The award recognizes graduating seniors who have demonstrated potential for future service and effective leadership in American society.
Tech seniors Elizabeth Bickel, a chemical engineering major from Murfreesboro, and Alex Martin, a business major from Portland, won the award.
Bickel is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Tau Beta Pi engineering honors society and the Tech honors program. She has served as an undergraduate research assistant in the Department of Chemical Engineering, spent time as an intern research assistant at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, served as both president and secretary of the Tennessee Tech American Institute of Chemical Engineers Chapter and has been a part of 10 different research presentations delivered at Tech, Oak Ridge National Lab, and conferences in Salt Lake City, Utah and Nashville.
Bickel came to Tech as a transfer student from Middle Tennessee State University and her professors say she represents the successes that can be found for transfers to Tech.
She exhibits extraordinary capacity to learn and extraordinary curiosity. She is a natural leader and a natural teacher, said Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Holly Stretz. Elizabeth will be a national leader in research as her career builds, perhaps the next television icon like Neil deGrasse Tyson who engages us in what science helps us to be - the best in us.
Martin currently serves as president of the Student Government Association at Tech, he was named an Outstanding Senator for his service to the Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature, he served as a Student Regent for the Tennessee Board of Regents and was a student commissioner for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, has been an active member of the Interfraternity Council and was selected as Phi of the Year in 2016 as a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He is a College of Business Ambassador and a member of the President s Ambassadors. He has served on many university committees and committees within SGA and the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
As impressive as his scholastic achievements have been, his record of successful campus activity based on good citizenship, interest in others and leadership, is even more so, said Assistant Professor of Economics Robert Sean Alley. Alex has the most accomplished record of university and community service I have ever encountered in my career as a faculty member. He is an engaging and well-rounded young man, very active on campus and in the community.
There were five finalists for this year s Derryberry Award. Miranda Stoltz, a political science major from Sevierville; Rachel Tuck, a business economics major from Lafayette; and Daniel Sherfey, a double major in accounting and business management from Monterey, were also finalists.
The Derryberry Award was established in honor of Everett Derryberry, who served as Tennessee Tech president for 34 years. He retired in 1974.