Outstanding Graduating Senior Award

The Outstanding Graduating Senior Award is the highest honors Western bestows upon individuals within an undergraduate graduating class. The recipient(s) are considered positive role models for their peers, have a diverse range of leadership, co-curricular activities, academic achievements, community-based service, volunteer experiences, or have overcome significant barriers to success or personal or societal challenges. They have also demonstrated success in academic achievement and scholastic achievement.

In earlier decades, the Outstanding Graduating Senior Award was titled the Delmer Dewey Award and the Julia McCulloch Smith Award. In 2015, nominees were considered for either award regardless of gender. In 2019, awards were combined as one single award. In 2022, it was updated to the Outstanding Graduating Undergraduate Award. Finally, in 2024, it was renamed Outstanding Graduating Senior Award.

Julia McCulloch Smith Award

In 1931, John F. Smith of Ames, Iowa entrusted $500.00 to Oregon Normal School to be used in acknowledgment and support of women students. This gift was established in memory of his wife, Julia McCulloch Smith, who died May 6, 1930. He had asked that the income from this money be used each year as an award to the outstanding senior woman. For many years $25.00, accruing from the interest on the $500, was given to recipients. It is not known when the monetary award stopped. Mrs. Smith graduated from Oregon Normal School in 1895 with a degree in scientific didactics in 1895. She taught in the elementary school of Yaquina, Jefferson and Salem, OR. Her family was near Rickreall, OR.

In 1931, the women to whom this award was given needed to possess:

• Great proficiency in scholarship
• Great success in student activities
• High development of character and intellectual attainment
• Strong powers of inspiration and leadership
• Noble qualities of womanhood

Delmer Dewey Award

On February 8, 1954 the Lamron announced that an outstanding senior male award was going to be presented for the first time. The award was to honor and remember Mr. Delmer Dewey, the Dean of Men, who had passed away in 1953. It was to be a $15 cash award presented at the annual awards banquet (but was discontinued at some point in the past). The decision to begin this tradition was made by the Dad’s Club at its meeting during the Folks’ Festival weekend.

Past Recipients

Outstanding Graduating Senior Award:

Outstanding Graduating Undergraduate Award (previous name for Outstanding Graduating Senior Award) :

Julia McCulloch Smith Award:

Delmer Dewey Award:

The Outstanding Graduate Student Award began in 2008 to select a graduate student who has had superior achievements in scholarship and academics during graduate studies, and who demonstrates positive character, leadership, and initiative during coursework and upon entry into their profession. 

Evidence of superior efforts, beyond required coursework for degree program, in scholarship and academics should were accounted by:  

• student’s research, writings, and presentations, performances,
• student’s graduate GPA, and
• listing of other academic awards and recognition received during the graduate work.  

Evidence of positive character, leadership and initiative was accounted by students’:

• sustained and exemplary engagement in courses, 
• ethical disposition, 
• leadership in either formal or informal situations, and
• involvement with their chosen profession through volunteerism, internships or regular work experience, memberships in professional organizations, or similar praxis. 

Originally, this award was awarded by the WOU Student Leader Award and Outstanding Graduating Students Selection Committee. Since 2020, this award is awarded by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Past Recipients:

The Golden Lamp Award is based on the American Nurses Association Code for Professional Nurses and the Florence Nightingale Pledge. It is given in recognition of exemplary demonstration of scholarship, leadership, professional commitment, innovative contributions, and humanitarian ideals.

Past Recipients: