Three outstanding members of the University of Kentucky community received awards from UK’s Nu Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society, at its fifth annual Leadership Awards Ceremony.

Founded Dec. 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, Omicron Delta Kappa recognizes achievement in several areas:

• scholarship
• athletics
• campus or community service, social and religious activities, and campus government
• journalism, speech and the mass media
• creative and performing arts

Nominees, guests, members of the Nu Circle and President Eli Capilouto, a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, attended the ceremony to honor the impact and leadership of several UK students, faculty and alumni.

The winners were presented their awards by Nu Circle President Sara Baker and ODK Leader Christina Walker. They are:

• ODK Excellence Award Winner: Mr. Jeffrey Carruthers
• ODK Outstanding Leadership and Student Enhancement Award Winner: Dr. Sarah Kercsmar
• ODK Impact Award Winner: Lindsey Woosley

Mr. Carruthers is a graduate student in two programs of study, Ph.D. in history and MSLS in library science. He is a teaching assistant instructing two sections of recitation for American history, and a mentor and the director of Boy Scouts of America National Youth Leadership Training program.

Dr. Kercsmar is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Sciences, Education and Research. She loves teaching and working with students. Her students describe her as a leader and mentor who is fun, entertaining, approachable and genuinely invested in their success.

Lindsey Woosley is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She is the Core Ambassador for the American Physical Therapy Association. Additionally, she has traveled to Ecuador, Guatemala and Belize to help increase access to medical services for those most affected by poverty.

Other finalists for the leadership awards included:

• Mark Butler
• Dr. Christopher Crawford
• Lisa Dunkley
• John Fitch III
• JungHee Kang

The Nu Circle also awarded the Jerry Claiborne Scholarship to Kaitlyn Conway.

The Nu Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa was founded at UK in 1925. It was the 14th circle to be established in the nation. Previous inductees have included Kentucky governors; UK presidents Frank Dickey, Charles Wethington and Lee Todd; philanthropists Lucille C. Little and William T. Young; Ambassadors Thomas Niles and Cary Cavanaugh; and Kentucky coaches Jerry D. Claiborne, Adolph Rupp, Orlando “Tubby” Smith and Bear Bryant, among other notable leaders.