Saint Martin’s junior selected for American Chemical Society Leadership Award

December 9, 2011

LACEY, WASHINGTON —The American Chemical Society (ACS) has selected Daniel Mast, a double major at Saint Martin’s University in mathematics and chemistry, as the recipient of the 2012 Student Leadership Award.

According to a statement from the Society’s Committee on Education Task Force on Undergraduate Programming, the award “recognizes emerging leaders in our ACS student chapter network and helps them prepare for the leadership opportunities at volunteer organizations. . . and in their professional career.” The award includes attendance at a January conference in Fort Worth, Texas where Mast will network with other student leaders and prepare for future leadership roles.

Mast, a junior, was nominated for the honor by Dr. Arwyn Smalley, assistant professor of chemistry in the University’s Natural Sciences Department. Smalley is the 2011 chair of the Puget Sound Section of the ACS. She says that in addition to being a brilliant student, Mast, upon joining the chemistry club “instantly became a powerhouse in initiating activities, fundraising, and keeping the student section organized.” Smalley added, “His energy and initiative have doubled our fundraising over last year, so that more SMU students can attend the upcoming ACS spring meeting.”

Mast says he’s excited to go to the ACS Leadership Institute. “I’m looking forward to gaining some larger recognition for SMU,” he said. “I hope to bring back ideas and leadership techniques for the coming year.”

Mast’s other activities on the Saint Martin’s campus include working as a math and physics tutor in the Learning and Writing Center.
Saint Martin’s University is an independent four-year, coeducational university located on a 380-acre wooded campus in Lacey, Washington. Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 14 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains. Saint Martin’s University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and six graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering. Saint Martin’s welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its extension campuses located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Everett College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College. Visit the Saint Martin’s University website at www.stmartin.edu.

For additional information:

Dr. Arwyn Smalley
Assistant professor of chemistry
Natural Sciences Department
360-923-8707
asmalley@stmartin.edu
 
Sarah Holdener
Director of community relations and event management
Office of Marketing and Communications
Saint Martin’s University
360-412-6140
sholdener@stmartin.edu