Univ. of St. Thomas Issues ‘Tommie Award’ to Anna Fry of Bettendorf

My heart is bursting at the seams because I love seeing my worlds collide.

The University of St. Thomas (my alma matter) issues a "Tommie Award" every year to a graduating senior. According to the UST website, here's the curricula for a nomination:

The Tommie Award is presented each spring semester to a University of St. Thomas senior who, according to UST students, faculty, and staff, best represents the ideals of St. Thomas Aquinas through scholarship, leadership, and campus involvement. To be eligible for nomination and to receive the Tommie Award, the candidate must be a UST senior earning her/his degree no later than December 2015, have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75, and be in good academic and non-academic standing (i.e., not on conduct probation).

Essentially, acting as the valedictorian for the 2016 graduating class.

This year, I am so excited to announce that a Bettendorf, IA native is the Tommie Award recipient!

Anna Fry, a senior at UST and former Bettendorf High School student, will graduate this spring with a major in Catholic Studies and Psychology and a minor in Family Studies. If you think her course-load sounds rigorous, just listen to the rest of her schedule. Anna has found time to be the President of Catholic Women's Leadership, a member of Catholic Studies Leadership Interns, an orientation leader for incoming first-year students, all while maintaining a composite GPA of 3.91.

If that didn't speak enough to her character, Anna's former professor Paul Niskanen wrote this in her Tommie Award Testimonial:

Anna is the kind of person who lives outside of herself for others. She is an inspiring servant leader who works for the common good with no need for personal accolades. Somewhat ironically, I’m sure she would be as happy or more to see a friend win the Tommie Award as to win it herself

Congratulations to Anna Fry of Bettendorf High School for winning The University of St. Thomas' highest student-honor. She's making the Quad Cities proud!