The UALR College of Science, the second largest college within the university, will hold its annual awards ceremony and reception at 4 p.m., Friday, April 26.

The event, which honors top students in the fields of science, mathematics, health science and nursing, will be held in the Donaghey Student Center.

Each year, the eight departments within the college submit the names of students who have won at the department level for consideration at the college-level for the Academic Excellence Award.

2013 college-wide winners by degree level include: Kala Cline Grimes, associate’s degree (nursing); Erin Taylor, bachelor’s degree (physics/biology); Amy Alexander-LeCroy, master’s degree (chemistry); and Alokita Karmakar and Mehmet Cansizoglu, doctoral degrees (nanotechnology and physics, respectively).

A student inspired by faculty

Alexander-LeCroy, who will graduate in May, returned to UALR as a cosmetologist interested in the chemistry behind the products used in the hair-care industry.

What started as a simple curiosity slowly developed into a passion for science fueled by “the brilliant faculty within the college,” according to Alexander-LeCroy.

“Being able to work alongside and learn from the professors, experts in their respective fields, is an honor in and of itself,” she said. “The dedication of the faculty to student success is evident not only in the classroom, but also in the care and attention they offer if and when further assistance is needed.”

Alexander-LeCroy recently accepted a job at L’Oreal USA Inc. as a chemist, which was both her career and company goal upon returning to college.

Other college-level awards include: Saad Azam and Danielle Kemmer, winners of the COS Leadership Endowed Scholarship; Corey Graham, winner of the Tracy L Thompson Scholarship; and Saad Azam, winner of the Steven L. Mourning Scholarship.

In addition to the overall college and scholarship winners listed above, there will be 75-plus departmental awards and scholarships awarded from the eight College of Science departments.