Eight of West Virginia University’s top graduating seniors were awarded the Order of Augusta, WVU ’s most prestigious student honor, during the Weekend of Honors Convocation Friday night (April 21) in the Mountainlair ballrooms.

The WVU Foundation established the Order of Augusta in 1995 to recognize a highly select group of students based on their superior scholarship, demonstrated leadership and record of community and public service. A private, nonprofit corporation, the foundation generates, receives and administers private gifts for the benefit of the University.

The 2006 recipients are Jennifer Audia of Salem ; Daniel Carrier of Morgantown ; Christopher Deskins of Pineville; John Estep of Sistersville; Johannes Herber of Darmstadt , Germany ; George Parish of Masontown , Pa. ; Tracey Safcsak of Wheeling ; and Tiffany Taylor of Clarksburg .

The Order of Augusta is the most significant honor a West Virginia University senior can attain, WVU Foundation President F. Duke Perry said.During their undergraduate years, these remarkable students have demonstrated the University’s highest ideals through their hard work and contributions to the campus community.

WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. presented each of the honorees with the Augusta medallion. In addition, each student’s name will be engraved on a plaque.

The Order of Augusta was so named for its historical significance in the state. Augusta was among the original names considered by the Legislature when the state seceded from Virginia in 1863. Also, the District of Augusta was the original name for a large area in what is now the northern region of West Virginia , including Monongalia County .

Recipients of the Order of Augusta are selected from 30 WVU Foundation Outstanding Seniors also recognized Friday for their achievements in scholarship, leadership and service.

Besides the Order of Augusta recipients, other Outstanding Seniors are Allison Fredette , Morgantown; Jason Gianola , Cross Lanes; Lewis Hardway , Upper Glade; Julie Hull , Charleston; Joanna Johnson , Richwood; Jee Eun Kim , Morgantown; Christal Kirk , Clendenin; Allison Latos , Wheeling; Ashley Latos , Wheeling; Kara Martin , Kingwood; Margaret Miller , Fayetteville; Lauren Quattro , Morgantown; Regina Saab , Morgantown; Jeffrey Skwarek , Ewing, N.J.; Laura Spengler , Morgantown; Amanda Vance , Fayetteville; Rachel Walther , Vienna; Ashley Weimer , North Huntingdon, Pa.; Beth Willis , Morgantown; Jeremy Wilt , Charles Town; Cheryl Woody , Parkersburg; and Brandon Yahn , Wheeling.

Order of Augusta honorees:

Jennifer Audia’s college career has been about seizing opportunities.

As president of a residence hall council, she organized community service and other activities for students.

The political science major’s campus involvement has also included Golden Key, Gamma Beta Phi Society, National Exemplary Scholars in Service, and the Chimes and Mortar Board honoraries.

One of Audia’s proudest moments was establishing the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. As charter president, she recruited members, organized volunteer projects and helped coordinate a Quiz Bowl competition.

Along the way, the straight-A student from Salem successfully balanced extracurricular activities with academics.

Jennifer is an active participant in class discussion,said John Kilwein, associate professor of political science.She is a superb writer and she has excellent analytical skills.

Family has played an important role in Audia’s life. Since her freshman year, the Eberly Scholar has made frequent visits home and to doctor appointments, assisting her mother who struggles with chronic migraines.

Audia’s career goal is to become a human resource manager or communications director for a governmental or nongovernmental interest group.

Her parents are Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Audia.

A Mr. Mountaineer finalist last year, Daniel Carrier of Morgantown epitomizes the gold-and-blue spirit.

Awarded the Bucklew Scholarshipreserved for only a handful of West Virginia’s top high school seniorsthe chemistry major distinguished himself as an outstanding undergraduate researcher.

For two semesters, Carrier studied the environmental consequences of mountaintop coal removal and valley filling and presented his findings to West Virginia legislators on Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol.

Dan usually puts in a lot more time in the lab than is actually required, and he has also shown the ability to work independently,said Ronald Smart, associate professor of chemistry.His collaboration should ultimately result in a journal publication.

As a member of the student Board of Governors, Carrier worked with University administrators and students to develop a physics learning center that would provide free tutoring.

He has a 3.87 grade point average. In 2005, he was named Analytical Chemistry Student of the Year.

Carrier plans to attend the WVU School of Dentistry in the fall.

His parents are Daniel and Dawn Carrier.

Christopher Deskins hopes to become a physician so he can make a positive difference in people’s lives and pursue his interest in science.

The biology major from Pineville already has a jump start on his career, volunteering in the emergency room at Ruby Memorial Hospital .

He is a very dedicated person who has compassion for others, WVU alumnus H.E.

