Roanoke College graduate Jillian Barnard '19 has been selected as a 2019 Leader of the Year by Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), one of the nation's oldest national leadership honor societies.
Each year, ODK awards the General Russell E. Doughtery Leader of the Year honor to five students nationwide who have shown the greatest dedication in each of ODK's five phases of campus life: scholarship; athletics; campus or community service; journalism, speech, and the mass media; and creative and performing arts.
Barnard, captain of the Roanoke College women's soccer team, received the honor in athletics.
"I'm very grateful to have been named ODK's Athletic Leader of the year," says Barnard. "I'd like to thank Dr. Trexler and Dr. Hollis as well as Coach Benne and the RC Athletics staff for their support and investment into my development as a leader while at Roanoke. Go Maroons!"
ODK Roanoke College circle, or chapter, members are students in the top 35% academically of their class, nominated to join by faculty, staff, coaches and administrators. ODK's National Awards Committee received 37 applicants for the five awards this year. This is the first time ODK has selected a leader of the year in athletics from Roanoke College.
Barnard was also the winner of the Roanoke Athletic Department's Paul W. Rice award which recognizes senior student-athlete for their contribution to campus life.
Barnard was a four year member of the team and served as team captain this past season. On the field she appeared in 61 career matches with 40 career starts. She had 11 goals to go along with nine assists for 31 career points. Off the field she has made the Dean's List every semester since arriving on campus. She belongs to numerous honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa and the prestigious Omicron Delta Kappa leadership society where she served as president.
In the spring of 2018 she was named to the President's List of Distinguished Students. She was a head resident advisor since January of 2018 and was named resident advisor of the year for 2017-18.
