Emory Report
May 27, 2008
Volume 60, Number 31

 

   
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May 27, 2008
Multi-talented Zelkowitz gets McMullan

BY beverly clark

Emory graduate Rachel Zelkowitz knows a little something about how to meet deadlines. During her four years at Emory, she took on numerous positions with the award-winning Emory Wheel and earned a reputation for grace under fire, high ethical standards and warm support of her colleagues.

These attributes led to her winning the 2008 Lucius Lamar McMullan Award, one of Emory’s highest student honors which also comes with $25,000 — no strings attached. Endowed by Emory alumnus William L. Matheson ’43C in honor of his uncle, the award is given to a graduating senior who exhibits “outstanding citizenship, exceptional leadership and potential for service to his or her community, the nation and the world.” The donor’s intention is to allow a student to do something he or she wouldn’t otherwise be able to do.

“Winning the McMullan was truly stunning. There are so many tremendously talented people in my class doing extraordinary things, so this is not something I would ever expect to receive,” Zelkowitz said. She gave a gift to the Emory Counseling Center and set aside the rest for graduate school and savings.

“The counseling center performs a tremendous service to campus and has been a great source of support for me personally the past three years, so I want to give back,” Zelkowitz said. “I hope to see the center take a more prominent role in students’ lives, and that the stigma associated with seeking help reduced.”

Zelkowitz recently served as executive editor of the Wheel and was a member of the appeals board of the Emory College Honor Council. She chaired the senior class day committee and was a student representative on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women. She also used her musical talents in the Emory Wind Ensemble and Symphony Orchestra as a French horn section co-leader.

Zelkowitz graduated with highest honors as a political science and journalism major. The Robert W. Woodruff Scholar also completed an honors thesis in political science. She is now headed to a six-month internship with Science magazine.

“Science has always been a passion of mine,” she said. “I plan to combine that with my love of writing and communicating, and hopefully provide a service that will benefit the public by increasing people’s understanding of the importance of science in our lives. My training at Emory gave me a fantastic foundation to do this.”