Published on April 6, 2023 by Emily Naubert  
UPD Induction Awards

Samford University's School of Public Health honored 29 students in the Upsilon Phi Delta (UPD) Induction & Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 23.

The ceremony was held in Reid Chapel, where friends and families of the awardees were able to celebrate with the students for their achievements.

Courtney Haun, assistant professor and director of Samford’s undergraduate health care administration undergraduate program, said, “This year’s ceremony was so special because we were able to invite friends and family of awardees for the first time. With the hybrid format, we had the highest attendance for the event to date.”

Joni Wyatt, director of health care advisory for Kassouf & Co., was invited to speak at the ceremony. She motivated students about hard work and dedication, with wisdom.

UPD is the national honor society for health care administration students. Offering lifetime membership, the organization recognizes and rewards those who have shown academic excellence in the field of health care administration.

Samford currently has 11 members who are a part of the UPD membership and seven new members who were inducted at the ceremony.

In addition to the UPD awards, UPD undergraduate scholarships, Brown Scholarships, the Foster G. McGaw Scholarship and class honors were awarded to students who showed academic excellence.

Students who will be serving in leadership roles in the coming year and those who have completed internships were also honored at the ceremony for their achievements.

“Celebrating our students and their many successes is always a joy,” Haun said. “This event allows us to highlight their achievements.”

The honored students are as follows:

  • Abby Juillerat
  • Alexandra Denton
  • Ansley Powell
  • Ansley Whitson
  • Audrey Strange
  • Caroline Roach
  • Catie Chain
  • Cassidy Mason
  • Catherine Eckerle
  • Courtney Rogers
  • Eboni Mighty
  • Erika Baskerville
  • Grant Thibodeaux
  • Grace Colyar
  • Hannah Less
  • Harrison Weathington
  • Isaiah Strong
  • Jadyn Kilgore
  • Jiangguag Ding
  • Jolie Gaston
  • Kathryn Toole
  • Luke Bice
  • Mady Kendrick
  • Mary Key
  • Riley Womac
  • Shelby Roal
  • Stephanie Bodin
  • Troy Nelson
  • Ty Herring
 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.