The first First Year Experience Scholar award ceremony was held at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, where 68 freshmen were awarded. Washburn President Jerry Farley, Vice President of academic affairs Randall Pembrook and the Center for Student Success attended the ceremony in order to honor students commitment to academic excellence at Washburn University.

After Alan Bearman, dean of Mabee Library, introduced the FYE mission, both Pembrook and Farley gave speeches for the ceremony and the awarded students. 

“This award is the honor of all the awarded students,” said Farley. “This award is a sign [that] the students have adapted well to college life. Every freshman student should keep this honor throughout their college life until graduation.”

Students in the ceremony were joined by their family members and friends. Many of them came to celebrate with the awarded students. 

The peak of the event was students’ family and friends taking as many pictures as they could. Students took pictures with Farley and received an award certificate in their honor.

“Washburn has done lots of efforts to help us freshmen adopt the college pace,” said Ying Ji, freshman foreign exchange student. “I think the tutor-like writing center is very helpful, especially for the international students like me. I am very happy to get this award. It inspires me for my further studies.”

This is the first year of the FYE mission, and it is one that supports the academic, social and personal transitions of all first-year students. 

Bearman says they did this event so students wouldn’t forget how they did as the time goes by. It’s an easy way for them to keep track of their studies and it helps students continue studying hard in their remaining college years.