NASHVILLE (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University’s Avian Hughes has been selected as a Black Engineer of the Year Award’s STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) student-athlete award winner last week.

Hughes, a member of the TSU track & field program, holds a 3.10 GPA with a major in Electrical Engineering. He has been a three-year letter winner for the Flying Tigers track & field team and a member of the Air Force ROTC program.

“Avian is a great example of what being a college student is all about,” noted TSU Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services, Dr. Johnnie Smith.  “For a young man to balance academics, athletics and Air Force ROTC, and excel in all three, he is truly the epitome of excellence.  I am so proud of Avian and I salute him on this national achievement.”

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Hughes claimed All-Conference accolades during his freshman campaign in the long jump. Hughes primarily focuses in the long jump and triple jump.

His best triple jump mark this season came with a distance of 13.57-meters at the UNC Dick Taylor Invitational. Hughes also leapt 7.04m in the long jump at the Dick Taylor Invitational.

“First of all congratulations to Avian for being an outstanding student-athlete,” said TSU Track & Field Director Chandra Cheeseborough-Guice. “He is really dedicated on what he does on the track and it shows in the classroom as well.”

Hughes will join fellow TSU student Samba Fall, who has also been selected to receive a BEYA Award and both will be recognized at the Student Leadership Awards Dinner during the 26^th annual BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference in Philadelphia, on Friday, Feb. 17.

NASHVILLE (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University junior Samba Fall has been selected as a Research Award Winner at the 2012 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) leadership conference.

The Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) leadership conference is held annually to recognize the accomplishments and contributions of minority STEM professionals worldwide.  Last year, BEYA started The Student Leadership and Scholarship Awards Dinner, which recognizes young men and women who have gone above and beyond their commitment to their education in science, technology, engineering or math.

STEM students are nominated in the categories of Leadership, Research, Community Service and Student Athlete. The awards recognize the contributions of STEM students in academics as well community.

Kevin Williams, coordinator of undergraduate programs for the College of Engineering at TSU, nominated Fall for the global award competition. “We are extremely proud of his accomplishments and the recognition it will bring to the great work being done here at the University,” Williams said.

Fall, a mechanical engineering major, will be honored during the 2012 Student Leadership and Scholarship Awards Dinner at the Black Engineer of the Year (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference February 17th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.