April 24, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - - The University of Memphis M Club honored the class of 2008 at the annual Senior Induction Luncheon, Thursday afternoon at the Athletic Office Building. The luncheon recognized all the Tiger head coaches with their respective senior classes and honored four special award winners.

Baseball player Neil Schenk was the recipient of the Male Scholar Athlete Award. The senior pitcher is graduating with a degree in foreign languages with an emphasis in Spanish and will continue on to medical school for the fall of 2009.

Two female student-athletes shared the Female Scholar Athlete Award. Track and field team member Chen Edri and softball player Lindsay Kelso tied for the highest GPA among the female student-athletes in the department. Edri is graduating magna cum laude with a degree in biology and plans to continue on to physical therapy school in the fall, while Kelso is graduating summa cum laude with a degree in accounting and will continue her education next year in graduate school at the University of Memphis with an eye toward becoming a CPA.

The final special award at the luncheon was presented to women's soccer player Caroline Barrett, who received the Elma Roane Award. Barrett, who helped the Lady Tiger soccer team to its first Conference USA Championship this fall, will be graduating with a degree in communications. Barrett is the first women's soccer player to be honored with the Elma Roane Award since Veronica Ruiz in 2003-04.

Final exams begin at the University of Memphis on Friday, with graduation scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd at FedExForum. The 10 a.m. ceremony will be for the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Communication and Fine Arts, University College, School of Audiology and Speech Pathology graduates. The 2 p.m. ceremony, which may have traffic conflicts with Memphis in May Music Festival activities, is for the Fogelman College of Business & Economics, College of Education, Herff College of Engineering and the Loewenberg School of Nursing.