Three UC Arts and Sciences Students Honored with College-Wide Awards

Students, as well as faculty and staff, will be honored for the their successes at the University. This year’s top student honorees are: Alyssa McClearnon, Connor Powelson and Shannon Hokanson,. 

Connor Powelson

receives the McKibbin Medal as a leading graduating male student whose outstanding academic achievements have contributed to the university and the community. The Anthropology and Sociology double major and Political Science minor participated in the Summer Undergraduate Mentored Research program. He was also a Peer Leader with Learning Communities and studied abroad in Ireland. He is currently a Taft Undergraduate Senior Research Fellow. In the fall, he will attend the University of Maryland and work as a graduate assistant in the Sociology PhD program. He plans to focus on race, inequality and policing. Powelson is glad that he made the decision to attend UC.

“I never imaged how close I would become to the professors, advisors and graduate students,” he said. “These relationships will surely last beyond my undergraduate career and into my future academic career.”

Shannon Hokanson

receives the Eleanor Hicks Prize, which honors a graduating female who has had outstanding academic achievements and contributed to the university and the community. After a career as a professional dancer, Hokanson enrolled at UC as a History major because of her interest in historic preservation. While interning, she researched urban forestry for “Trees in Trouble,” a PBS documentary. The Preservation Action Network student group member has also helped develop strategies to improve Over the Rhine. She counts an interdisciplinary course she took about Natural Disasters, which included a study trip to the island of St. Croix, among the highlights of her academic career to date. 

“St. Croix is really a beautiful place, and we managed to learn a lot about the island while also having fun,” she said. 

After college, she plans to work for a non-profit organization and go to grad school once she gains work experience. 

Alyssa McClearnon

receives the Spirit of Community Award because of her outstanding contributions to student life in her college as well as all over campus. She is an International Affairs major, with a minor in French and a certificate in International Human Rights. Throughout college, she has been very involved in various clubs and activities. She has worked as a Congressional campaigner for Human Rights for North Koreans, a Life Group Leader, a Well mentor and a band member for H20 Church. The vice president of UC’s Model United Nations team is currently enrolled in the Urban Planning Master’s program at the College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning. She plans to work in international development in natural disaster areas in developing countries. Looking back, McClearnon is happy about how far she has come. 

“As a freshmen, I would have never guessed that I would have moved on to get a Master’s degree, studied abroad or done the internships I’ve done,” she said. “I sold myself short before and have slowly realized my full potential as I’ve gotten older and met other people in my field.”