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 Nursing and Health Sciences, College of the Arts, James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and College of Science and Mathematics. h Arleyl AngDAleJ r .After graduation Knuckles plans to return to VSU to pursue c ollege ofb usinessA DministrAtion a Master of Accountancy, pass the certified public accounting licensure exam, and then work in public accounting. c onnere lizAbethK nucKlesof Albany, Georgia, is the recipientHer supportive family includes parents Stephen and Vickie Knuckles. of the Fall 2023 Presidents Award for Academic Excellence for the Harley Langdale Jr. Collegec ollege ofn ursing& h eAlths ciencesof Business Administration at Valdosta State University. Sheh unterA llenr entzof graduates summa cum laudeHazlehurst, Georgia, is the recipient with a Bachelor of Businessof the Fall 2023 Presidents Administration in Accounting. Award for Academic Excellence for the College of Nursing and I am humbled to be awarded such an honor, she shared. I canHealth Sciences at Valdosta State clearly see Gods hand in my life, and I would not be where I amUniversity. He graduates summa if it were not for His provision.cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.I have had an amazing experience and that is due in part to the amazing faculty and staff here at VSU. Dr. Cheri Tillman has hadIt is a distinct honor to be named a top graduate of the College a huge impact on my VSU experience; she was both my professorof Nursing and Health Sciences, he shared. I am immensely and honors advisor. Looking back on my time here, her influenceblessed as this award recognizes my commitment to academic and encouragement have impacted my undergraduate years inexcellence and desire to strive for the best in everything that I do. the best ways. Since having Dr. Tillman, I have had mentors andI am forever thankful for my experience at VSU, as it has brought encouragers such as Dr. Cori Crews, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Dr. Nancyme lifelong friends and connections with remarkable faculty Swanson, Mrs. Lynn Crump, Dr. Candace Witherspoon, andmembers who have supported me throughout nursing school. many others. These people have helped to shape me into who I am today. I have been surrounded by an amazing communityRentz came to VSU after graduating as valedictorian from from the start, and I am so thankful. I am proud to be a VSUJeff Davis County High School. His commitment to academic Blazer and even prouder to be a graduate of the Harley Langdaleexcellence continued at VSU and resulted in him being Jr. College of Business Administration.named a Zell Miller Scholar and earning repeated Deans List recognitions, the John and Gertrude Odum Scholarship, and the As a student at VSU, Knuckles was an active member ofWalter R. and Dorothy S. Salter Scholarship.Beta Gamma Sigma: The International Business Honor Society; Baptist Collegiate Ministries, where she served on theRentz spent countless hours learning and perfecting his skills in leadership team for two years; and the Institute of ManagementVSUs on-campus STEP (Simulated Training Encounters with Accountants, where she served as director of plant tours andPatients) Center and gained valuable real-world experience as events followed by a term as president. She was a studenta nursing student volunteer serving the needs of underserved ambassador for Becker Professional Education and a studentpopulations in the region.representative for the Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration Strategic Planning Committee and DepartmentAfter graduation Rentz plans to pass the NCLEX, the national of Accounting Strategic Planning Committee. examination for the licensing of nurses, and pursue a career as a registered nurse in South Georgia Medical Centers Emergency Her commitment to academic, leadership, and service excellenceDepartment. resulted in her earning repeated Deans List honors, the First Bank Scholarship, the Institute of Management AccountantsI plan to gain several years of experience and attain further Scholarship, and several awards from the Georgia Society ofcertifications to advance in my career, he added. From there, CPAs, including the Valdosta Chapter Scholarship, AlbanyI plan to start travel nursing for a few years and then return to Chapter Scholarship, Coastal Georgia Chapter Scholarship,become a nurse practitioner once I am ready to settle down.Bennett Thrasher PC Scholarship, and Collins/Moody + Company Scholarship. His supportive family includes parents Stacey Rentz and Sha Rentz.22 |VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY'