UNM Dean of Students Randy Boeglin said that this year's winners of the Clauve Outstanding Senior Award are five of the University's most accomplished students in the classroom as well as the community.
The 2003 recipients are Rosalyn Nguyen, Heather Gabel, Gil Morales, Sarah McKinney and Angie Wilcox.
The award was established in honor of Lena Clauve, who was UNM's dean of women for more than 32 years, Boeglin said. He added that five to seven seniors who display outstanding scholarship, involvement and leadership on campus and volunteer service in the Albuquerque community receive the honor annually.
"This is always an extremely competitive process," Boeglin said. "There were right at 40 students in this year's pool of candidates."
Boeglin said students must have two letters of recommendation to begin the application process for the award. A selection committee comprised of members of the office of the dean of students, faculty and a student then assess the candidates in terms of scholastic and community service criteria and choose the winners.
The five seniors will be recognized at a reception April 17 at the Sheraton Old Town Hotel in Albuquerque.
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"It's an evening in which all kinds of student honors are bestowed," he said. "It's a celebration of student accomplishments."
Nguyen is majoring in business administration and finance and plans to stay at UNM for her master's and law degrees. She added that she is happy at the Anderson Schools of Management. She was the chair of the ASUNM SUB Board and also is a member of the Student Fee Review Board.
The Clauve award encompasses academic achievements and service to both the UNM and Albuquerque communities, which shows that candidates are well rounded, Nguyen said.
"Students can't really apply for it, so a certain degree of confidence was displayed in me," she said.
Gabel, a nursing major, has been involved in several community service projects, including the Trailblazers, which works with the UNM Alumni Association and the Student Nurses Association, for which she was president for a term.
She was elected to the Associated Students of UNM Senate for three-straight terms and is now vice president.
Gabel said she hopes to spread her attitude of reaching out to others with a strong message about the importance of community service projects.
"The Clauve represents students who really reach out to the UNM community in various aspects of their college career," she said. "I really can't imagine not trying to reach out to others."
Morales is the chief justice of the ASUNM student court and a finance major with a 3.9 GPA. He spoke highly of the Clauve award and his fellow recipients.
"I feel like it validates a lot of the hard work I've done here at UNM," Morales said. "I'm honored to be recognized with the others because I know that they are hard workers as well."
As a double-major in Spanish and political science and a member of the executive committee for ASUNM Student Special Events, McKinney is also proud of the work she has done at the University, she said in a UNM press release.
"It is truly an honor to be recognized by receiving this award for giving back to the campus community that has given me so much," McKinney said.
Wilcox said that she is thrilled to have received the award and that she has good memories of her undergraduate career at UNM. She is majoring in education, with minors in English and music.
"My biggest accomplishment at UNM was discovering my passion for helping my fellow students," Wilcox said.
