The President’s Prize, Gold Axe awards and the Distinguished Senior awards for the Class of 2024 were honored at a ceremony on April 11. Provost Karen Pugliesi, in presenting the awards, highlighted the accomplishments, service and scholarship of this class as she recognized students from each college.
The students came from a pool of applicants selected by the Office of Leadership & Engagement. The program is co-sponsored by the Office of the President, NAU Alumni and ASNAU. This year’s class included 45 Gold Axe winners, including five President’s Prize winners—the highest honor awarded to undergraduate students. Additionally, nine students were honored as Distinguished Seniors of their colleges.
The President’s Prize winners are:
- Maria Emilia Machelor, a member of the Honors College who majored in Spanish and international affairs; served in ASNAU, including as the 2023-24 student body president; and participated in Global Bridges NAU and the NAU Photography Club.
- Emma Anderson, who majored in elementary education and served as a member of the Campus Living Student Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary organization, in addition to participating in various other volunteer and community organizations.
- Sarahy Gonzalez González, a first-generation student who majored in finance and management, studied abroad in Spain and is a President’s Leadership Fellow and a finance TA.
- Miles LeBlanc, a business economics and finance major and member of NAU’s football team, did a yearlong research project on name-image-likeness deals, exploring the practical applications of these deals for college athletes.
- Keona Hosteen, a communication sciences and disorders major, Presidential Leadership Fellow and member of Native Journey to Academic Success, switched to online courses so she could move home to the Navajo Nation and care for her grandmother.
The Distinguished Seniors are: Olivia Hall (College of Arts and Letters); Alexandria Call (College of Education); Matthew Helms (College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences); Jessica Marshall (College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences); Keona Hosteen (College of Health and Human Services); Carolina Jimenez Hernandez (College of Social and Behavioral Sciences); Theresa Bell (Personalized Learning); Isaac Lopez (NAU Yuma) and Miles LeBlanc (The W. A. Franke College of Business).
The standard bearers are: Jonathan Otero (College of Education); Grace Morris (College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences); Max Whittington (College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences); Keona Hosteen (College of Health and Human Services); Savanna Cabrera (College of Social and Behavioral Sciences); Samantha Barraza Amador (NAU Yuma and Personalized Learning); Abigail Webster (College of Arts and Letters) and Madison Riedling (The W. A. Franke College of Business).
Watch the ceremony recorded by NAU-TV.
Gold Axe winners
Distinguished Seniors
Standard Bearers
