Senior Kathleen Clemens named Lincoln Academy Student Laureate
Honor recognizes outstanding academic and extracurricular achievement.
11/17/2011 3:10 PM
By Abby Rhodes
Senior Kathleen Clemens came to Bradley to follow her dream of becoming an educator. Along the way, she has also become a role model, a leader in many service organizations and, now, a Lincoln Academy Student Laureate – a title that recognizes Clemens as a thoughtful, inspiring and successful citizen.
The Lincoln Academy of Illinois has honored university students with this award annually for the last 37 years. Each four-year college and university in the state elects its top senior student to receive the award. This year, Clemens stood out among a strong field of Bradley candidates.
“There are many remarkable student leaders at Bradley, so we have a difficult choice,” said Dr. Alan Galsky, vice president for student affairs. “We thought Katie’s depth and breadth of experience, and the level at which she is involved, gave her the edge.”
Clemens has been a resident assistant for two and a half years, a leadership position she is more likely to label an opportunity than a job. “I absolutely love it and do it for the residents. I especially like working with freshmen because they’re so enthusiastic and eager to build relationships.”
She has also been involved in LINCS (Leaders Instilling Knowledge through Cooperative Service), a program through which Bradley seniors mentor student leaders and those seeking leadership positions. A member of Kappa Delta sorority, Clemens is also very active in the University’s Greek community. This year she directed the Panhellenic Council’s recruitment efforts, an experience which opened her eyes to a potential career path.
“I’d like to pursue student affairs and possibly be a Greek advisor because I’ve really enjoyed my experience working with the Greek community here at Bradley,” Clemens said.
Clemens was recognized by the Lincoln Academy during a Nov. 5 ceremony held at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Ill. She received a medallion, a framed certificate of achievement and a $500 scholarship.