Published: May 03, 2008 06:17 pm         

Conneway receives award

Renee Conneway has been honored with the E. William Noland Outstanding Student Award for 2007-2008 at Potomac State College of West Virginia University. She is a sophomore horticulture major from Capon Bridge and the daughter of Julie Conneway and Russell Conneway.

Conneway serves as vice president of the Student Government Association, vice president of Common Ground, is a PSC StartSmart volunteer, a member of the Circle K Club and the Campus and Community Ministries Club. She is a member of Sigma Phi Omega Honor Society, a Promise Scholar and has earned placement on the Provost’s List each of her semesters at the college.

Conneway was chosen as the Character Counts Student of the Month for August 2007, representing the character trait “responsibility.” As a participant in Student Support Services, Conneway has been awarded the SSS Ambassador and Dependability awards in addition to receiving the Sophomore Book Scholarship and the Visionary Award.

She has assisted with numerous Red Cross blood drives and participated in Habitat for Humanity, Toys for Joy and Fireside Christian Fellowship Youth Group projects. Conneway’s name was also inscribed on the “Duke Anthony Whitmore/ Henry Louis Gates Jr. Academic Achievement Wall as a student honoree.

“It’s easy to see how Renee stands out among her fellow students,” said Relay for Life campus coordinator, Professor Deanna Armentrout. “While serving as club president and the first student event chairwoman of the PSC Relay for Life Club, I could see how enthusiastic Renee was about the event and how much heart she put into her team’s fundraisers and activities. She even asked if I knew of a way she could safely, but not permanently, paint herself purple (the official color of relay) to attract more attention and recruit more students for the club,” Armentrout said.

According to campus Provost Kerry Odell, after an ad hoc committee is appointed, they must review and narrow the search for students who meet the following criteria: the student must be a full-time sophomore; the student must have carried a minimum of 12 semester hours for each of the semesters considered; the student must have been named to the campus Provost’s List for his or her first three semesters with no failing grades; the student must have at least two campus leadership and/or service roles; the student’s conduct must be above reproach and it must be ascertained that the student has presented no disciplinary problems to the college community. A personal interview is also conducted before the committee makes its final decision on the recipient.

After graduating from Potomac State, Conneway will continue her education at West Virginia University.