Four graduating Wayne State University students who have distinguished themselves through academics and service to others were accorded top undergraduate leadership honors recently at a Campus Life Leadership Awards ceremony. Receiving the Howard A. Donnelly Award were Brittany Betham of Livonia and Philip McDonald of Saginaw. Receiving the David D. Henry Award were Basma El-Bathy of Utica and Lance Jones of Saranac. The Donnelly and Henry Awards recognize leadership and service, consistent with high scholastic achievement.

Howard A. Donnelly Award recipients

Brittany Betham, who earned a 4.0 GPA, received a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry with University Honors and is a WSU Presidential Scholarship recipient. She served as President of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and was a four-year participant in the Alternative Spring Break-Detroit community service project, for which she was student coordinator this year.

Philip McDonald majored in biological sciences and was enrolled in the WSU Honors Program. He was a National Merit Scholarship finalist and participated in WSU's challenging MedStart program for students planning careers in medicine. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the prestigious national academic honor society, and is a founder of the Gender and Sexuality Resource Community, a WSU campus organization that fosters understanding and acceptance of differences among people.

David D. Henry Award recipients

Basma El-Bathy received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Near Eastern Studies. An honors student, she is a recipient of the summer Undergraduate Research Award. She was active in the Model United Nations program and the Detroit Fellows Program.

Lance Jones graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree, with double majors in social sciences and mathematics. He was captain of the WSU cross-country team and received Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Academic All-Conference honors three times. He also was named three times to the Academic All-America team by the Cross Country Coaches Association. In addition, he twice earned GLIAC All-Conference honors in cross-country. He has participated in numerous university and community volunteer activities.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs though 11 schools and colleges to nearly 33,000 students.