MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University recently celebrated its most prestigious individual student awards for the 2023-24 academic year.

Recipients included President’s Award winner Ross Sibley, Provost’s Award honoree Sydney Robbins, Robert C. LaLance Jr. Award winner Sevinch Kamaridinova and MTSU Community Service honoree Brian Maxwell. A common thread: All are part of the MTSU Honors College.

The Student Government Association/Center for Student Involvement and Leadership Awards pay tribute to undergraduate students for their exemplary character and achievements in scholarship, leadership and service. 

At the two-hour event, held Monday, April 22, in the Student Union Ballroom, other awards were presented along with the installation of the new SGA officers for 2024-25.

President’s Award: Ross Sibley

Sibley, 22, of Redlands, California, said he is “humbled to be selected as the recipient of the President’s Award,” which is presented to a student exemplifying superior character and honor and having made achievements that, ideally, all students should strive to meet.

“Four years ago, I put a lot of faith in God to put me where I was meant to be, but I never expected this,” said Sibley, an Honors College Buchanan Fellow, which is a major scholarship. “My work ethic comes from watching my two incredible parents sacrifice so much for my sister Emily and I to succeed in education.”

The biochemistry major in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences thanked his “family and friends and the MTSU faculty and staff — specifically the mentorship of chemistry professor Kevin Bicker, Jamie Burriss (director of Undergraduate Research Center) and Laura Clippard, advisor and Undergraduate Fellowship Office coordinator with the Honors College — who have pushed me to be the best version of myself.”

Sibley will attend the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill to pursue his doctorate in chemistry, “with an eventual goal of developing therapeutics for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.”

Provost’s Award: Sydney Robbins

Robbins, 22, of Memphis, said she is “beyond grateful and truly honored to be chosen for this award” given to an MTSU student who best demonstrates outstanding academic achievement. “The last four years have been filled with endless support from family, friends and professors; countless late nights in the science building and library; and exciting opportunities to learn and serve in new ways.”

The forensic science major in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences said it is clear to her “that I have accomplished nothing by my own might. I want to give God all the glory for what He has done through me! My life is a testament to His faithfulness and goodness. I owe everything to Him and will praise Him in everything I do.”

Robbins, an Honors College Buchanan Fellow has made the dean’s list every semester, has been an active debate team member; a recipient of the Charles Holland Biology Scholarship; president of the MTSU Chapter of the American Chemical Society; and a three-year volunteer with the Tennessee Girls in STEM.

LaLance Jr. Achievement Award: Sevinch Kamaridinova

Grateful — that’s how Kamaridinova, 22, of Gallatin feels about life. She came to the U.S. at age 16 from Uzbekistan with her mother, Nargiza Negmatova, and brother, Cruz Kamaridinov, with one suitcase and not speaking English. She then landed at MTSU, where she majored in biology/pre-dentistry (3.79 GPA) and joined student organizations; and received the LaLance Award that is designed to honor a student who has shown remarkable determination in pursuing their degree. 

“I’m extremely grateful to the MTSU community for giving me a chance to achieve my American dream,” she said. “I’m thankful to be surrounded by a loving community that has given me my best friends, best memories and best opportunities.” 

While at MTSU, she was an SGA freshman council member and senator, the Panhellenic Association’s vice president of judicial affairs, Blue Elite tour guide, student orientation assistant and worked at her family’s Jolly Ollie’s restaurant in Hendersonville, Tennessee, which was damaged by fire in 2019 and by the tornado in 2023.

Sevinch Kamaridinova plans to attend dental school starting in 2025. She dreams of becoming a family general dentist or endodontist, and owning private clinics for special needs dentistry for adults and children and the underserved community.

Community Service Award: Brian Maxwell

Maxwell, 43, of Smyrna has overcome incarceration and other obstacles to become an Honors Transfer Fellow and graduate with a 4.0 GPA in video and film production in the College of Media and Entertainment.

His volunteering at AdamsPlace Assisted Living and the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center, where he established an audio-visual class, plus actively participating in various Honors College events led to the Community Service Award recognizing a student who exemplifies servant leadership through their service to the campus and off-campus community.

“It’s not so much how hard I work; it’s the time I put in,” said Maxwell, who added he’s honored to receive the Community Service Award. “I love the volunteer work I do, but it is a huge sacrifice in terms of time away from home. I gain a great deal of satisfaction from volunteering in the community. I would encourage others to find something they are passionate about and find a way to contribute to those less fortunate in their chosen venue.”

Maxwell plans to pursue a master’s degree in media and communications at MTSU and was recently the first recipient of the MTSU Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 246’s Graduate Scholar Award.

— Randy Weiler (Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu)