Contact: Sammy McDavid

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Two dozen Mississippi State seniors are new members of the university’s prestigious Society of Scholars in the Arts and Sciences.

At the conclusion of each fall and spring semester, the honor organization recognizes the highest achieving students in all academic majors. Each has demonstrated the highest standard of scholastic excellence while pursuing a broad exposure to courses in the arts, sciences and humanities.

Individuals selected for the vigorous screening process must have demonstrated a sound foundation in languages, mathematics, sciences, oral and written communication, humanities and social sciences.

In addition to Mississippi, the 2017 spring class represents Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas.

The new scholar group includes (by hometown):

BRANDON—Morgan Hydrick, an English and communication/public relations double-major.

BYRAM—Sarah A. Phillips, a criminology and foreign language/classics double-major.

DYERSBURG, Tennessee—Madilyn B. Petty, a biological sciences/pre-medicine major.

GULFPORT—Rachel M. Ruth Weitzel, a political science and history double-major.

HERNANDO—Meredith A. Hilliard, an English and foreign language/Spanish double-major.

HOOVER, Alabama—Margaret K. Eason, a biological sciences/pre-dental major.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama—Courtney P. Hill, a chemistry major.

JACKSON—Robert W. Frey, a history and economics double-major.

KATY, Texas—Thomas A. Rogers, a chemistry major.

KINGWOOD, Texas—Mary M. Denning, a communication/public relations major.

LAKELAND, Tennessee—Lauren A. Osborne, a biological sciences major.

LEXINGTON—Lily F. McCrory, a biological sciences/pre-medicine major.

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas—Robyn Ann Beattie, a biological sciences/pre-veterinary medicine major.

MADISON, Alabama—Joseph B. Kerstiens, a business administration and political science/pre-law double-major.

MADISON—Ruth E. Fowler, a physics major.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee—Reagan E. Arnwine, a biological sciences/occupational therapy major.

MERIDIAN—Maria L. Diener, a social work major at MSU-Meridian.

STARKVILLE—Anna C. Jackson, a biological sciences major; Haley N. Jenkins, a microbiology major; Dukjae Lee, a psychology major; Francesca M. Wadlington, a foreign language/Spanish major; and Cole Wood, a political science major.

TERRY—Jeffrey M. Jones, a mathematics major.

WALNUT—Anthony K. Laudadio, a political science and history double-major.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.