At the podium in Lee Chapel, Chris Ferguson, PhD, Stetson alumnus and now professor of Psychology, had a message for the students during the 2026 Academic Awards and Recognition, May 8.

Ferguson was last year’s winner of the Hand Award for Research, Creative, and Professional Activity, one of Stetson’s top awards for faculty. As a result, he received the honor of giving this year’s Academic Address. He talked about his initial failures after graduating, when he “stumbled and drifted” before he “figured things out at [age] 28,” eventually returning to his undergraduate alma mater to teach.

Ferguson could relate to the students. As a senior in 1993, he won the award for Outstanding Psychology major. His message on stage: “It’s OK not to have everything figured out. If you do, great. If not, give yourself a break. You’ll find your place eventually. You’ve already given yourself an advantage over most by getting a good university education.”

Ferguson effectively eased the tension of the awards ceremony. Yet, these students, in fact, had done far more than getting a good university education. They were the best, the cream of the Class of 2026 crop across the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Business Administration, and the School of Music.

Such was the setting as 28 awards were presented to students, along with four top honors to faculty. This was a celebration of excellence.

In the words of Provost Elizabeth Skomp, PhD, vice president of Academic Affairs and professor of Russian: “Today’s Academic Awards and Recognition Ceremony provides a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the highest academic achievements of our students, as well as our distinguished teacher-scholar faculty.”

STUDENT AWARDS

School of Business Administration

Business School Foundation Paul E. Dascher Outstanding Scholar Award: Darbi Robbins, Sydney Jenkins

Business School Foundation David M. Beights Merit Award for Accounting: Jack Holmes

Business School Foundation E.C. Furlong Merit Award for Management: Sevara Erdanova

Business School Foundation Eugene M. Lynn Merit Award for Finance: Keith Ohanian

Business School Foundation Merit Award for Marketing: Zachary Guch

School of Music

Presser Foundation Undergraduate Scholar: Katarina Nieminen

Outstanding Vocal Music Educator Award: Emma Floyd

Outstanding Instrumental Music Educator Award: Emma Stoughton

College of Arts and Sciences

Ray V. Sowers Elementary Education Award: Jalexia Rivera

Ed Hamill Award for Outstanding Senior in Art: Ella Swartz

Michael McFarland Award for Outstanding Senior: Alicia Ferreira, Michaela Hawthorne

Byron H. Gibson Award: Sheridan Macon

Ronald L. and Margaret Smith Hall Philosophy Award: Soleille Vertus

Dorothy L. Fuller Award: Pilar Astigarraga Harper

American Institute of Chemists Foundation Outstanding Senior Award: Dania Almaatouk

Jack Gibson Endowed Physics Research Award: Faith Patterson

The Rachel Carson Environmental Science Award: Phoenix Medley

The Health Science Scholarship and Service Award: Lauren Mullins

Outstanding Student in Gender Studies: Gabriella Howard

The Outstanding Student in Economics: Nathan Llano

Gilbert L. Lycan History Award: Serena Dowling, Reagan Swayze

William Amory Underhill Award: Diana Godinho

Psychology Department Award for Excellence in Research: Elena Edwards, Leonardo Giorgioni

Serge Zenkovsky Prize in Russian Studies: Isabelle “Nicole” Henry

University Honors Program Award for Outstanding Senior: Sheridan Macon, Charlotte Holley, Iratze Rodriguez, Sean Gaudreault

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award: Ny-eesa Tha-Leesma

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award: John DeVaul

Etter McTeer Turner Award: Charlotte Holley

FACULTY AWARDS

William Hugh McEniry Award for Excellence in Teaching: Randall Croom, PhD, Associate Professor of Management, Assistant Director of the Honors Program

Hand Award for Research, Creative, and Professional Activity: Robert Askew, PhD

Hand Award for Community Impact: Cynthia Bennington, PhD, Professor of Biology, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Advisors of the Year: Randall Croom, PhD; and Elise Gruber, PhD, Assistant Professor of Practice, Department of Education