{"id":22892,"date":"2022-11-15T15:40:25","date_gmt":"2022-11-15T23:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/student\/?page_id=22892"},"modified":"2025-10-24T14:01:46","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T21:01:46","slug":"awards","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wou.edu\/student\/awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Western Oregon University<\/h3>\n

Annual Graduating Student Awards<\/h2>\n

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Presented to Western Oregon University graduating undergraduate and graduate students, and an Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing-Monmouth campus student.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Outstanding Graduating Senior Award<\/h3>\n

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The Outstanding Graduating Senior Award is the highest honors Western bestows upon undergraduates. The Outstanding Graduating Senior Award is given to students who have had an impact at Western, are positive role models for their peers, and have a range of campus leadership, co-curricular activities, academic achievements, community-based service, and volunteer experiences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Outstanding Graduating Senior Award<\/h5>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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Julia McCulloch Smith Award<\/h5>\n

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.<\/p>\n

In 1931, the women to whom this award was given needed to possess:<\/p>\n