Iowa State will honor many of its leaders and scholars at the Student Scholars and Leaders Recognition Ceremony Sunday.

This is the second year for the ceremony, which has now been turned into an annual event.

Bryan Burkhardt, 1998-99 GSB president-elect, will be giving the welcome speech.

He will be speaking on the importance of finding a “happy medium between academics and leadership.”

His speech will also include the correlation of applying the knowledge learned at ISU to real life and the real world.

Barbara Henry, president and publisher of The Des Moines Register, will give the keynote address.

She will be speaking about the importance of studying and leadership, and will relate it to her personal experiences.

The honorees include the winners of the Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award, David J. Henry All-University Leadership and Excellence Award, W. Robert Parks and Ellen Sorge Parks Senior Scholarship, Charles F. Fredericksen Leadership Award, Junior Leadership Award and the Tze-Yen Teoh Sophomore Leadership Award.

In addition, students in the top two percent of each class in every college will be recognized for their academic excellence.

Terri Houston, assistant dean of students, said the ceremony “is a very positive reflection of the students of Iowa State University and the institution.”

She added, “it speaks to the credibility of the institution that we are able to recognize the students before they leave.”

A new feature added this year to the ceremony is the recognition of mentors.

Recipients of the leadership awards were asked to specify a mentor who has been instrumental in their leadership.

These mentors were then invited to the ceremony in order to applaud their role in the university.

“We have a fine selection of students here,” Houston said. “There is a good balance of academics and leadership. This ceremony really honors the students and what Iowa State does for them.”

The ceremony is open to the public and begins at 1 p.m. in Stephens Auditorium. A reception will follow the ceremony.