Northern Arizona University's fall 2006 Gold Axe Award recipients

Three graduating seniors at Northern Arizona University were awarded the school's prestigious President's Prize for their exemplary leadership, academic excellence and service to the NAU community.

The award recipients—Isaac Gastélum Muñoz of San Diego, majoring in accounting, arts management and computer information systems, Eric Norgard of Prescott, a political science major, and Anya Van Ness of Prescott, a health sciences major—were announced at the Nov. 15 Gold Axe Awards Banquet in Ashurst Auditorium, where 21 students also received the coveted Gold Axe Award for their achievements. Eight students also were named distinguished seniors by their colleges.

The tradition of the Gold Axe Award dates back to 1933, a year after the student body adopted a copper ax as the symbol for Lumberjack athletics. Students selected for a Gold Axe Award are then eligible for the President's Prize, considered the highest student recognition from the university. After reviewing all the Gold Axe Award recipients, a universitywide committee makes its recommendations to President John Haeger, who then selects the President's Prize winners.

"These students have distinguished themselves as academics, but they also stand out for their leadership outside the classroom," Haeger said. "We can expect that these award recipients, who have been very involved at NAU, will become leaders in their professions as well."

This semester's Gold Axe award recipients are:

• Briana Bernal, communication sciences and disorders
• Lauren Beyer, public relations and electronic media & film
• Misty Cook-Goseyun, elementary education
• Alexander Davis, psychology
• Lucy Estrella, liberal studies in biology
• Danielle Finney, exercise science
• Isaac Gastélum Muñoz, accounting, arts management and computer information systems
• Britney Grantham, elementary and special education
• Elizabeth Hale, elementary education
• Ashley Hatathli-Nez, theater studies
• Magdalena Ibarra, management and marketing
• Rachel Koch, English
• Joseph Langworthy, construction management
• Stacie Leach, biology
• L. Makia Motton, health sciences and physical education
• Eric Norgard, political science
• Rhonda Padilla, finance
• David Rich, history
• Arian Shirakhoon, community health promotion
• Anya Van Ness, health sciences
• Kerry Williams, marketing

The students who received their college's Distinguished Senior award are:

• Heather Ann Edenhofer, elementary education
• Margaret Marchesky, hotel and restaurant management
• Kelly Busche, physical education and school health
• Layna Pummill, nursing
• Tarek Slameh, mechanical engineering
• Isaac Gastélum Muñoz, accounting and computer information systems
• Kim Lincoln, art education
• Dempsey Davis, social work

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