PEMBROKE — Of the five finalists for the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Senior Award, three are international students, three are student-athletes, two are non-traditional students, one is a veteran and one is 17 years old. They have one thing in common — they are all outstanding.
The award recognizes seniors who excel through academic achievement, campus and community activities, academic, athletic or extra-curricular honors or awards, scholarships and work ethic during their time at UNCP.
On April 22 at the Senior Wine and Cheese Reception at the Chancellor’s Residence, Monica Espitia, a Mass Communication major from Bogatoa, Columbia, was named the outstanding senior. A member of the tennis team, Espitia speaks four languages and served as a tutor and supplemental instructor in the Academic Support Center.
Espitia had the highest GPA of all members of the Esther G. Maynor Honors College. She volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, at the Tri-Warriors Youth Triathlon and at a tennis clinic for a local high school. With a concentration in journalism, she worked forthe Pine Needle student newspaper, writing sports and creating pod casts in Spanish.
She moved to the U.S. from Colombia when she was 17. She says, since enrolling in UNCP, she feels closer to achieving her dream of becoming a journalist who focuses on the Latin American people.
“The years I have spent at UNCP have made me a better-rounded person. Moving to a new country, adapting to a new culture and attending college in my third language has expanded my cultural horizons in ways that I would have never imagined if I had stayed in Colombia. I believe I represent everything UNCP stands for: diversity, hard work, initiative, leadership and most importantly, kindheartedness,” Espita said.
The other candidates were:
— Breanna Hartley, a Sports Administration major from Lexington. As a member of the softball team, she was on the Daktronics All-American team and first team all-conference in 2013 and 2014. For the last three years, she has worked as a nanny for three young children.
— Michelle Hernandez, a double major in Business Administration and Accounting from Sweden. She was captain of the soccer team and named Teammate of the Year.
— Ethan Sanford, a double major in English and Biology from Hamlet with a 3.948 GPA. Starting college at age 14, Sanford was a member of the Honors College and studied internationally in Bermuda, Costa Rica and Wales. He served as a peer tutor and an assistant in the Office of International Programs.
— Marcus Sherman, a veteran who with tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Sherman majored in Biology and will graduate with a 4.0 GPA. He engaged in research in the field of bioinformatics and won a top award at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. He is also a member of the Honors College.
Chancellor Kyle R. Carter and his wife, Sarah, host the annual Wine and Cheese Reception for seniors. For several reasons, this class of seniors has special meaning for Chancellor Carter, who is retiring in June.
“Sarah and I have very close connections to this class,” Carter said. “We have been with you for all four years. This class will be the first to walk across the bridge as first-year students and return across the bridge to graduate.
“Commencement will be an emotional day for me,” he continued. “We’ve loved getting to know all of you.”
Full bios on the finalists can be found on www.robesonian.com.
