On May 7th, Anna Ardelean will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science. But in addition to those accomplishments, Ardelean will walk across the stage to receive the university’s highest honor – the USI President’s Medal.
While the President’s Medal may be the most significant award Ardelean has won, it is hardly her first. A recipient of several scholarships, plus community engagement and service awards, she served as Student Government Association president, a member of the USI Presidential Covid-19 Task Force, the Division I Exploratory Committee and many other leadership roles.
Ardelean is a first generation college graduate and university officials say she has excelled academically but has also been a force for change in the Evansville community – addressing housing discrimination as an intern with the Evansville Vanderburgh County Human Relations Committee.
Next for Ardelean is a master’s degree in public policy from Brandeis University in Boston.