The UNC Asheville African American Student Association hosted its annual Awards Banquet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in the Owen Conference Center. The following awards were presented:

William E. Highsmith Academic Awards, to the African American male and female student who has the highest cumulative grade point average, Brooke Thompson and Lucious Wilson; Outstanding African American Freshman Award, Simona Smalls and Winston Rose; Outstanding African American Sophomore award, Tonisha Jackson and Jamal Mullen; Outstanding African American Junior Award, Christy Scott, Stacey Phillips and Deleon Dendy; Outstanding African-American Senior Award, Nikki Young and Terhan McDaniel; Sojourner Truth Award to the commuter student who has exhibited outstanding involvement on and off campus, Carmen Canty; Martin Luther King Jr. Award to the African American student who has made significant contributions toward a more cohesive relationship between the students and the university, Torie Leslie; Jesse Owen Award to the African American student athlete who has exemplified academic accomplishment, athletic ability, fellowship, and service to the university, Donetta Floyd.

The Malcolm X Faculty Award was presented to Dwight Mullen, political science department chair, for going beyond the call of duty in showing concern for African American students at UNCA. The George Washington Carver Staff Award was presented to Deirdre Wiggins, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Office program assistant, for going beyond the call of duty in showing concern for African American students at UNCA.

Mary McLeod Bethune Academic Achievement Certificates (African American students who received between a 3.0-3.5 grade point average for the Fall 2000 semester) were presented to Andrew Hainsworth, Tiffanie Hazel, Carl McCurdy, Marasi Mwencha, Stacey Phillips, Winston Rose, Sharmain Thomas, Jennifer Wiley and Roland Williams.

For more information, call Octavia Wright, Multicultural Student Programs Coordinator, at 828/251-6671.