6 Outstanding Arkansas State University Students Named 2023-2024 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) Recipients

JONESBORO – Six outstanding students from Arkansas State University (A-State) have been named recipients of the Distinguished Service Award (DSA) for 2023-2024. DSA recipients will be recognized at the Scholars Convocation as the organization's top graduating students based on their leadership, scholarship and citizenship achievements.

One of these students will be announced as the recipient of the university's highest honor for 2024, the R.E. Lee Wilson Award, on Thursday, April 25, at an on-campus dinner for the DSA recipients.

This year's Distinguished Service Award recipients are Bailey Blackmon of Perryville; Christopher L. Crutchfield of North Little Rock; Natan Gomez of Irapuato, Mexico; Ann Long of Cape Girardeau, Mo.; William "Garrett" Partain of Lepanto; and Khushi Singh of Bryant.

Faculty, staff and advisors nominate outstanding students for these prestigious annual awards.

All nominees have achieved outstanding academic records and have dedicated countless hours of service to their community, classmates, campus organizations, departments and colleges, and to Arkansas State University. A committee comprised of students, faculty, staff and past Wilson Award recipients makes the final selection. Below are some highlights about each of this year's DSA winners.

Bailey Blackmon of Perryville

A pre-professional biological sciences major in the Beck College of Science and Mathematics, Blackmon will graduate in May. Blackmon has been named to the Chancellor's List, the Dean's List and the Director's Honor Roll.

A recipient of numerous scholarships, Blackmon has been awarded the Dr. Willie Young Memorial Scholarship, the A-State Scholars Scholarship and the Arkansas Governor's Distinguished Scholarship. She has also had extensive community involvement both on and off campus. During her time at A-State, she has served as Red Wolves recruitment director for St. Jude, Director of Greek Life, Chancellor's Ambassador and a member of the Pre-Dental Club. Fluent in English and Spanish, she has volunteered as a tutor at El Centro Hispano and served as an interpreter at Mission of Mercy.

To prepare for a career in dentistry, Blackmon has worked at five dental offices across the state. After graduation, she will begin the Doctor of Dental Surgery program at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her advisor is Dr. Scott Mangan, associate professor of ecology.

Christopher Crutchfield of North Little Rock

Crutchfield will graduate in May with a degree in instrumental music education from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication. He has received numerous honors, including being named to the Chancellor's List and the Dean's List.

Crutchfield was the first recipient of the Herman W. Strickland Memorial Scholarship, a band performance scholarship, and the Academic Excellence Award from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Theta Mu Chapter, for having the highest GPA.

His academic achievements have contributed to his standing among professors and peers. He serves on the University's Academic Integrity Committee, the Diversity Planning Committee, and is a member of the Student Recruitment and Diversity Organization. Crutchfield has performed with numerous bands on campus and is a co-founder of the newly established Natural State Saxophone Club. His advisor is Dr. Elissa Kana, instructor of music.

Natan Gomez of Irapuato, Mexico

With a cumulative GPA of 4.0, Gomez will graduate in May with a degree in biotechnology from the Beck College of Science and Mathematics. He speaks four languages, including his native Spanish, as well as English, French and German.

He was recognized as a finalist for a graduate scholarship at the University of Gottingen and was the only Arkansas resident selected as a finalist for the McCall MacBain Scholarship in Canada. He has received several awards for outstanding academic achievement, including the Red Wolf Works Signature Experience Medallion. Gomez has been a member of several research groups throughout his research career.

His extracurricular activities include working with the registered student organization Hermana y Hermano, where he served as president and vice president. He credits the organization with providing not only a sense of purpose but also a stepping stone to success. His advisor is Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar, professor of plant metabolic engineering.

Ann Long of Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Long will graduate in May with a double major in political science and history from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication. Described as a student who always strives for excellence, Long has received numerous awards and scholarships. She has conducted research, studied abroad and completed an internship in Washington, D.C.

A member of the Honors College, she has been named to the Honors College Director's List and the Chancellor's List. She has studied Spanish, Modern Standard Arabic and French. In addition to her outstanding academic achievements, Long has served on the Academic Integrity Committee, as vice president for community engagement of the Honors College Association, as a senator of the Student Government Association, and as an intern at the Women's Leadership Center.

After graduation, she will attend the Clinton School of Public Service as part of a master's program in public service. She will attend on a full scholarship and stipend. Her advisor is Dr. Andrea Davis, associate professor of history.

William "Garrett" Partain of Lepanto

Partain will graduate in May with a degree in political science from the College of Liberal Arts and Communication. He has repeatedly been named to the Chancellor's List and the Dean's List throughout his academic career. An outstanding student, Partain has received numerous scholarships.

In addition, he received a Middle East Studies grant for a language scholarship that took him to study Modern Standard Arabic in Morocco. He also secured an internship through the Washington Center at 50 State, a state-focused public relations and government affairs firm, in Washington, D.C., where he spent his final semester.

As a senator of the Student Government Association, Partain has served on several committees and was instrumental in establishing a housing scholarship to help disadvantaged students. He is a member of the Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society and the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, has served on the University's Academic Integrity Committee, and has participated in Model United Nations. His advisor is Natasha Neal, instructor of political science.

Khushi Singh of Bryant

A biological sciences major in the Beck College of Science and Mathematics, Singh will graduate in May. An outstanding student, she has been recognized for her excellence through her acceptance into the Honors College, being named to the Honors College Director's List and the Chancellor's List, and earning numerous scholarships.

Pursuing a graduate degree in dentistry, Singh has shadowed various dentists to gain a better understanding of the profession she hopes to enter. She has worked to establish two new laboratories as a student and has served as a teaching assistant.

Singh is described as someone with a heart for serving others with kindness and respect, volunteering to take on multiple roles that benefit the A-State and Jonesboro communities. In searching for her place on campus, Singh worked with several registered student organizations but found her calling with the A-State Food Pantry. She has led and participated in numerous initiatives to better serve others through her work with the food pantry. She is a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and led her sorority to win the top fundraising award. Her advisor is Dr. Fabricio Medina-Bolivar, professor of plant metabolic engineering.