Sterling Serfoss Honored with President's Award for Academic Excellence at Valdosta State University

2017 Apr 26

Sterling Axel Serfoss of Macon, Georgia, is the recipient of the Spring 2017 President's Award for Academic Excellence for the College of Arts and Sciences at Valdosta State University.

The President's Award for Academic Excellence is presented to the graduating student with the highest grade point average in each of VSU's five colleges - College of Arts and Sciences, College of the Arts, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Harley Langdale Jr. College of Business Administration, and James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services.

VSU will celebrate its 223rd commencement on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6.

Serfoss will serve as the official banner carrier for the College of Arts and Sciences during the undergraduate commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, on the VSU Front Lawn. He will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry.

"It is such an honor to receive the President's Award for Academic Excellence for the College of Arts and Sciences," he said. "To lead my fellow graduates into the commencement area is truly a humbling experience, and I am eternally grateful for all of the relationships and experiences that have led up to this point."

During his time as a student at VSU, Serfoss regularly achieved Dean's List status, served as a VSU ambassador and a member of the Honors Student Association, and earned a spot in Alpha Lambda Delta: National Honor Society for First-Year Students. He worked as a resident assistant for two years before being named the lead resident assistant of Reade Hall during his final academic year. He volunteered during Science Saturdays at VSU and with the English Language Institute's Conversation Partners initiative.

Serfoss's commitment to academic, research, and service excellence on campus, in the community, and around the world resulted in him earning VSU's 2017 Alpha Lambda Delta Marie Leonard Book Award and 2017 Outstanding Senior Chemistry Award; the MillerCoors Educational Scholarship, which he maintained for four years; the 2016 Regents Choice Scholarship; VSU's 2016 W.R. and Dorothy Salter Scholarship; and the Zell Miller Scholarship, which he maintained for four years. He was named the 2014-2015 Male Rookie Resident Assistant of the Year. His research on "The Sweet Side of Organic Chemistry: Identification of Sweeteners Through Chemical Methods" was featured during VSU's 2015 Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Serfoss plans to attend Mercer University College of Pharmacy after graduation. He is the son of Steven and Deborah Serfoss.

"My long-term career goals are much more undefined; however, I will pursue excellence in everything that I do," he said. "My short-term goals are to be intentional with every moment I'm given so that each day I can rest in the fact that I have done my best. I see all of life's experiences as pieces to an unfinished puzzle, which will only begin to come together when seen through an older, more experienced set of eyes."

On the Web:

https://www.valdosta.edu/colleges/arts-sciences/

http://www.valdosta.edu/administration/advancement/event-services/commencement/

About Valdosta State University:

Valdosta State University is a comprehensive university characterized by outstanding instruction, a wide range of student life opportunities, and a close connection to the community. Established in 1906, the institution's mission is to prepare students to meet global opportunities and challenges through excellence in teaching and learning; to expand the boundaries of current knowledge and explore the practical applications of that knowledge through excellence in scholarship and creative endeavors; and to promote the economic, cultural, and educational progress of the community and region through excellence in service outreach.

Valdosta State University seeks to accomplish this mission in a dynamic, student-centered learning environment marked by a respect for diverse abilities, backgrounds, and contributions by all members of the university community.