ABILENE, Texas - Jessica Weeden, 2010 Monroe High School graduate, received her Psychology degree and Public Service minor on May 10 with honors with a GPA of 3.7. Weeden was one of three seniors recognized as exemplary students by University President Phil Schubert during commencement exercises.
"Jess models the ACU spirit as a light that shines on a hill, full of faith, already making a real difference in the world, and never, never giving up on her dreams," Schubert stated.
Weeden qualified to enter the Abilene Christian University Honors program as an incoming freshman. Students can only enter the program as a freshman. The program requires not only honor level courses but many additional items including volunteer work.
She worked as a tutor and office assistant in the Alpha Learning Center, coached swimming at the Abilene YMCA and then for the Abilene Christian Schools swim team, and waitressed special events for Perini Ranch in Abilene. In addition to school and work, she was active in missions and went on trips to Antigua and Ukraine. She will return to Ukraine at the end of May for four weeks and work at Pine Ridge Camp, a children's camp that has become a refugee camp.
Weeden also participated in three Undergraduate Research Festivals at ACU, two Christian Scholars Conferences at Lipscomb University and two international conferences hosted by the Academy of Management that typically only showcase the work of Ph.D. students, post-doctoral students and higher-order faculty research. As a result, Weeden was one of three recipients of the 2013 ACU Undergraduate Researcher of the Year awards.
Weeden will attend the University of Georgia and enroll in the Master of Social Work program in August.
"Jess models the ACU spirit as a light that shines on a hill, full of faith, already making a real difference in the world, and never, never giving up on her dreams," Schubert stated.
Weeden qualified to enter the Abilene Christian University Honors program as an incoming freshman. Students can only enter the program as a freshman. The program requires not only honor level courses but many additional items including volunteer work.
She worked as a tutor and office assistant in the Alpha Learning Center, coached swimming at the Abilene YMCA and then for the Abilene Christian Schools swim team, and waitressed special events for Perini Ranch in Abilene. In addition to school and work, she was active in missions and went on trips to Antigua and Ukraine. She will return to Ukraine at the end of May for four weeks and work at Pine Ridge Camp, a children's camp that has become a refugee camp.
Weeden also participated in three Undergraduate Research Festivals at ACU, two Christian Scholars Conferences at Lipscomb University and two international conferences hosted by the Academy of Management that typically only showcase the work of Ph.D. students, post-doctoral students and higher-order faculty research. As a result, Weeden was one of three recipients of the 2013 ACU Undergraduate Researcher of the Year awards.
Weeden will attend the University of Georgia and enroll in the Master of Social Work program in August.
