TWU To Recognize Outstanding Students At Honors Convocation

DENTON — Seven Texas Woman's University students will be recognized as outstanding students during Honors Convocation ceremonies April 18 at 10 a.m. in the Margo Jones Performance Hall, located near the intersection of Oakland Avenue and Sawyer Street.

Cindy Seamans of Dallas will receive the Outstanding Doctoral Student award. Carrie Hess of Lewisville and Shona Marscola of Kaufman will receive the Outstanding Master's Student award. Outstanding Senior awards will go to John Ada of Houston, Janet Maffei of Allen, Sarah Kate Plank of Denton and Shelley Sheldon of Lewisville.

Cindy Seamans

Along with being a graduate student, wife and mother, Ms. Seamans has spent most of her graduate studies career at Texas Woman's University helping survivors of violence and trauma at a variety of counseling agencies in the Dallas area. Ms. Seamans, recipient of the TWU Outstanding Doctoral Student award, is a doctoral candidate in counseling psychology who plans to graduate this spring. She has a 3.85 grade-point-average.

Ms. Seamans recently accepted the position of clinical coordinator of emergency shelter services at the Family Place in Dallas, where she manages the delivery of clinical services to women victims of domestic violence.

She also has served as a counselor at the Family Place and helped pioneer a new psychology internship at the Dallas Psychological Consortium, which consists of the counseling centers at the University of Texas-Dallas, Southern Methodist University and Galaxy Center in Garland. She was one of the first two interns in the program, as well.

Ms. Seamans entered TWU's master of arts counseling psychology program in 1992 and the doctoral program in 1994. Psychology is her second profession, after a successful career in marketing and public relations.

Carrie Hess

Ms. Hess' superior management skills and hard work have enabled her to accomplish much more than most students, her instructors say. Ms. Hess, a spring 2002 master's degree candidate in institutional administration, is one of two Outstanding Master's Student award recipients. She earned a 3.9 grade-point-average for undergraduate work at TWU and currently has a 4.0 GPA in her graduate courses.

“Carrie has been an outstanding role model for our students and definitely has leadership potential,” said Dr. Carolyn Bednar, chair of the Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences.

Ms. Hess has participated as an officer, member and volunteer in a number of campus and community organizations. She was secretary of the TWU Student Dietetic Association, treasurer of the Nutrition and Food Sciences Graduate Club and a member of the Golden Key Honor Society. In the past few years, she volunteered her time at Head Start, the Children's Advocacy Center of Dallas and the St. Vincent de Paul House in Denton where she assisted in distributing food and clothing to the underprivileged.

Scholarships she has received include the TDAF Celeste Rocap Endowed Scholarship, the Doris McCarter Brownell Scholarship, the Ann Brownell Sloane Scholarship and the Texas Cattlewomen's Association Scholarship.

Shona Marscola

Ms. Marscola is described as being an exceptional occupational therapist, an asset to both her workplace and profession, and an asset to Texas Woman's University as an alumnus. Ms. Marscola, a resident of Kaufman who received her master's degree in occupational therapy in December, is the second Outstanding Master's Student award recipient. She maintained a 3.65 grade-point-average.

“Shona exemplified outstanding leadership in all endeavors. She demonstrated exceptional motivational skills for students, faculty and the community,” said Dr. Joanna Bertness Lipoma, one of her clinical instructors. “Shona demonstrates mature insight and interpersonal skills that promote an immediate comfort level for all who work with her.”

As a student, Ms. Marscola organized a cancer support group at the Dallas Veterans' Affairs hospital, was a speaker for the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Support Group, coordinated student volunteers for the 2001 Vanderkooi Lecture and served as president of the TWU Student Occupational Therapy Association. She currently works in the spinal cord injury unit at the Dallas VA hospital.

Ms. Marscola wants to further her knowledge about patient/pet therapy and is in the process of earning certification for pet therapy with dogs.

John Ada

Mr. Ada is described by faculty as an excellent student, caring with his patients and as someone who will make an outstanding addition to the nursing profession. Mr. Ada, a nursing student in Houston, was named Outstanding Junior Clinical Student last year at Texas Woman's University. This year, he is one of four students receiving the Outstanding Senior Award.

Mr. Ada already holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, where he graduated cum laude. He has maintained a 4.0 grade-point-average while working on his bachelor of science degree in nursing at TWU. He has been on the dean's list and has been invited to join the Beta Beta chapter of Sigma Theta Tau in Houston.

Janet Maffei

Mrs. Maffei of Allen radiates competence and self-confidence, according to her instructors. She received her bachelor of science degree in human biology, graduating summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA, in December and is another of the Outstanding Senior Award recipients.

Mrs. Maffei was recognized twice at TWU by Phi Kappa Phi for Outstanding Academic Achievement (1999 and 2001) and she received the Meritorious Service Award (2001) from the Golden Key Honor Society. During her education at TWU, she also served as sophomore recognition director and treasurer for Golden Key. Mrs. Maffei also has volunteered her time to organizations such as the Greater Lewisville Habitat for Humanity and Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Sarah Kate Plank

Ms. Plank has been described as one of those “rare finds.” The Denton resident is completing her bachelor of science degree in dietetics and institutional administration and has maintained a 4.0 GPA.

Aside from being named an Outstanding Senior, Ms. Plank has been named to the dean's list, honor roll and national dean's list during her academic career. She has received the Slipper Club Scholarship from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital, the Dorothy MacRae Hyaman Memorial Scholarship from the American Dietetic Association Foundation, the Doris Carter Brownwell Scholarship and the Thelma Van Trease Hook Scholarship, both from Texas Woman's University.

Shelley Sheldon

Mrs. Sheldon works hard, organizes well, achieves balance in her work and life and exudes enthusiasm in all she does, her instructors say. Mrs. Sheldon, a Lewisville resident and bachelor of business administration student with a cumulative 3.79 GPA and a 4.0 GPA in her work at TWU, is the final Outstanding Senior.

She serves as vice-president of coordination for the TWU student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), was social service officer for the Golden Key Honor Society, served as president of the SHRM chapter at TWU, is a certified Students In Free Enterprise scholar and has been named to the national dean's list. Mrs. Sheldon has received the Jim Wilkins Student Scholarship and Dallas Human Resource Association Drew Young Student Scholarship, among other honors.

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