Two MSU graduates were the recipients of the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, a renowned national award for their achievements in the arts.
Karen Myers, an studio art and art education graduate, and Veronica Fitzpatrick, an English graduate, were informed in April that they would be receiving the prestigious award.
"At first I didn't realize how big the award really was," Myers said. "When I realized that not too many people in our art department had received this award, then the shock settled in."
The award is given to the top college seniors across the country who have demonstrated achievement in an area of the performing arts, which includes creative writing and fine arts. The award has been given out since 1982 and has had recipients from a number of colleges, including Harvard, Yale and Princeton.
While an undergraduate, Myers worked with MSU's "Saturday Morning Art" program to develop and design a program for children ages seven through 18 to expand their artistic talents. Fitzpatrick served as the poetry editor of the Red Cedar Review, a student-run MSU literary digest.
And while the awards were announced at the MSU Commencement, neither student was able to attend.
"I was delivering the speech for my major's commencement," Fitzpatrick said. "So instead of attending the commencement at the Breslin (Center) I was practicing my speech."
Both students were nominated by faculty members from their majors. Professor Thomas Berding, chairperson of the MSU Art and Art History Department and one of the people who recommended Myers receive the award, said Myers was very deserving of the honor.
"She is an extremely talented and motivated individual when it comes to artistic beliefs," Berding said. "Her great work ethic and vision has helped her succeed in the past and will also help her in the future."
Myers said MSU and the Art and Art History Department had a big part in helping her achieve this honor.
"The MSU professors are always available. It always seems like someone is available to converse with, and the department's networking is great too," she said.
Myers will attend Boston University for graduate school, and Fitzpatrick will attend Notre Dame.
