Honors Day, 2006

Once again, the Department celebrated the accomplishments of its students at an Honors Day luncheon, held on the second floor balcony of Manly Hall on Friday April 7, 2006. Although the recipients of this year's Silverstein Fellowship had already received a letter notifying them that they would be recognized at the College of Arts & Sciences Honors Day Convocation (held earlier that morning in Moody Music Hall), they found out at that time that they'd only know what they were receiving if they came to the Department's event--a pretty sly way to solicit attendance, we know. But, as the pictures below make evident, a good time was had by all.

Prof. Tim Murphy (right), who has been the master of ceremonies at our past four Honors Day luncheons, speaks with Jennifer Goodman and Maha Marouan, just before the ceremony got under way. Jennifer, who is an English major and REL minor, graduates this May and is one of four students who worked in the main office this year.

Prof. Steve Jacobs (left) speaks with Jennifer Alfano and her parents, who are obviously enjoying our annual selection of sexy sodas. In the Fall of 2006, Jennifer--who is an REL major--will assist Prof. McCutcheon with his large enrollment section of REL 100.

Melanie Williams (left), also a student worker in the Department this year, and a Religious Studies/Anthropology double major, speaks with Stephanie Brennan, whose parents came from Birmingham to attend Honors Day celebrations.

Prof. Jacobs speaking with Matt Satcher, REL and Philosophy double major. This year, Matt not only received a Silverstein Fellowship but was also named by the faculty as the Department's Outstanding Student in the Academic Study of Religion. As Prof. Murphy said when presenting Matt with his award, the Department is particularly proud of his having published an essay originally begun in one of our classes.

Sam Shabel, among this year's Silverstein Fellows, and his father enjoying some lunch before the ceremony begins.

Silverstein Fellows Sam Shabel (left background), Zachary Day (left foreground), Matt Satcher, and Sarah Luken (with her family and new fiancé, Aaron). Sarah has also been a student worker in the Department, and we look forward to her returning to that role in the Fall.

Let the presentations begin! Prof. Murphy is assisted by Prof. Marouan (left) and Betty Dickey, the Department's senior staff member. Each award winner received a world religions "Wheel O'Wisdom" and Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. Food for thought and the belly.

Sarah Luken--one of the eighteen students honored--receiving her awards.

Now comes the serious stuff: once again, the Department sponsored its annual cartoon caption contest and, this year, the winner was graduating REL/Spanish double major, and Silverstein recipient, Tim Davis. The "Sponge Bob Square Pants" wrapping paper and the big pink bow should have given away the significance of his award, presented here by Prof. McCutcheon. Scroll over the picture to see what Tim won.

Second place in the caption contest went to the only other person who entered: Jennifer Goodman. She received a 30th anniversary CD/DVD collection commemorating the 30th anniversary of the release of the Boss's "Born to Run" (a fitting prize title for a graduating senior, no?).The moral of this story? It pays to enter contests. (By the way, we're not monsters--we gave Tim a CD/DVD too, something to listen to while boiling water for his macaroni and cheese.)

There's always a few surprises during Honors Day. Maha Marouan (center), who was an Instructor in the Department this year and who has been hired as a full-time, tenure-track Assistant Professor as of August 2006, was presented by Prof. Jacobs (left) with a framed antique photograph of Manly Hall, Clark Hall, and Garland Hall (scroll over the above photo to see it; note that the photo was taken long before Gorgas Library was built, back when Clark Hall functioned as the library). The presentation marked her recent defense of her Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Nottingham, in the U.K. Each of the Professors in the Department have a similar framed photograph.

With Prof. Ted Trost on sabbatical this year, and with a new faculty member due to join us in August (Prof. Steven Ramey), our ranks are a little thin this year. Nonetheless, pictured above, along with Sam Shabel and his father, are (left to right): Profs. McCutcheon, Marouan, Jacobs, and Murphy.

The Silverstein Fellowship recipients who were able to attend our Honors Day celebration are (clockwise, starting from bottom left): Matt Satcher, Tim Davis, Sarah Luken, Jennifer Alfano, Barclay Owens, Brian Robbins, Samantha Sastre, Sam Shabel, Zachary Day, and Stephanie Brennan. As part of their financial award they also received a book that will surely come in handy. (Try the pancake recipe with the beaten egg whites! Thanks to Marcia Hay-McCutcheon for the suggestion of this book--it was a hit, at least with parents.)

Zachary Day's parents (his step-mother, Nancy Campbell, is the manager of the McNair Scholars Program) speaking with Prof. McCutcheon outside the Department lounge and library, next door to Prof. Jacobs's office. (Note how tightly the cookbook is being held, in case anyone tries to pry it from their grasp.)

About 50 people attended our luncheon, at which the Department awarded both $1,000 and $500 Fellowships, from its Silverstein Endowment, to help its highest achieving students with the cost of their future education.

Samantha Sastre (pictured with her parents, who came from Atlanta for the day) received her fourth Silverstein Fellowship this year. Samantha, an REL major and Computer Science minor, has worked in the main office for two years and has been President of our student association. Her brother, Michael, and sister, Sarah, were among those who joined Samantha for graduation in mid-May 2006 (see the rollover image).

Stephanie Brennan's mother (doing her best to keep that cookbook safe) speaks with a young man who, we have noticed, often walks Stephanie to her REL 341 class--he mysteriously identified himself as "the boyfriend."

Prof. McCutcheon speaking with Matt Satcher, in front of the recently mounted window frames next door to Prof. Murphy's office. Before being mounted, the frames were refurbished because they are the original window frames from Manly Hall, which dates to 1884.

Reprising the timeless pose featured on the cartoon caption contest page, witty contest winner and man-about-town, Tim Davis, strikes a pose with a his big sister, Kim Davis, who graduated from the Department two years ago and who is currently pursuing her M.A. in French Literature and holding the position of Blount Junior Fellow. (Rolling over the image makes it apparent that they've been holding this pose for quite some time.)

REL major Justin Nelson found time to attend Honors Day and even to read a bit from the Indian epic, Mahabharata for his REL 208 class.

All kidding aside, this is what Honors Day is all about: brother and sister strike a pose for mom and dad out on the lawn of Woods Quad.

At the end of a long but satisfying day (which turned out to be not as rainy as predicted), nothing beats a sexy soda and a soft chair.

Thanks to Betty Dickey, Donna Martin, Jennifer Goodman, and Melanie Williams for helping to make this event possible. We've come a long way since Honors Day 2002.