The Faculty Medal of Distinction is awarded annually by the faculty of the IU School of Liberal Arts to an undergraduate student who has made outstanding contributions to the liberal arts community in the areas of scholarship, leadership, and service.
The Faculty Medal of Distinction is presented to the recipient during the annual Faculty Assembly Awards ceremony.
The faculty of the IU School of Liberal Arts nominate students based on:
- academic accomplishments, including excellence in multiple disciplines, project participation, or other awards
- meritorious participation in extracurricular activities, including contributions and leadership
- other considerations, such as community engagement related to their academic pursuits; commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; other accomplishments that speak to their excellence as a student; or other activities and accomplishments that support the university’s overall mission
Phoenix Schlebecker is remarkable student in the Sociology 5-year B.A./M.A. program with superior academic achievements in multiple disciplines.
Phoenix has excelled academically, consistently making the Dean’s List, and receiving multiple awards, including the CRL DS-UROP Scholarship, the Indy Pride Scholarship, the Sociology Department Best Paper Award, the Service-Learning Award, and the Academic Achievement Award in Sociology. They also have been accepted into a federally funded leadership-focused training program in adolescent health research and completed interdisciplinary projects that underscore their academic dexterity.
Beyond academics, Phoenix has shown extraordinary dedication to extracurricular activities, offering substantial service to their department and support to peers, while also participating in and leading in civic engagement activities. Their work with the Indiana Youth Group, BU Wellness Network, and the HIV Modernization Movement-Indiana, among other groups, highlights their commitment to community service.
All of these contributions demonstrate Phoenix’s leadership in advancing community engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) values that strongly align with the university’s mission.