Outstanding academic achievement, combined with solid facilitator and leadership skills, earned Katharine Carney the Student of the Month honors for April by Residence Life.
Carney, a senior English major from Rochester, was nominated for the award by English Professor Natalie Gerber, who said Carney has been “outstanding in her academic work.” So highly regarded for academic achievement, Carney was nominated by several faculty members in both English and Writing programs to serve as their student representative at their respective open houses.
Her 3.62 GPA is quite impressive, Gerber noted, given Carney’s many extra-curricular and professional obligations. She belongs to many campus clubs and organizations, is president of English Works, a past president of the Fredonia Chess Club and vice president of the Sci-Fi Fantasy Enthusiasts. She also participated in soccer intramurals and the Fredonia Outlawed Bodies group.
Carney had an internship with Great Works and was the intern responsible for producing the English department’s newsletter.
What Carney prizes most about Fredonia is without a doubt the English department, saying its professors and students are among the best she has met. “I’ve never had such a positive learning environment where I know that I have the full support of my professors and I can see that my fellow students are just as passionate about learning as I am,” Carney said.
After graduation, Carney plans to serve as a camp counselor at Camp Mark Stevens, a camp for the deaf, before leaving for Japan to teach English. She is currently interviewing with several companies in Japan.
The Student of the Month program was implemented in 2003 to recognize students who are well-rounded, excel in their academics and contribute positively to the campus and community.