Sparkman High School

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the president's list after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. To be eligible for the President's List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average.

Kennesaw State University recently named students to the President's List, in recognition of their academic excellence for the Spring 2018 semester. To achieve this honor, each student must have completed at least 9 semester hours with a term grade point average of 4.0.

The Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean's List honors students who were enrolled in at least 12 credit hours and earned a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the term.

A new participant in the national Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition Series, The University of Alabama student team finished the four-year program strong, racking up several awards. The UA team in the EcoCAR 3 program, a competition among North American universities to design and construct an advanced, energy-efficient vehicle, placed first in several contest categories including ride quality, communications presentation and the most creative outreach event. To go along with those awards, Haley Loftis, project manager of UA's team and recent STEM MBA graduate from Kansas City, won the Spirit of Project Management award.

Jacksonville State University was hit by a destructive EF-3 tornado in the middle of the spring 2018 semester, but that didn't keep 2,079 students from earning top grades.

Troy University is proud to announce students who completed the requirements for graduation during the spring 2018 semester at the Troy Campus.

Nearly 250 University of Alabama students are receiving hands-on, innovative and advanced educational experience with dozens of companies and organizations across the United States through UA's Cooperative Education Program for summer 2018. In the Cooperative Education Program, students alternate periods of full-time study with periods of full-time employment. This program offers work related to the academic major or career interests of each student, experience that enhances the students' employment prospects after graduation. While in school, students carry regular course schedules. While on co-op, they work with professionals in their fields who supervise their training and work. At work, co-op students earn competitive salaries and may receive benefit packages in addition to valuable job experience. Participants maintain their full-time student status while at work and have priority registration status each semester through graduation.

Students at The University of Alabama who competed in a NASA robotics contest came away with the top prize again, making it four straight years for the team from UA to win. Alabama Astrobotics took the top prize at the NASA Robotic Mining Competition, besting student teams from more than 50 other institutions in the challenge to build a robot capable of navigating and excavating simulated Martian soil, or regolith. Made up of about 65 students from across eight disciplines including engineering and computer science, Alabama Astrobotics is the only team to win more than once in the nine-year history of the NASA contest, placing first in 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017 and, now, 2018. "Our team is just like a football team, you have seniors who graduate at the end and you have new people coming in at the beginning, so every year it's a completely different team," said team lead and electrical engineering student Max Eastepp. "For us to be successful this year says a lot for this team and says a lot for how we adapt to new challenges each year." Eastepp, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, said teamwork is critical as students worked from July through the contest this month to design the robot and tackle the new problem NASA presented this year. Contest organizers revised the rules and rubrics this year to reflect the discovery that water ice is prevalent throughout the Red Planet. The challenge is to mine the precious icy regolith, simulated with gravel in the contest, since water ice will provide oxygen, water and fuel for future off-world colonists. What that meant for the contest, though, is no points were awarded to teams for digging the top foot of regolith. Teams earned points for collecting the gravel 12 inches below the surface. The robot built by the UA students mined the most gravel of any team in the contest. UA's robot mined more of the gravel than any other team in the contest, with many teams failing to mine any gravel. Also, Alabama Astrobotics was the only team with a robot that competed entirely autonomously, meaning the robot used computer programming to guide itself, mine and deposit the soil and gravel without any directions from students during the contest. The team placed first in five out of nine categories that included mining, autonomy, systems engineering paper, efficient use of communications power and outreach reports. In all, the students won $11,000 for use on next year's robot. Dr. Kenneth Ricks, team adviser and associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, said the team's consistent success comes from a culture of sticking to a plan - meeting deadlines, testing thoroughly before competition and paying attention to detail. "We know what needs to be done and when it needs to be done," he said. "If our students buy into that process, they know they will have opportunities to be successful." The team received funding from the Alabama Space Grant Consortium, NASA, Dynetics, Fitz-Thors Engineering, Crank N Chrome and the University.

Just six weeks after an EF-3 tornado devastated Jacksonville State University and its surrounding community, 724 students were awarded degrees at a special ceremony on Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium on May 4.

The following students are among more than 1,200 Harding University students included on the dean's list for grades achieved during the spring 2018 semester.

The Omicron Delta Kappa Society is the national leadership honor society for college students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni that recognizes and encourages superior scholarship, leadership, and exemplary character. Membership in ODK is a mark of the highest distinction and honor. Omicron Delta Kappa recognizes and encourages achievement in scholarship; athletics; campus or community service; social and religious activities; campus government; journalism, speech and the mass media; and creative and performing arts.

The University of Alabama's Black Faculty and Staff Association recently recognized students who received premier academic awards for 2017-18. The students were honored on Black Scholars Day in March. The mission of the Black Faculty and Staff Association is to contribute to the betterment of UA a by serving as an advocate for educational equity, with an emphasis on African-American students, and the professional needs of its members. To that end, this organization promotes and provides opportunities for networking among individuals and groups to articulate mutual concerns and advance educational opportunities.

