KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee’s highest faculty and student honors were presented Wednesday night at the Chancellor’s honors banquet at the Carolyn P. Brown Memorial University Center.
Dr. Nancy Goslee, a member of UT’s English department, was named the 2006-07 Macebearer. The Macebearer is the highest faculty honor given and is representative of the faculty’s commitment of service to students, to scholarship and to society. Goslee will lead the faculty processional during the commencement exercises through the next year.
Goslee is the Lindsay Young Professor of English and the Wood Alumni Distinguished Service Professor of English. After graduating from Smith College and Yale University, Goslee joined the UT faculty in 1970. Her research on the British Romantic writers of the early 19th century has received international recognition. Goslee has also been an active member of the university’s Commission for Women and served on the faculty Senate and numerous other campus boards and committees.
Seven students were also recognized with the university’s highest student honor, the rank of Torchbearer. Torchbearers are seniors who have served the university with overall excellence through academic achievement, activities and contributions to the university and community.
–Robyn Nicole Washington is a political science and public administration major from Memphis, Tenn. She is a resident assistant and helped develop an international roommate program. Washington also was one of UT’s first recipients of the African American Incentive Grants.
–Charles Joseph Hubbard is a political science major in the university honors program from Hendersonville, Tenn. He served as managing editor of the Volunteer yearbook and president of the Central Program Council. He is communications director for Mortar Board. Hubbard also taught English at Tshingua University in China in 2005.
–Britni Jantha Ratliff is a chemistry major and math minor in the university honor’s program from Hendersonville, Tenn. She is the president of both the Apartments Residence Tenant’s Association and the Student Affiliates of the American Chemical Society. She was a 2005 Goldwater Scholar and received a summer undergraduate research fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colo.
–Megan Carol Welch is a finance major in the university honors program from Oneida, Tenn. She was Student Government Association vice president for 2005-06 and a Freshman Council advisor. She has served on numerous administrative committees including the traffic and parking authority board, the Parents’ Association director search and University Center renovation steering committee. She also is an Ambassador Scholar and secretary of Student Alumni Associates.
–Lauren Dae Binkley is a speech communication major in the university honors program from Springfield, Tenn. She is president of Student Alumni Associates, SGA historian, a member of the Chancellor’s Associates and program director for Ignite! freshman leadership program. She holds several scholarships and is actively involved in community service.
–Rahim Manji is a college scholar in the university honors program from Knoxville. He is a Baker scholar and president of the Mortar Board National Honor Society. He also is president of the Honors Student Council. Manji served as Ambassador Scholar senior captain as an honors peer mentor and as director of the Campus Beautification committee. His senior college scholars project is on the legal obligation to be a good Samaritan.
–Eric Matthew Harkness is a college scholar from Franklin, Tenn. He is a founding Baker Scholar and most recently helped develop a forum on the controversial Marion Greenwood mural as a member of the Issues Committee. He founded VAULT to ensure fair labor standards in the production of UT athletic apparel and merchandise. Harkness was SGA Senator of the Year twice and is a columnist for the Daily Beacon. He is also a member of Phi Beta Kappa honor society and served as a research assistant for the Center for Business and Economic Research.
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Contact: Beth Gladden, media relations (865-974-9008, beth.gladden@tennessee.edu)
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