MARQUETTE, Mich .—  The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees recently presented Student Achievement Awards to Cara Crawford of West Branch, Brandon Frazho of Gladstone, Justina Hass of Porterfield, Wis. and Mitchell Stephenson of Atlanta, Mich.

            Crawford received the Outstanding Female Graduating Senior award. She graduated summa cum laude with a 3.88 GPA and earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in chemistry. At Northern, Crawford was a Presidential Scholar, a Medstart Scholar and a member of the women’s cross country and track teams. Enhancing her pre-med curriculum, she also participated in the pre-med club, job shadowed physicians and volunteered in the operating room at the local hospital. She will begin medical school at Wayne State in the fall and she hopes to eventually work in an underserved area.

            Frazho received the Outstanding Student of Any Class award. He graduated in May with a degree in political science and a minor in English. Frazho was highly involved on campus, spending three years as a resident adviser and two years on the orientation staff. He completed the Student Leadership Fellowship Program and all four edges of the Superior Edge program. Most notably, he started the NMU baseball club, which also was accepted into the National Club Baseball Association.

            Hass received the Outstanding Non-Traditional Student award. She came to Northern in 2007 as a transfer student and received her degree in forensic biochemistry and a minor in criminal justice. Hass was chosen for a competitive internship program at the Wisconsin Department of Justice Crime Laboratory and was assigned to the fingerprint unit to decipher the effects of different labeling inks on forensic evidence. At Northern, she helped develop the Forensic Biochemistry Club and also participated in an event for NMU students with disabilities about being a self-advocate.

            Stephenson received the Outstanding Male Graduating Senior. A sports science major, he came to NMU as a presidential scholar, a freshman fellow and a member of the honors program. He graduated magna cum laude with a 3.74 GPA and was named outstanding senior in the health, physical education  and recreation department. Stephnson was involved in the sports science department’s research data collection and data processing. He presented his research in Australia, Portugal, San Francisco and Phoenix. He co-authored five papers and was the lead researcher of two.