JSU students dominated at the annual YMCA Collegiate Legislature on March 1-3 in Montgomery, winning the Speaker's Cup as the most outstanding delegation.

Jacksonville State University welcomes more than 2,600 students into the 2018 Freshman Class.

The University of Alabama hosted its first campus-wide Global Health Case Competition for undergraduate students Jan. 27. More than 80 students in interdisciplinary teams of four-to-six members competed for prize money as well as the chance to represent UA in the Statewide Global Health Case Competition at the University of Alabama Birmingham. The students analyzed a scenario involving recovery after a cyclone, in Bangladesh. With only five days to prepare, the teams were challenged to study the situation described in the case and propose short-term and long-term solutions that were culturally appropriate and that fit within the assigned budget. The teams then presented their solutions in 20-minute sessions and were judged by a panel consisting of faculty members from UA, UAB and Auburn University.

The University of Alabama will award some 2,077 degrees during winter commencement Dec. 16. With a beautiful campus, dozens of challenging academic programs, expert faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, The University of Alabama is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural and social experience with more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The campus gives students the opportunity to interact with nationally renowned faculty performing cutting-edge research.

More than 3,000 students graduated from Georgia State University during the Fall 2017 semester.

A total of 12,594 students enrolled during the 2017 fall semester at The University of Alabama were named to the Dean's List with an academic record of 3.5 or above or the President's List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A's). The UA Dean's and President's lists recognize full-time undergraduate students. The lists do not apply to graduate students or undergraduate students who take less than a full course load.

Kennesaw State University recently named students to the President's List, in recognition of their academic excellence in the Fall 2017 semester. The Kennesaw State students were honored by President Sam Olens for earning top marks.

The deans of each of UNG's five colleges - the College of Arts & Letters, the College of Education, the College of Health Sciences & Professions, the Mike Cottrell College of Business, and the College of Science & Mathematics - announced the names of those students who made their respective lists for fall 2017. Dean's List recognition is achieved by having at least a 3.5 grade point average, carrying 12 or more credit hours in one semester and having no grade lower than B.

Nearly 600 students were awarded degrees at Jacksonville State University's winter commencement on Dec. 15.

More than 2,000 JSU students were named to the Fall 2017 Honor's List.

Close to 300 University of Alabama students are receiving a hands-on educational experience at more than 60 companies and organizations through UA's Cooperative Education Program during fall 2017. In the Cooperative Education Program, students alternate periods of full-time study with periods of full-time employment. This program offers work related to the academic major or career interests of each student. The experience enhances the students' employment prospects after graduation. While in school, students carry regular course schedules. While on co-op, they work with professionals in their fields who supervise their training and work. At work, co-op students earn competitive salaries and may receive benefit packages in addition to valuable on-the-job experience. Students maintain their full-time student status while at work and have priority registration status each semester through graduation.

Troy University is proud to announce students who have been accepted for admission during July.

Welcome to the Fall Semester 2017. Vol State Merit Pages are a way to celebrate and share your accomplishments.

The University of Alabama awarded approximately 1,300 degrees during summer commencement Aug. 5. With a beautiful campus, hundreds of rigorous academic programs, world-renowned faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, The University of Alabama is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural and social experience with more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The campus gives students the opportunity to interact with nationally renowned faculty performing cutting-edge research. In addition, UA offers students more than 500 student organizations, and UA students perform more than 1 million hours of service for the community.

Close to 300 University of Alabama students are receiving a hands-on educational experience at more than 60 companies and organizations through UA's Cooperative Education Program during summer 2017. In the Cooperative Education Program, students alternate periods of full-time study with periods of full-time employment. This program offers work related to the academic major or career interests of each student. The experience enhances the students' employment prospects after graduation. While in school, students carry regular course schedules. While on co-op, they work with professionals in their fields who supervise their training and work. At work, co-op students earn competitive salaries and may receive benefit packages in addition to valuable on-the-job experience. Students maintain their full-time student status while at work and have priority registration status each semester through graduation.

A total of 11,101 students enrolled during the 2017 spring semester at The University of Alabama were named to the Dean's List with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the President's List with an academic record of 4.0 (all A's). The UA Dean's and President's lists recognize full-time undergraduate students. The lists do not apply to graduate students or undergraduate students who take less than a full course load.

The University of Alabama awarded approximately 5,000 degrees during spring commencement May 5-7. With a beautiful campus, hundreds of rigorous academic programs, world-renowned faculty and numerous opportunities for service and growth, The University of Alabama is a place where legends are made. UA offers its students a premier educational, cultural and social experience with more than 310 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. The campus gives students the opportunity to interact with nationally renowned faculty performing cutting-edge research. In addition, UA offers students more than 500 student organizations, and UA students perform more than 1 million hours of service for the community.

Nearly 1,000 Trine University students earned degrees and were recognized at the university's Commencement ceremony on May 13.