Four graduating seniors who received the Gold Axe Award last night were singled out to receive the President's Prize, considered the highest student recognition from the university. Pictured from left are Noel Larson, Ryan Rodriguez, Whitney Carnicom and Robert Buscaglia. Photo by Jason Bullard

Seniors win Gold Axe Awards, President's Prizes

Four graduating seniors have been awarded the prestigious President's Prize for their exemplary leadership, academic excellence and service to the NAU community.

The awards were announced at the Gold Axe Awards Banquet on Tuesday night in Ashurst Auditorium, where the four—Robert Buscaglia, Whitney Carnicom, Noel Larson and Ryan Rodriguez—were among 40 students who also received the coveted Gold Axe Award for their achievements.

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

This year's Gold Axe Award recipients are:

May 2007 Gold Axe Award Winners*
Shelly Adams dental hygiene	Nancy Black elementary education	Kristie Bluehouse public relations and adverstising	Kelly Bomberger sociology
Robert Buscaglia biochemistry and mathematics	Lindsey Carey marketing	Whitney Carnicom psychology	Kesia Ceniceros liberal studies
Kristina Creager journalism	Dana Dekemper nursing	Melanie Dodson speech communication administration	Angelina Garcia social work
Christa Greseth dental hygiene	Brian Haley forestry	Amy Hills exercise science	Rachelle Hines social work
Alexandra Iannone biology, pre-health professions	Alexis Keyser international hospitality management	Megan Knight art education	Noel Larson psychology
Kara Levinson microbiology	Matthew MacDonald journalism	Susan McClelland chemistry health pre-professional	Jacob Morin civil engineering
Jeffrey Muehlbauer biology and chemistry	Nicole Norris social work	Kaelen Quintero women's studies	Joshua Rodgers exercise science
Ryan Rodriguez political science and psychology	Justin Saul chemistry	Arianna Smith Spanish and psychology	Lee Ann Sobczak interior design
Kerstin Tenney violin performance	Nataly Vadasz chemistry	Jennifer Viens psychology	Jeffrey Wheeler electrical engineering
	Aaron Wilder international affairs and art history	Samantha Wilson exercise science

*not pictured: Roberta Loufek, nursing; Beatriz Vizcarra, environmental science.
photos by Arlin Acosta, NAU Office of Public Affairs

Also during the ceremony, nine students were named as Distinguished Seniors by their college: