Gavin Thomas ‘20, data analytics and economics major, was awarded Denison’s President’s Medal, the college’s highest student honor.
Denison annually recognizes graduating seniors who have demonstrated exemplary leadership and service to the University through their involvement in student organizations, in co-curricular activities, on Denison’s staff, and as athletes and scholars.
Thomas’ President’s Medal Citation:
Gavin, as an Economics and Data Analytics double major, you set for yourself impressive academic challenges and met them with excellence. With Denison Ice Hockey, you led the team both on and off the ice from your very first year, immediately taking leadership roles as Treasurer, Vice-President, and ultimately President of the Hockey team.
It’s clear you have also been regarded by faculty as a leader in the classroom. Selected as a sophomore scholar to help a professor in Computer Science design a new course over the summer, that effort resulted in a co-authored publication at a prestigious computer science conference. You have been both an Economics Department and a Data Analytics Fellow, “setting the bar for excellence,” as one of your nominators said of your academic efforts.
One mark of a liberal arts education is how excellence is a common outcome of interdisciplinary work, and how developing skills in multiple areas brings out the best in the whole person, whether it’s technical communication, shutting the door on an opponent in the net, winning a league championship, or renewing the Economics Club as a campus presence. You have done all of these with aplomb, and we honor you for the many forms your leadership has taken.
