Norman Receives Distinguished Service Award
JONESBORO – Monica Alexis Norman of Hot Springs is one of eight outstanding students who received a 2017 Distinguished Service Award (DSA) at Arkansas State University. She was honored at a recognition dinner, Thursday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at the Cooper Alumni Center.
The DSA announcement comes during A-State’s Convocation of Scholars, an annual celebration of academic achievement that includes college and departmental awards and recognition events.
The Distinguished Service Award winners are recognized as 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 these prestigious awards.
All of the nominees have provided countless hours of service to the community, their classmates, their departments and colleges and to Arkansas State University. A committee comprised of students, faculty, staff and past Wilson Award recipients makes the final selections.
Nikki Arnell, associate professor of graphic design, nominated Norman. Norman will graduate with honors in May with a degree in graphic design and a 3.7 grade point average. Her minor is international business.
A four-year member of the Honors College, Norman is the recipient of an A-State Pride Scholarship and Academic Challenge Scholarship. She has been listed on the Dean’s and Chancellor’s Lists each semester since 2013. She is also part of the Study Abroad program and visited Rome, Italy, in the summer of 2015.
Norman served as a senior four years in the Student Government Association and is a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She was that organization’s publications coordinator in 2014 and the vice president of finance in 2015. In addition, she was the president of the Rotaract International registered student organization. She also is the founding officer of the Student Philanthropy Council.
A three-year member of the Professional Association of Design at A-State, Norman worked as the group’s publicist and was a cabinet member in 2015-16. She also worked with the American Advertisement Awards for Northeast Arkansas as a volunteer. A graphic designer for Pink Ink Screen printing, she was also a freelance designer for United Way of Northeast Arkansas.
Norman also worked as a companion and staff member for Camp Quality summer camp for children with cancer in the summer of 2014, and has been a volunteer with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 5k run since 2013. This spring, she was selected to be a part of the competitive internship program at St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital.
