SFA economics and finance students receive awards from local financial institutions

NACOGDOCHES, Texas –– Stephen F. Austin State University students received monetary awards — many donated by Nacogdoches-area financial institutions — during a recent ceremony.

Award recipients were chosen by faculty members from the Nelson Rusche College of Business’ Department of Economics and Finance.

“Students were selected based on their academic achievement in their coursework, engagement in research projects, participation in conferences, and pursuit of their future career goals — whether employment, entrepreneurship or graduate study,” said Dr. Mikhail Kouliavtsev, chair of the department.

Colby Keen, finance senior from Aubrey, received the Entrepreneurship Award, and Ethan Johnston, finance senior from Montgomery, received the Portfolio Management Award. Both awards were sponsored by Buchanan Wealth Management.

Other achievement award recipients included Barret Williams, economics junior from Wake Forest, North Carolina, who received the Asset Liability Management Award sponsored by Citizens 1st Bank; and Evan McDaniel, finance junior from Austin, who received the Financial Institutions Award sponsored by Cadence Bank.

The Economics Reading Group presented Williams with the Economic Pursuits Award, and Annie Johnston, business economics junior from Conroe, with the Economic Interest Award. Both awards were sponsored by the Institute for Humane Studies.

The High-Ranking Economics Major Award, sponsored by the Department of Economics and Finance, went to senior Jose Gonzalez of Lufkin. The High-Ranking Finance Junior and High-Ranking Finance Senior awards, both sponsored by Southside Bank, went to Russell Reid of Lufkin and Vivian Bivens of Granbury, respectively. Alexandria Cordero, senior from Lufkin, received the High-Ranking Banking Major Award from SFA’s Chadwick Banking Program.

Ethan Johnston received the Outstanding Economics/Finance Graduate Award sponsored by Austin Bank. Lani Berg, finance senior from The Colony; Anh Nguyen, economics senior from Vietnam; and Zola Westmoreland, accounting senior from Conroe, received the Undergraduate Scholar Award. Those awards were sponsored by the ECON 3339 Packet Fund.

The Involvement in Finance Award, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Texas, went to Alura Lovell, finance senior from Burleson.

For more information on these awards and SFA’s Department of Economics and Finance, visit sfasu.edu/ecofin.