Shantia Thomas Earns Outstanding Nursing, Health Sciences Student Award at VSU

Shantia “Tia” Keondra Thomas of Macon, Georgia, is the recipient of Valdosta State University’s 2023-2024 College of Nursing and Health Sciences Outstanding Senior Sciences Award. She is pictured with Dr. James Pace, dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Dr. Richard A. Carvajal, president of VSU.

VALDOSTA — Shantia “Tia” Keondra Thomas of Macon, Georgia, is the recipient of Valdosta State University’s 2023-2024 College of Nursing and Health Sciences Outstanding Senior Sciences Award.

Thomas was recognized during VSU’s annual Academic Honors and Awards Dinner on April 25.

The College of Nursing and Health Sciences Outstanding Senior Sciences Award is presented to a student with a record of academic excellence and distinguished service inside and outside the classroom.

“This prestigious recognition has enhanced my college experience by making me accessible to new opportunities and roles,” she said. “It gives me a sense of accomplishment and confidence.”

Thomas graduated May 4 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She plans to pursue a career as a registered nurse in the Emergency Care Center at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, a Level I trauma center and one of the most active emergency departments in the world.

Highlights of Thomas’s time as a VSU student include the following:

- Volunteering with Minorities in Nursing.

- Making the Dean’s List every semester and graduating summa cum laude.

- Hosting study sessions with friends.

- Attending her first college football game.

- Being named the President’s Award for Academic Excellence recipient for the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Her supportive family includes parents Mekita and Robert Thomas.