CSM honors student leadership, commitment

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo COLLEGE OF SOUTHERN MARYLAND The College of Southern Maryland honored student leadership, involvement and commitment recently at the annual Student Government Association awards banquet. Pictured are Bradley M. Gottfried, CSM president, left, President's Cup recipient Nathan Hurry, Vice President's Cup recipient Jamie Adams and Bill Comey, vice president of student and instructional support services. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

The College of Southern Maryland presented Nathan Hurry and Jamie Adams with its highest student leadership awards at the annual Student Government Association awards banquet April 26 at Middleton Hall in Waldorf. Also honored was Latasha Baker as CSM's Student Employee of the Year.

The college's outstanding student leader wins the President's Cup by demonstrating he or she can motivate and lead others, by active involvement in the college's extracurricular programs and by helping to make the college community better, according to a CSM press release.

"This year's recipient, Nathan Hurry, has set an example for others through his service to the college and his participation in a variety of activities both academic and extracurricular," CSM President Bradley M. Gottfried said in the release. "Nathan currently serves as Student Association secretary to both the La Plata and Leonardtown campuses, which set a precedent for student government here at CSM," added Gottfried.

Hurry, a Mechanicsville resident, is also a representative to the Student Government Association, a tutor for higher-level mathematics, physics and energetics, and a member of the CSM Math Team and several clubs and organizations at both campuses, all while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.

In addition, Hurry is a pending inductee as one of the founding members of CSM's chapter of Sigma Alpha Pi, a student honor society. He was most recently elected president of the Leonardtown campus Student Association.

Hurry plans to graduate from CSM with an associate degree in math and science and transfer to St. Mary's College of Maryland to pursue a bachelor's degree in biology.

The Vice President's Cup is presented to the student who has most significantly contributed to improving the college community. The award recognizes the important work done by students behind the scenes. The major criteria for the award are dedication, commitment and involvement.

"Serving as the vice president of the La Plata Student Association, Jamie Adams has always given his best and been extremely dedicated to his position and responsibilities," Vice President of Student and Instructional Support Services Bill Comey said in the release. "Setting the tone for his peers and campus community, Jamie constantly promotes campus activity and involvement — he's always recruiting students to join the student activities committee and engaging them in the planning and execution of events.

"From the time he found out he was elected vice president of the Student Association, Jamie was ready to make a change. He wanted to make sure all programs that were offered reached out to the entire student population."

Adams, of Waldorf, previously served as president of the Black Student Union. He plans to graduate from CSM in January with an associate degree in general studies and transfer to Towson University to study business and sports management.

The CSM Student Employee of the Year award recognizes a student's initiative and contributions to the college community as an employee.

This year's Student Employee of the Year was awarded to Latasha Baker of Hollywood who works in the student services office at the Leonardtown campus.

"Because of her professionalism and attention to detail, last year Latasha was relied upon by the then-new support manager to demonstrate the daily office functions to be performed by the student assistants. Latasha set the standards for what responsibilities could be assigned to a student employee," said CSM SGA President Anacamila Figueroa.

"When the support manager left the college for another position, Latasha's abilities began to truly shine," Figueroa added. "Latasha took the initiative to develop a spreadsheet for the director indicating student assistant needs and coverage."

"Latasha is one of the first people a visitor will meet upon entering the office — she models the professional behavior that is expected in the office at all times," said Figueroa.

In addition to working 16 hours a week, Baker is a full-time student working toward an associate degree in computer science. She plans to transfer to St. Mary's College of Maryland.