Hamden Resident Awarded CT State Schools' Highest Academic Honor

HAMDEN, CT — A Hamden resident was among the 12 students recently awarded the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities Foundation's highest academic honor, The Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award.

The students — enrolled in Central, Eastern, Southern, and Western Connecticut State Universities — received the prestigious award for their outstanding academic achievement, on-campus involvement, and dedication to community service.

Each student was selected by his or her respective university and has maintained a minimum grade point average of 3.70 with a record of substantial voluntary service to their universities and communities.

Southern Connecticut State University student Nadesha Shakes, of Hamden, received the award. She was a Nursing and Public Health major, Wellness and Forensic Science minor, and earned a 3.70 GPA.

“This year’s Barnard Award recipients have excelled in the classroom and played an integral role in their local and college communities,” CSCU Chancellor Terrence Cheng said. “These 12 amazing students represent the very best of CSCU and show that with hard work and dedication any dream is achievable. I want to thank the CSCU Foundation for recognizing these remarkable students. Congratulations to all of this year’s recipients.”

This is the 36th year the CSCU Foundation has annually awarded the Henry Barnard Distinguished Student Award to exemplary students. The award is named for Henry Barnard, the first U.S. Commissioner of Education, Connecticut’s first superintendent of schools and principal of what later became Central Connecticut State University.

The CSCU Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports education and research within the four state universities.