IMMEDIATE MAY 11, 2004

STEPHENS WINS DONALDSON AWARD AT ABAC GRADUATION

          TIFTON—Trisha Stephens of Tifton received the highest honor presented to a graduating student from Abraham Baldwin College at Tuesday’s graduation ceremony. On behalf of the ABAC Alumni Association, ABAC President Mike Vollmer presented Stephens with the George P. Donaldson Award for outstanding scholarship and leadership.           

Donaldson served as president of ABAC from 1947 - 61. Stephens’ award included a plaque and a check for $500 from the ABAC Ag Alumni Council. The award is based on a combination of academics and extracurricular activities.

A total of 156 students participated in the Gressette Gym ceremony, which featured a speech by one of the graduates, Joel McKie from Abbeville.

While at ABAC, Stephens was a member of several organizations, including Baptist Student Union, InterActivities Council, Phi Theta Kappa, and the Student Government Association. She also served as Traffic Court Justice and received the HOPE Scholarship. She was also named to Who’s Who at ABAC. Stephens was also selected for the prestigious ABAC Ambassadors’ program. She served as vice president of the organization during her freshman year and as president her sophomore year.

Stephens, the daughter of Earl Stephens and Wanda Jones, plans to attend the University of Georgia where she hopes to receive undergraduate and graduate degrees. After college, she plans to teach vocational agriculture at a high school and eventually earn her doctorate degree and teach on the college level.

# # #