The University of Mary Washington presented its top honors during commencement ceremonies Friday, May 11, and Saturday, May 12.

Kendall M. Parker of Fredericksburg received the Colgate W. Darden Jr. Award, which is presented to the student with the highest grade-point average (GPA) in the four-year undergraduate program. Parker finished with a 3.99 GPA. She finished her undergraduate career with all A's, including one A-minus.

"I do know it wasn't a course in her major, where she ended with a perfect 4.0 grade point," said Provost Nina Mikhalevsky, who recognized Parker with the prestigious award.

A political science major with a minor in business administration, Parker earned an honorable mention in a national undergraduate paper competition. She is a member of the national senior honor society Mortar Board; the national political honorary society Pi Sigma Alpha; and the national collegiate athletic honor society Chi Alpha Sigma. An exceptional player on the UMW basketball team, she set a school record for the number of three-pointers made in a single game.

"As her thesis advisor put it, she's not just good in one area: she's an outstanding scholar, an accomplished athlete, and a wonderful person," said Mikhalevsky who described Parker as a "triple threat."

"Kendall earning the Colgate W. Darden Jr. award is an incredible accomplishment", said her head coach, Deena Applebury. "It truly shows how dedicated she was in the classroom while also having a tremendous career on the basketball court. I am so proud of everything she's accomplished here at UMW and am excited to see her achieve even more as she enters the next stage of her life!"