2019 Distinguished Award Winner: Starr Taylor
This week, we will be recognizing each of the 2019 Distinguished Service Award recipients.
The Distinguished Service Award winners are the institution’s most outstanding graduates because of their leadership, scholarship and citizenship. Faculty, staff, advisers to student organizations, and other members of the campus community submit nominations for the prestigious awards.
All of the recipients have achieved excellent academic records and provided countless hours of service to the community, their classmates, campus organizations, their departments and colleges, and to Arkansas State University. A committee comprised of students, faculty, staff and previous Wilson Award recipients makes the final selections.
Today's featured recipient is Starr Taylor of Jonesboro.
Taylor will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science. She completed her degree requirements in three years while playing on the Red Wolves basketball team, running her non-profit organization and being an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Taylor was also on numerous academic honor rolls during her student career.
Her non-profit, the Power of 1 or 2, Inc., that she operates with her brother, is committed to empowering, educating and enriching the lives of children and families by providing them with resources and opportunities. These include collecting “Spread the Warmth” by collecting coats, gloves, blankets and other items for those in need; “Adopt a Child for Christmas”; turkey drive and Thanksgiving baskets; community Thanksgiving dinner; “Pack the Bag School Supplies”; and “Daddy and Daughter Dance.”
Taylor’s leadership skills include serving as a Sun Belt Conference ambassador, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, membership in A-State’s student-athlete advisory committee, and a three-time recipient of the Strong Turner 3.0 award.
As a member of A-State’s basketball team, Taylor’s community service continued with the Tuckerman Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Caring; elementary reading program; United Way Day of Caring; Barry Weyer Jr., Memorial 5K; NEA Food Bank Drive; Miracle League and other events. For her efforts, she received the Arkansas State women’s student-athlete of the year as a freshman and the A-State women’s basketball Red Wolf community service award as a sophomore.
As a member of her sorority, Taylor coordinated event and fundraising efforts and was honored as the National Pan-Hellenic Council Greek outstanding newcomer in 2018 and has the highest grade point average in Alpha Kappa Alpha’s chapter.
