When Siobhan Brown, a recent graduate of Gannon University, found out she was being honored on Founder’s Day with the Academic Excellence Award in English, she was shocked but ecstatic.
“[It was] very honoring and very surprising,” Brown said. “It makes you feel important and that what you do is important… it made me feel really proud.”
The awards presented on Founder’s Day to graduating students honor superior academic performance in their major and contributions to their department or field of study through curricular and co-curricular activities.
Brown said she felt the award positively reflected her time at Gannon and that she truly embraced her possibility.
“I knew I could achieve things academically, but Gannon really helped me achieve my possibility of being a leader,” she said. “I will bring all the knowledge I gained from Gannon to reach my potential as a good educator, which is my next possibility.”
The feelings and emotions Brown felt when receiving this award were undoubtedly shared by the 73 Gannon students who were also honored at the Founder’s Day celebration.
Seven leadership awards, six service awards and six Kappa Gamma Pi awards were presented to students, along with 19 academic excellence awards from the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, 16 from the College of Engineering and Business and 12 from Morosky College of Health Professions and Sciences.
The Archbishop John Mark Gannon Awards were also presented for academic excellence to students who achieved the highest grade-point average of the graduating class. This year, eight students were honored for their hard work and commitment to higher education.
All students who were honored on Founder’s Day fully represent the message and mission of Gannon University to excel in leadership, education and service.