CLEVELAND— From left, Justin Lamar Smith, a Delta State graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree, with concentration in biology, from Scott; Stephan C. Roberts, a Delta State graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree, of Lake Village, Ark.; Lauren "Brittany" Eikner, a Delta State graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree, with concentration in mathematics, of Grenada; and Margo Lynn Baker, a Delta State graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, of Perryville, Ark., were awarded the First Diplomas during Delta State University's 83rd Spring Commencement ceremony held Saturday, May 8, inside Walter Sillers Coliseum on campus.

Brittany Eikner, a 5-foot-6 Grenada native, has lettered all four years for the Lady Statesmen Softball team and the last two years for coach Doug Pinkerton and Lady Statesmen Cross Country. The three-time All-Gulf South Conference selection has been a force for DSU on the diamond, starting all four years at short, while ranking in the top 10 in four major offensive categories.

For Lady Statesmen Cross Country, Eikner ran in every race the past two seasons, including a a career best 22nd place finish at the DSU Invitational with a time of 25:11.35 helping the Lady Statesmen to the event title. Her career best time came at the Gulf South Conference Championships with a 23:15.14.

Her efforts in the classroom are even more impressive, as Eikner carries a 4.0 GPA in mathematics education with a minor in french. She has made the President's List every semester at DSU, while being named a National Fastpitch Coaches Association Academic All-American. She is also a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-Region selection, four-time All-GSC Academic Team pick and four-time All-GSC Academic Honor Roll recipient.

Eikner is also a member Kappa Delta Sorority, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa National Honor Society, Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, Member of Mathematical Association of American, and a three-time recipient of the Most Valuable Student-Athlete Award for Lady Statesmen Softball.

The First Diploma is presented to the four-year graduating senior with the highest grade point average on a minimum of 112 hours of academic credit at Delta State.

The First Diploma is a Delta State tradition started at the first commencement in 1928. The conferring of this degree began the tradition of awarding the first diploma to the student with the highest academic average.