NedCrews III said.His father has undergone transplant surgery recently, and Chris has accompanied the family on many doctor visits and assisted in follow-up care for his dad.

Deskins’commitment to his field of study extends beyond the classroom. He has been active in the Health Careers Opportunities Program and Association of Students of Pharmacy.

He has also taken part in the Gamma Beta Phi service fraternity and residence hall council. His previous community service activities include the Ronald McDonald House, Special Olympics and Christian Help.

With a 4.0 grade point average, Deskins has made the President’s List seven times. In recognition of his academic excellence, he was designated an Eberly Scholar.

His parents are Joseph and Alisha Deskins.

John Estep of Sistersville aspires to become governor of West Virginia .

With a 4.0 grade point average and strong track record in student government, the political science major plans to attend law school in the fall.

As an undergraduate, Estep held many leadership roles that prepared him for a career in public service. In addition to being elected to the student Board of Governors, he served on the Mountainlair Advisory Council and Student Code of Conduct Committee.

In his service as chief of staff for the Student Government Association during the 2004-05 administration, John demonstrated outstanding talents in both administrative and managerial aspects that went above and beyond his job title,noted D.J. Casto, former student body president.

Estep has participated in the Pi Sigma Alpha political science and Mountain honoraries and completed an internship with Snyder and Hassig Law Offices.

A 2002 Bucklew Scholar, Estep received the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Certificate of Achievement four years in a row.

His parents are Carmen and Phillip Estep.

Johannes Herber , a political science major with a 4.0 grade point average, is set to graduate at the top of his game.

The senior guard from Darmstadt , Germany , was named the 2006 ESPN the Magazine Academic Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year.

In addition to being a standout athlete and student, he is aCommunity Readsvolunteer, visiting Morgantown schools and the WVU Children’s Hospital, and tutoring fellow students in both German and political science.

He was recently selected to help represent the University at the National Model United Nations Conference in New York .

A young man of extraordinary constancy and dependability, Johannes Herber is a great role model for his teammates, his classmates and indeed all of us who have the privilege of his companionship,Mountaineer men’s basketball coach John Beilein said.

Herber is a member of the Mountain honorary and received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Scholarship four consecutive years.

He aspires to play professional basketball in Europe and eventually would like to become a member of the German diplomatic corps.

His parents are Joachim and Christiane Herber.

Engineering his way through one of the University’s most highly regarded academic programs, George Parish from Masontown , Pa. , has earned a 3.88 grade point average.

His honors range from an American Society of Highway Engineers scholarship to the President’s List award.

His academic competence has also been reflected in his field engineering work, by

having been given significant responsibilities as an engineer in training, but performing duties at

a professional engineer level,said Benedum Distinguished Teaching Professor Julio Davalos, citing Parish’s bridge design work with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

While many of his activitiesChi Epsilon National Engineering Honors Society and American Society of Civil Engineersfocus on his field of study, Parish has also been active in the Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and Newman Club.

The civil and environmental engineering major enjoys sports and served as captain of his intramural flag football team.

His parents are George and Donna Parish.

Tracey Safcsak’s combination of academic, work and service activities have added up to a well-rounded collegiate career.

The 4.0 accounting major from Wheeling is pledge class president of Phi Sigma Pi, a national honor fraternity; secretary of Beta Alpha Psi, the accounting honor society; and chief financial officer for the Institute for Human Dignity, a nonprofit organization that aims to establish unity worldwide.

Recently Safcsak was selected for another prestigious honorary.

While at WVU , she landed an internship with the WVU Foundation and worked as a pledge manager.

Tracey is an intelligent and highly capable individual,said Robert Maust, Louis F. Tanner Distinguished Professor of Public Accounting.Her outstandingpeople’skills make her a great ambassador for the University.

Safcsak plans to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the fall.

Her parents are Joseph and Carmel Safcsak.

When she graduates in May, elementary education major Tiffany Taylor of Clarksburg will have logged more than 1,000 hours in front of the students of Wilsonburg Elementary.

As part of WVU ’s five-year teacher education program, she taught in a rural elementary school and completed a research project on literacy strategies.

To acclimate new students to the program, she initiated the Teacher Education Mentoring WebBoard and served as coordinator of the Benedum Collaborative Tutor Orientation.

Ms. Taylor seems committed to teaching and to providing opportunities for children to develop their potential,noted Judy Abbott, associate professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice.

Taylor leads the Education Student Governance Association and has held several positions in student government.

She has a 3.9 grade point average and was selected as an All-USA TODAY Academic

Team nominee. In addition, she was recognized with the Ken Gray Student Leadership Award.

Taylor has earned a spot on the President’s List the past seven semesters.

Her parents are Dr. Michael and Marianne Taylor.