The College of Human Sciences will be recognizing three undergraduate student honorees at the fall commencement ceremony Dec. 17.

Hillary Rodgers, senior in elementary education; Abbie Marsh, senior in family and consumer science education and studies; and Jessica Crawford, senior in child, adult and family services, will be recognized as CHS graduation marshals.

Rodgers was on the Dean’s List from 2006 to 2010, was a member of the ISU Honors Program and was a peer mentor for the Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers Learning Community.

She said her experience as a peer mentor was what made her stand out among other students, because she was able to become closer with not only students, but faculty and staff as well. Rodgers is currently student teaching at Gray Elementary School in Chicago.

“I’m originally from Minneapolis, so having an urban teaching experience was really great for me,” Rodgers said.

“It’s different than experiences in Ames or Iowa. There are problems that you don’t know about unless you experience them,” Rodgers said. “It’s broadened my teaching horizon.”

Although her academic experience was incredibly successful, her favorite moments at Iowa State were “times I was able to create relationships with friends, staff and faculty that I can come back to, the people I’ll talk to forever.”

Marsh was on the Dean’s List from 2007 to 2010, was the president of the Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Studies Club and was a peer mentor for Directions Community Center. Knowing that she would complete her degree early, Marsh wanted to get involved in activities right away as a freshman.

“I knew that if I wanted to have a leadership position I should jump right in since I wouldn’t have my senior year here at ISU,” Marsh said.

Marsh believes that getting to know the faculty through her leadership position helped with her nomination.

“[The faculty and staff] are all wonderful people who just want to see you succeed,” Marsh said.

Marsh has spent this semester student teaching in Charles City, Iowa, where she will be teaching family and consumer sciences starting in January 2011.

Crawford has studied abroad at the University of Ghana, spent a month in Rwanda for a service learning program and was the founder and president of ISUganda, an affiliation with Invisible Children.

Crawford went to Africa in high school, and Invisible Children inspired her to start ISUganda. They partnered with other organizations such as Dub H, the ISU Hip Hop Club, for fundraising. In Rwanda, Crawford worked at a children’s home for HIV and AIDS.

“It was incredible. I would go back tomorrow,” Crawford said.

Crawford plans on studying global development and education in graduate school at the University of Leeds in England. In the future, Crawford hopes to live in a developing country and work on education development and reform.

The fall commencement ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 17 at Stephens Auditorium.