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Students were nominated by departments based on the impact the nominee has had on the campus and community, leadership skills, outstanding quality of work, and extraordinary initiative.

Other students honored included:

First Runner-Up: Hailie Cowdell, College of Education ATLAS, $400 Lupher Scholarship

Second Runner-Up: Matthew Day, Nursing, $100 �ڰ������� Bookstore gift card donated by the Career Center

Third Runner-Up: Katelynn Reece, Counseling and Testing, $50 �ڰ������� Bookstore gift card donated by the Office of Student Affairs

Student employees are vital to the mission of �ڰ������� and �ڰ������� recognizes excellence in its student employees each year through National Student Employment Week, held in mid-April.

Cantrell, who will begin graduate studies at �ڰ������� this fall, has been working with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering since November 2016. During his time, he has gone above and beyond his regular duties in an effort to improve the department both internally and externally, according to Mustafa Mashal, �ڰ������� assistant professor of engineering, who nominated Cantrell.

Cantrell assumed leadership roles in a variety of projects within the department, the most notable of which included his role as project manager for the construction of the new Structural Laboratory (SLAB) at �ڰ�������. Cantrell’s responsibilities included managing contractor relationships, operating heavy machinery, budgeting, adhering to safety protocol and meeting a tight deadline, which he handled by completing 80 percent of the work in four weeks. He has also helped other departments in the Physical Sciences Building, including the mechanical engineering and chemistry.

Cantrell has led efforts to refurbish six labs for his department, which includes the following:

The Structural Dynamics Laboratory in the Engineering Research Complex

Structures Research Laboratory in the ERC Building

Drop and Impact Platform Outdoor Facility

Civil Engineering Materials Laboratory in the Lilibridge Engineering Building

Concrete and Asphalt Laboratory in the Lilibridge Engineering Building

In the classroom, Cantrell is an outstanding student, receiving multiple high marks in his classes and actively participating in classroom discussion. Outside the classroom, Cantrell balances career-related and extracurricular activities while maintaining a driven work ethic and a friendly demeanor, Mashal said. Cantrell has been described as an out-of-the-box thinker and problem-solver with a clear vision for his future.

“Thanks to Cantrell’s contribution, his department and the University will benefit for years to come,” Mashal said.