Brooke Versaw of College Station receives a Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Award at Texas A&M University.
By Keith Randall, Texas A&M University Marketing and Communications
Texas A&M University recently presented its top student awards — recognizing outstanding accomplishments in academics, leadership and service by graduating seniors — to Gabrielle Lessen of Alexandria, Louisiana, Brooke Versaw of College Station and Rachel Keathley of Austin.
Each student’s identity was kept confidential until the spring commencement ceremonies, during which they received their diplomas.
Brown Foundation-Earl Rudder Memorial Outstanding Student Awards, which include cash gifts of $5,000 each, were presented to Lessen and Versaw. The award honors top students who exemplify the leadership and related traits of the late Gen. Earl Rudder, a World War II hero who served as president of Texas A&M from 1959 until his death in 1970.
The Robert Gates-Muller Family Outstanding Student Award, which also includes a $5,000 gift, was presented to Keathley.
The award was established through a gift from the Muller family of Galveston to provide public recognition to the outstanding seniors graduating from Texas A&M who have demonstrated those qualities of leadership, patriotism and courage exemplified by Robert M. Gates. He served as president of the university from 2002 until 2006, when he was named U.S. Secretary of Defense.