(Photo: L-R, Gatton faculty, Olivia Davis, Graham and URC members, Tricia Henry, Denise Best, Raven Gibson, Angie Evilia and Shonta Phelps)

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 24, 2023)— The University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics held its annual Honors Day on Friday, April 14, 2023, to celebrate the outstanding achievements of its students and organizations.

“The honors and award season is one of my favorite times of year because it highlights the best of Gatton College’s success. And topping that list is our annual Gatton Honors Day Celebration, where we honor six students about to graduate the title of Outstanding Senior from each department, including honoring a senior with the Dean’s Award for Excellence.” said, Simon Sheather, dean of the college. 

The event recognized six Gatton outstanding seniors who excelled in their respective fields. The honorees were:

Kayla Griesbach, Accounting

Destin Hardesty, Undergraduate Student Services

Adam Julian, Management

Haylie Paulin, Marketing

Trevor Payne, Finance

Elly Piatt, Economics

This year, two winners were selected by the dean for the prestigious honor of Dean's Award for Excellence. Congratulations to Trevor Payne and Kayla Griesbach for earning this incredible honor!

In addition to individual awards, the ceremony recognized outstanding members of each of Gatton's Student Organizations. Each organization awarded a Member of the Year and its own organization-specific award. The winners of the student organization awards were as follows:

• The Finance Society awarded Ben Broughton with the Student Excellence award and the Finance Society Member of the Year.
• Gatton Ambassadors awarded Zoie Saunders with the Leadership Excellence Award and Kayla Griesbach with the Gatton Ambassadors Member of the Year.
• The American Marketing Association awarded Megan Arnold with the Most Valuable AMA Member award and Bailey Burke with the AMA Member of the Year.
• The UK Accounting/CPT Club awarded Olivia Ida with the UK Accounting Club Outstanding Leadership Award and the UK Accounting/CPT Club Member of the Year.
• The Real Estate Club awarded Abigail Willmoth with Officer of the Year, and William White was chosen as the Real Estate Club Member of the Year.
• Beta Alpha Psi awarded Emily Cooper with the Alpha Mu Leadership Award and Nathan Stroud with the Beta Alpha Psi Member of the Year.
• Alpha Kappa Psi awarded Jalen Williams with the Yellow Rose Award and Nicole Cozzi with the Alpha Kappa Psi Member of the Year.
• The Human Resource Management Club awarded Edison Shipley with the Leadership in HR Award and Savannah King with the Human Resource Management Club Member of the Year.
• The Analytics Club awarded Aidan Campbell with The Count on Me Award and Gaby Hayes with the Analytics Club Member of the Year.
• The Economics Society awarded Shria Holla with the Executive Leader of the Year award and Katie Niewald with the Economics Society Member of the Year.
• The MBA Student Association recognized Tori Harris as the Member of the Year.

UK’s American Marketing Association chapter was chosen as the student organization of the year. This organization demonstrated a commitment to excellence in academics, community engagement, and professional development throughout the academic year.

(Photo: University of Kentucky's American Marketing Association)

The event also serves as a chance for students to nominate and recognize some of our Gatton faculty and staff for outstanding service and commitment. This year, students chose Shawn Stewart as the student-nominated staff of the year and Jordan Moffett as student-nominated faculty of the year.

The Gatton Honors Day is a tradition in the college, and it serves as an opportunity to highlight the exceptional work of the Gatton community. Congratulations to all of the honorees and their families!