in the future, she said.Role in Pompeii earned first place in the humanities category at VSUs 2022 Undergraduate Research Symposiums Poster Yeager attends CrossPointe Church in Valdosta, Georgia. HerDesign competition. She was a Zell Miller Scholar, and her supportive family includes dad J.D. Yeager, mom Pam Yeager,commitment to academic and creative excellence earned her and grandparents Belinda and Don Yeager. repeated Deans List honors, the inaugural Dedo Maranville 26 |VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY'