UVa-Wise students honored with Tice Total Achievement Awards

UVa-Wise students India Hedgecock, Desirae Killough, Jenna Powers Dingus and Josh Vaughan received Tice Total Achievement Awards during the College’s 17th annual Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon on March 29.

Five students at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise were honored with the Tice Total Achievement Award during the College’s 17th annual Scholarship Appreciation Luncheon on March 29.

India Hedgecock, Desirae Killough, Brittany Lawson, Jenna Powers and Joshua Vaughan were each presented with a certificate of recognition and a $1,000 award.

The Tice award is presented to current UVa-Wise students who honor and encourage family values and community service, cooperation, creativity and scholarship. Students are nominated by College faculty and staff.

The award is made possible through a generous endowment by Dr. Frederick Gordon Tice in memory of his grandparents and their children.

India Hedgecock of Fieldale is a freshman with a 3.1 grade point average who has already declared a double major in psychology and sociology. She intends to pursue a graduate degree that will enable her to work in the human service field. She is a member of the College’s color guard and has recently been admitted to Student Support Services, where she plans to tutor other students. In her spare time she loves to draw and is involved in other campus life activities.

After suffering a serious injury early in her senior cross country season, Desirae Killough of Wise was not able to compete for the rest of the year. Since she was unable to compete, Killough spent her time rehabilitating her injury and providing support for members of her team. As a residence hall advisor, Killough involves the residents in social activities as well as service activities, such as a clean-up at Camp Bethel. With a 3.45 grade point average and a desire to practice medicine, Killough has volunteered with Remote Area Medical. She is also involved with the UVa-Wise Fall Fun Festival and the Tupos campus ministry.

As a student-athlete, Brittany Lawson of Duffield has proven herself on the court and in the classroom. The senior mathematics major has a 3.7 grade point average. She started her freshman year as a walk-on in the volleyball and softball programs and proved herself quickly. She has become a role model to many young athletes by volunteering at various athletic camps. Lawson also takes part in band competitions and plays bluegrass with her family at fund-raising events.

The featured student speaker at the March 29 luncheon, Jenna Powers of Coeburn is a senior communication major with a 3.8 grade point average. She has served as treasurer of the Student Government Association, a staff writer for the Highland Cavalier student newspaper and a student diplomat secretary. Powers also has been a fund raiser for Hope House, the American Cancer Society and the Mountain Empire Community College Hurricane Katrina relief effort, and she helped organize the Tools for Schools Drive. She is also a 4-H camp counselor and assistant director of music at her church.

Joshua Vaughan of Halifax is a junior business major who is active in the College’s Baptist Collegiate Ministry, the Wesley Foundation and a leader of the Dive into Christ Bible Study. He is a member of the UVa-Wise Judicial Board, the National Honor Society, the UVa-Wise Choir, the Student Government Association and the Center for Student Development’s Advisory Board. He serves as social/risk management chair, vice archon, chaplain and on the alumni relations committee with Pi Kappa Phi. Off campus, Vaughan works with PASSPORT Missions camp, where he helps renovate and improve the living conditions of underprivileged residents. He also works with Helping Hands for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society and PUSH America.

The only branch campus of the University of Virginia, UVa-Wise is ranked among the nation’s top ten public liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report. UVa-Wise offers Virginia's only undergraduate degree in software engineering, among 28 other degrees and professional programs in the liberal arts tradition of Thomas Jefferson.

Posted April 2, 2008