Dedicated students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences received recognition for their devotion to academics Sunday night.

The LAS Multicultural Student Services held a recognition ceremony to honor the academic achievements of its students.

About 200 awards were given to students based on their academic success in the spring and fall of 2005.

Students who received these awards had a cumulative or term grade point average of at least 3.0.

LAS Multicultural Liaison Officers Luiza Dreasher and Robert Lipsey said they were both pleased with the turnout of students at this year’s ceremony.

“We had great attendance tonight,” Dreasher said. “This was well attended by the students and their supporters, including their academic advisers and even the dean.”

During his speech, Douglas Epperson, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said he’d like to be invited to next year’s ceremony. Dreasher said she was pleased to see that kind of support from the dean.

“We want to continue to recognize the students for their achievements,” Lipsey said. “There is a lot of press that says that colored students are not doing very well. We need to keep recognizing those who are doing well in their academics.”

Thomas Hill, vice president for student affairs, spoke and said students should be proud of their achievements and told everyone to bring a friend next year to the ceremony. He said he hopes that in the coming years, the Great Hall of the Memorial Union would be too small to hold this event, and that he would like to see the ceremony take place in Hilton Coliseum.

Each speaker for the ceremony expressed praise for the students and their dedication to academics.

Lipsey thanked Target, the corporate sponsor of the event. He said Multicultural Student Services appreciates the financial support the company provides, as well as its willingness to participate. He said having its support helped give students even more acknowledgment for their successes, not only at school, but also throughout the community.