Ten graduating seniors were inducted into the Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) Hall of Fame during a banquet April 2.
The Hall of Fame, the highest recognition given to student leaders at FGCU, honors Eagles who have demonstrated superior leadership, integrity and achievement in scholarship, campus involvement and community service. A committee of faculty, students and alumni reviews nominations and selects up to 10 honorees each spring.
“Selecting no more than 10 recipients from a large pool of very talented student leaders is extremely difficult,” said J. Michael Rollo, Vice President for Student Affairs. “These exceptional students have made important contributions to the Florida Gulf Coast University community.”
The 2015 Hall of Famers represent a diverse range of academic interests, but share a common commitment to being engaged citizens and high-achieving scholars:
- Hannah Amundson: A political science major from Homosassa, she has served as a resident assistant, Eagle View Orientation leader and a teaching assistant for Honors and Online University Colloquium.
- Kelsey Carpenter: An exercise science major from Oviedo, she was named captain of the FGCU softball team for the last two years while anchoring the starting lineup in center field and earning several conference accolades. She is also founding president of FGCU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
- Romel Durandisse: A mathematics major from Petion-Ville, Haiti, he is a founding member and served as president of the Actuarial Science Club. He is active in the Dominican Republic Outreach Program (DROP), which inspires global citizenship and civic engagement by sending FGCU students to Santiago each year to distribute school supplies to communities in need.
- Madeline Heath: A communication major from Sarasota, she has been active in the Honors Program, DROP and the One Campus, One Book program. A Service-Learning Ambassador, Heath also initiated and produced a showcase to raise awareness of human trafficking.
- Jason Hoop: A biotechnology major and Honors student from Fort Myers, he has served in Student Government and as president of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Hoop cofounded Global Medical Brigades, a student group that works with medical professionals to provide healthcare services in impoverished rural Nicaragua.
- Lucy Leban: A political science and philosophy major from Lehigh Acres, she is active in Honors, served as president of FGCU’s Amnesty International chapter and participated in a study/serve abroad program in Costa Rica. Leban was also accepted in a summer-long National Science Foundation Research Experience at the University of North Texas, where she had a research paper published.
- Christie Mauretour: A mathematics major from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, she ranks in the top 3 percent of Honors Program students and serves as an Eagle International Ambassador. Mauretour has published a research article in the Discrete Applied Mathematics journal.
- Cory Mentzer: A bioengineering major from Port Charlotte, he has served as an Eagle Ambassador and as Student Government vice president. Mentzer has been active in intramural sports and organized the Azul’s Flight Tour competition for artists to design unique replicas of FGCU’s mascot to inspire school spirit and raise money for scholarships.
- Jordan Nation: A communication and political science major from Sunrise, he is active in Honors and served as a senior peer adviser for Eagle View Orientation and as lead academic counselor for students in the College of Health Professions and Social Work. He is a founding member and served as president of Students Interested in Student Affairs.
- Emma Svensson: An international student from Uppsala, Sweden, she is majoring in economics and received the Honors Award for Personal Excellence last year. As a star of the swimming and diving team, Svensson was the first FGCU student in any sport to qualify for an NCAA championship in all four years of eligibility while setting multiple program records in the pool. She is the first FGCU student to earn All-American honors at an NCAA championship.
Vice President for Student Affairs J. Michael Rollo, left,, with Hall of Fame inductees Hannah Amundson, Kelsey Carpenter, Romel Durandisse, Madeline Heath, Jason Hoop, Lucy Leban, Christie Mauretour, Cory Mentzer, Jordan Nation and Emma Svensson.
